Cover -- Half-title -- Series-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- PART 1 Difference and human relations -- CHAPTER ONE Difference and dissension -- 'DIFFÉRENCES' AND 'DIFFÉRENDS' -- DIFFERENCE DENIED -- BEYOND COMPARE -- CHAPTER TWO Subjectivity and indistinction -- SELF AND OTHER -- DIFFERENTIAL SYSTEMS -- CHAPTER THREE Abjection into art -- ABJECTION -- WORDS -- SCENES OF NARRATION -- ART -- PART II The body and sexual difference -- CHAPTER FOUR Minds, bodies and the new unanimism -- PSYCHOLOGY -- REPRESENTATION -- WRITING -- CHAPTER FIVE Sexual indifference -- WOMEN, HUMAN BEINGS AND WRITING -- GENDER AND THE GAZE -- WOMEN WRITERS -- IDENTIFICATIONS -- PART III Genre and difference -- CHAPTER SIX Criticism and 'the terrible desire to establish contact' -- GENERIC DIFFERENCES -- AUTHORITY, HERESY AND READING -- STRATEGIES FOR CONTACT -- CRITICISM AND/AS FICTION -- CHAPTER SEVEN Same difference: reprise and variation -- FICTION AND AUTOBIOGRAPHY -- VARIATIONS: REPETITION AND DIFFERENCE -- INTERNAL BREACHES -- PART IV Conclusion -- Death and the impossible difference -- Notes -- INTRODUCTION -- 1 DIFFERENCE AND DISSENSION -- 2 SUBJECTIVITY AND INDISTINCTION -- 3 ABJECTION INTO ART -- 4 MINDS, BODIES AND THE NEW UNANIMISM -- 5 SEXUAL INDIFFERENCE -- 6 CRITICISM AND 'THE TERRIBLE DESIRE' TO ESTABLISH CONTACT -- 7 SAME DIFFERENCE: REPRISE AND VARIATION -- CONCLUSION: DEATH AND THE IMPOSSIBLE DIFFERENCE -- Bibliography -- WORKS BY NATHALIE SARRAUTE -- PROSE -- THEATRE -- CRITICISM -- INTERVIEWS WITH NATHALIE SARRAUTE CITED -- CRITICAL STUDIES OF NATHALIE SARRAUTE -- OTHER LITERARY TEXTS -- GENERAL -- Index.