I recommended the Macey biography to someone on this list as an excellent
secondary source for an introduction to Foucault. Now I have been
requested to justify this recommendation.
When I make the recommendation for reading Macey it primarily rests on
the grounds that knowledge concerning the occurrences of Foucault's life
provide very valuable insights into his philosophy.
Primarily, the recommendation is made in relation to the Eribon
biography, the Miller biography, and other secondary source material that
is available. It is rare to find, in any secondary source, the synthesis
of Foucault's works, personal relationships and historical caveats
that one finds in Macey. I think the provision of a perspective of this
sort is vital for someone approaching Foucault on the introductory level. The
Eribon biography, while informative and chronologically correct, never explored
the depth of Foucault's philosophy and its themes in the erudite manner I
applaud Macey for. In Eribon, Foucault is treated in some what of a "great
man" mode where we are informed of his actions and the events surrounding his
life, but the thoughtful expansion of relations between personal
relationships, events and works, like that in Macey, is lacking. Compare
the treatment of the _Madness and Civilization_ period (what I consider
to be Eribon's best portion of text) between Eribon and Macey to measure
the difference between the two bios.
Miller's bibliographical problems were elucidated in a previous discussion,
and I don't feel like mentioning them here.