Simone Weil was born on February 3rd 1909 in Paris, France. When she was only 5 years old, she refused to eat sugar because French soldiers fighting in World War I had none. Weil continued eat no more than soldiers’ rations throughout her life. Her social observations led her to follow Christian mystics.

Although sometimes described as odd, utterly humorless and extremely irritating, Weil inspired great affection in many of the people who were close to. She was prolific writer and her works filled 20 volumes when they were published. She died in 1943, as a consequence of life-long malnutrition.