At the Existentialist Café is a book by Sarah Bakewell that tells the story of existentialism, a philosophy that focuses on freedom, choice, responsibility, and the meaning of life. The book begins in the 1930s and follows the lives and ideas of famous philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger, Edmund Husserl, and Hannah Arendt.
The story begins in a café in Paris, where Sartre and de Beauvoir first came across existentialist ideas. From there, the book moves through time, showing how these thinkers developed their beliefs, how they argued with each other, and how their ideas were shaped by big events like the Second World War. I liked how Bakewell made these serious topics feel personal and even a bit dramatic. It was like watching a group of passionate, thoughtful people trying to make sense of a confusing world.
Bakewell explains the roots of existentialism in German philosophy, especially through Husserl’s phenomenology, which focuses on studying experiences as we actually live them. Heidegger took these ideas in a darker direction, thinking deeply about what it means to exist, and how people often avoid facing the reality of death and responsibility. Although Heidegger later supported the Nazis, Bakewell gives a balanced view of his work, showing how it could have gone in a more positive direction too. I appreciated that she didn’t hide the uncomfortable parts of his story.
Sartre and de Beauvoir, based in France, took these ideas and made them more practical and emotional. They believed that human beings are “condemned to be free,” meaning we always have to choose, and those choices define who we are. They argued that we can’t blame society or tradition; we must take responsibility for our actions. Bakewell shows how these ideas became incredibly popular after the war, especially when Sartre became a kind of celebrity. I found it quite fascinating that a philosopher could become that famous.The book also explores the conflicts between these thinkers. Sartre and Camus, once close friends, later disagreed bitterly about politics and violence. De Beauvoir stood out for her thoughtful and clear writing, and her ability to explain complicated ideas in a way that felt real and grounded. Bakewell clearly admires her, and I do too. She comes across as one of the most insightful and practical thinkers in the group.
In the later chapters, Bakewell looks at how these philosophers tried to link their ideas with political causes, especially communism. Sartre and de Beauvoir supported Marxism for a time, even when they saw problems with it. Bakewell shows how difficult and painful that was for them. I found these parts quite moving. It’s easy to criticise in hindsight, but they were genuinely trying to fight for justice in the way they thought best.
What I liked most about this book is how Bakewell makes philosophy feel alive. She writes about deep ideas in a warm, human way, showing us how these thinkers were real people, full of doubts, hopes, and contradictions. She connects their thoughts to their personalities and experiences, which helped me understand the ideas better.
By the end, Bakewell suggests that we could learn a lot from existentialism today. In a world full of distractions, pressure to fit in, and constant surveillance, we might need to remember the importance of freedom, personal choice, and living authentically. I agree. This book made me think not just about philosophy, but about my own life and the choices I make.
