Abigail Bray offers a lucid and accessible introduction to Hélène Cixous and her theorisation of writing and sexual difference. This book explores the context of feminist debates surrounding Cixous's work and provides a concise explanation of her major philosophical and literary concepts, including the 'other bisexuality', the 'third body', and l'écriture feminine. Bray demonstrates, through original and provocative readings of texts by James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Clarice Lispector and Angela Carter, the creative potential of Cixous's thought on literature and philosophy.

Reading Cixous alongside Nietzsche, Heidegger, Deleuze and Derrida, Bray argues for a recognition of Cixous as one of the important thinkers of our times.

'Bray's introduction to Cixous is brilliantly researched, lucid, engaging and thorough. More than an introduction to Cixous, it provides a remarkable overview of some of the key issues in feminist and cultural theory.' - Claire Colebrook, University of Edinburgh

General Editor's Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
PART I: WRITING AND SEXUAL DIFFERENCE
Poetry and Politics: Cixous and her Critics
The Major Concepts
PART II: UNDOING THE LAW
Feminine Writing and Sexual Difference: James Joyce
The Moment of the Third Body: Virginia Woolf and The Waves
Libidinal Education: Lispector and Cixous
The Question of Transgression: Angela Carter
PART III: WRITING, THEORY, AND BEYOND
Where Do We Go From Here? (Moving Towards Freedom)
Notes
Annotated Bibliography
Bibliography
Index

ABIGAIL BRAY is Honorary Research Fellow at Murdoch University. She has published articles on feminist theory and philosophy.