Publication of “Les Années cachées”

The book ‘Les Années cachées’, enriched by a preface by our esteemed Scientific Council member Alain Connes, together with Patrick Gauthier-Lafaye, has recently been published by Éditions Odile Jacob.

The book gives a unique portrait of Alexandre Grothendieck through unpublished correspondence with his friend Christian Escriva.

This collection sheds new light on Grothendieck’s profundity and transformation as a visionary thinker: from his pioneering reflections on radical ecology, to creativity, to the limits of scientific knowledge, to the themes of inner transformation and sexuality as a space of freedom.

Presented and commented by Christian Escriva, Les Années cachées gives an intimate portrait of an extraordinary mind and previews the major themes of his later works, such as “Récoltes et semailles” and “La Clef des songes”. It also offers a precious opportunity to approach the real Alexandre Grothendieck and the ideas that influenced his life and research.

Escriva was interviewed by Olivia Caramello on the occasion of the Homage to Alexander Grothendieck on the tenth anniversary of his death, organised by the Institute in November 2024. The video of the interview is available here