Simone Weil was one of the foremost thinkers of the twentieth century: a philosopher, theologian, critic, sociologist and political activist. This anthology spans the wide range of her thought, and includes an extract from her best-known work `The Need for Roots`, exploring the ways in which modern society fails the human soul; her thoughts on the misuse of language by those in power; and the essay `Human Personality`, a late, beautiful reflection on the rights and responsibilities of every individual. All are marked by the unique combination of literary eloquence and moral perspicacity that characterised Weil`s ideas and inspired a generation of thinkers and writers both in and outside her native France.