Philosopher, sociologist and urban theorist, Henri Lefebvre is one of the great social theorists of the twentieth century. This accessible and innovative introduction to the work of Lefebvre combines biography and theory in a critical assessment of the dynamics of Lefebvre's character, thought, and times. Exploring key Lefebvrian concepts, Andy Merrifield demonstrates the evolution of Lefebvre's philosophy, while stressing the way his long and adventurous life of ideas and political engagement live on as an enduring and inspiring interrelated whole. "A lively introduction to the work of the twentieth century's last great undiscovered philosopher. Henri Lefebvre pioneered the theorization of everyday life and space, of the city and the festival, in innovative ways that are still unexplored and that might productively stimulate the multiple searches for a new politics under globalization which are in course everywhere today." -- Fredric Jameson, author of Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism"Guy Debord and now Henri Lefebvre...Merrifield's talent for putting together the person, the life, the times, and the intellectual and political contributions is here displayed in all its splendor. This brief but inspiring portrait of the astonishing range of Lefebvre's work is of intense relevance to our own times." -- David Harvey, author of The Condition of Postmodernity "Andy Merrifield's masterful book engages with Lefebvre's legacy in a totally new way: while sensitive to the many contexts in which Lefebvre lived, worked and wrote, Merrifield brilliantly repositions his ideas in the present conjuncture, demonstrating how they might illuminate the struggles and contradictions of our time. Merrifield's text crackles with energy and excitement, charting a bold course through some of Lefebvre's most central theoretical contexts in a style that is at once uncompromisingly erudite and thoroughly accessible." -- Neil Brenner, author of New State Spaces