Ricoeur admired Gabriel Marcel and his philosophical thought, but he didn't care for Marcel's plays. And he said so. Do you tell your playwright friend he's not so good at writing plays? Probably not, because that's awkward. (Source.)

Ricoeur became an orphan in 1915 with the death of his mother. His father, a soldier in World War I, died soon after, killed in action at the Battle of the Marne. Talk about double tragedy. Ricoeur was raised by his paternal grandparents and an aunt. (Source.)

When he came to the United States to teach, Ricoeur was surprised to learn that professors in America held these things called "office hours." Total culture shock. What did they do in France? (Source.)

Ricoeur witnessed the birth of "political correctness" in the university and worried about the dangers it posed for free expression. That's surprising in one sense, since he was a total Lefty. But he was also all about thinking outside the box, so attempts to box in language, however well meaning, didn't sit well with him. (Source.)

Drafted into the French Army in World War II, Ricoeur was captured and spent much of the conflict in a prison camp. He didn't smoke, so you know what he traded cigarettes for? You guessed it! Library books. (Source.)