Rene Char (1907-1988) was one of the most important modern French poets. Admired by Heidegger for his poetic philosophy, he was a hero of the French Resistance and in the 1960s a militant anti-nuclear protester. Associated with the Surrealist movement for several years and a close friend of many painters--notably Braque, Giacometti, and Picasso--he wrote poetry that confronted major 20th century moral, political, and artistic concerns.