George Steiner: thought and man

The great intellectual George Steiner died last February. An entire library burned with him. Fortunately, what remains are not just ashes, but a series of momentous works, rich interviews - and minds changed forever.

«Ad libros!» was the cry when flames swept through a building. Books had to be saved from the ravages of fire. To preserve knowledge. Ad libros! George Steiner is one of the major thinkers of the post-Auschwitz 20th century and the dawn of a lame 21st century. This philosopher, professor of literature, essayist and novelist gave his life to the love of letters, the glory of reason, the defense of European culture, the learning of languages, the darkest questions about man, and the most luminous transmission of his knowledge.

A man who, according to