Les Temps Modernes

French review

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July 14, 2026

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Les Temps Modernes was a French literary and political review founded in 1945 by Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and others. It became a significant platform for intellectual discourse in post-World War II France, particularly associated with the philosophy of existentialism. The review aimed to engage with contemporary social and political issues, reflecting the moral and intellectual choices facing French intellectuals during that era. It published a wide range of essays, literary criticism, and fiction, contributing to debates on topics such as resistance, collaboration, and the Cold War.1

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littérature engagée
In his introductory statement to Les Temps Modernes (1945), a review devoted to littérature engagée, Sartre criticized Marcel Proust for his self-involvement and referred to Gustave Flaubert, whose private means allowed him to devote himself to a perfectionist art, as a “talented coupon clipper.”
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In his introductory statement to Les Temps Modernes (1945), a review devoted to littérature engagée, Sartre criticized Marcel Proust for his self-involvement and referred to Gustave Flaubert, whose private means allowed him to devote himself to a perfectionist art, as a “talented coupon clipper.”
Read More