French Literature Reviews - 2026
Anna Cognet-Kayem, Lacan à la plage
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas
“Love is giving something you don't have to someone who doesn't want it.” What is the meaning of this puzzling formula by Lacan? And what can we make of other enigmatic aphorisms, such as “man is a macaroni” or “there is no such thing as a sexual relationship”?
Through eight famous formulas, Anna Cognet-Kayem offers a lively and rigorous journey through the work of psychiatrist Jacques Lacan (1901-1981). Far removed from doctrinal disputes and oversimplifications, she provides a clear, well-documented, and accessible reading of this formidable—and frequently misunderstood—thinker of connection, desire, sex, and love.
Finally, the author explores the resonance of Lacanian thought in our contemporary world: his followers (Jacques-Alain Miller, Colette Soler, Charles Melman, Clotilde Leguil, etc.), the reign of the image and the uncoupling of desire, the death drive and social media, AI and language…
Embark on an exploration of Lacanian doctrine—from language to self-image, from desire to the law, from sexuation to love, and from impasses to repetition and symptom. A body of thought that remains subversive and resolutely active.
Read an excerpt from the book on Fabula…
—
Read a review of this book on Actualitte.com…
—
Table of Contents
Book Contents
Prologue.
1. A Life of Lacan.
2. “The unconscious is structured like a language”.
3. “Man is a macaroni”.
4. “The big Other”.
5. “The Names-of-the-Father”.
6. “There is no such thing as a sexual relationship”.
7. “The woman does not exist”.
8. “Love is giving something you don't have to someone who doesn't want it”.
9. “The symptom is that from which one enjoys”.
10. Lacan Today.
Glossary.
Jacques Lacan stands as one of the twentieth century's most influential and challenging psychoanalysts, radically reinterpreting Sigmund Freud through the lens of structural linguistics, philosophy, and topology. This book belongs to a broader tradition of intellectual mediation that seeks to demystify difficult theoretical corpuses for a wider audience without sacrificing academic rigor. By focusing on eight iconic formulas, the author navigates complex conceptual landscapes concerning language, the unconscious, the subject, and human desire, making foundational psychoanalytic principles approachable for students, literature enthusiasts, and curious general readers alike.
The volume extends its analytical reach into the twenty-first century, examining how Lacanian psychoanalysis illuminates contemporary cultural phenomena such as digital media, artificial intelligence, and evolving social bonds. Readers interested in the intersections of psychoanalysis, continental philosophy, and modern cultural critique will find valuable insights into how Lacan's subversive ideas continue to resonate today. It serves as an engaging entry point for anyone wishing to understand the mechanics of human subjectivity, language, and the enduring impasses of love and sexuation.