Repetition.

The whole of life is a repetition'. Kierkegaard's great philosophical novel exploring the concepts of atonement, and the remembrance of things to come.

First published in 1843 under the pseudonym Constantin Constantius, Repetition inverts the Platonic doctrine of recollection, the belief that we are born with prior knowledge whose realisation is contingent upon our discovery of it: 'Repetition and recollection are the same movement, only in opposite directions; for what is recollection has been, is repeated backwards, whereas repetition properly so called is recollected forwards' (p.3).

An important existential work, based on a semi-autobiographical account of Kierkegaard's relationship with Regine Olsen, to whom he was engaged in 1840-1841, before breaking off the relationship to pursue his mediative life. Translated from the Swedish by Walter Lowrie, the US edition appearing the preceding year. Scarce in the dustjacket.

First UK edition, first issue; 8vo (19 x 12.5 cm); occasional minor pencil annotations, perforation stubs to end; publisher's blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt, unclipped pale blue dust-jacket, spine and edges slightly toned, a few minor chips, very slight spotting to prelims, one or two creases, otherwise internally clean, and very good plus; xlii, 174pp.