The Order of Things. Archaeology of the Human Sciences

When one defines order as a sorting of priorities, it becomes beautifully clear as to what Foucault is doing here. With virtuoso showmanship, he weaves an intensely complex history of thought. He dips into literature, art, economics and even biology in The Order of Things, possibly one of the most significant works of the twentieth century. Preluding his later work on power and discourse, it was The Order of Things that established Foucaults reputation as an intellectual giant. Pirouetting around the edges of language, Foucault unsettles the surface of literary writing. In describing the limitations of our usual categories, he opens the door onto a whole new system of thought, one ripe with what he calls exotic charm. Intellectual pyrotechnics from the master of critical thinking, this book is crucial reading for those who wish to gain insight into that odd beast called Postmodernism, and a must for any fan of Foucault.