Book excerpt: Hlne Cixous: live theory provides a clear and informative introduction to one of the most important and influential European writers working today. The book opens with an overview of the key features of Cixous theory of criture fminine (feminine writing). The various manifestations of criture fminine are then explored in chapters on Cixous fictional and theatrical writing, her philosophical essays, and her intensely personal approach to literary criticism. The book concludes with a new, lively and wide-ranging interview with Hlne Cixous in which she discusses her influences and inspirations, and her thoughts on the nature of writing and the need for an ethical relationship with the world. Also offering a survey of the many English translations of Cixous work, this book is an indispensable introduction to Cixous work for students of literature, philosophy, cultural and gender studies.