Destruction of the father reconstruction of the father cover

Destruction of the father reconstruction of the father

by Louise Bourgeois

Since the age of twelve, the internationally renowned sculptor Louise Bourgeois has been writing - writing and drawing. First a diary precisely recounting the everyday events of her family life, then notes and reflections. Destruction of the Father - the title comes from the name of a sculpture she made following the death of her husband in 1973 - contains both formal texts and what the artist calls "pen-thoughts": drawing-texts often connected to her drawings and sculptures, with stories or poems inscribed alongside the images. This book collects both her writings and her spoken remarks on art, confirming the deep links between her work and her biography and offering new insights into her creative thinking and process.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?