IntheFootstepsofFloraTristanisthefirsteverstudydevotedtoJulesPuech(1879-1957),andisadoublebiographythatexamineshislife’sworkonFloraTristan(1803-1844),feministandsocialist.ItbeginsbyexaminingnewlyfoundpressreportsofFloraTristanduringherlifetimeandsubsequently,thenpositionsPuech’sdiscoveryofher,asapostgraduatestudentinParisinthe1900s.Itcontinueswithanaccountofhowheembarkedonthefirstin-depthbiographypublishedin1925.PuechwasunmatchedinhisexpertiseasawriteronFloraTristanhavingdiscoveredherpapersthroughhisnumerouspoliticalconnectionsandhavingbecomeahistorianofProudhon’slegacyontheinternationalaspirationsofthelabourmovement.TogetherwithhiswifeMarie-LouisePuech,n矇eMilhau(1876-1966),suffragistfeminist,hewasamilitantintheearlytwentieth-centurypacifistmovementthatadvocatedinternationalarbitration.HisresearchonFloraTristanwasenrichedbyhisotherprojectsbutwasthwartedbythewarsof1914-1918and1940-1945.ThecircumstancesofthelonggestationofPuech’sbiographyaredrawnfromhislettersandpapers,hithertounseen.Thecorrespondencecuratedbringsanewunderstandingtothemulti-facetednatureofPuech’sactivismandrateofprogressinthepublicationofhisfindingsonhissubject,FloraTristan.
