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Book Overview
"Each of these little books is witty and dramatic and creates a sense of time, place, and character....I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one's friends to Western civilization."--Katherine A. Powers, Boston Globe.
"Well-written, clear and informed, they have a breezy wit about them....I find them hard to stop reading."--Richard Bernstein, New York Times.
"Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise."--Jim Holt, Wall Street Journal.
These brief and enlightening explorations of our greatest thinkers bring their ideas to life in entertaining and accessible fashion. Philosophical thought is deciphered and made comprehensive and interesting to almost everyone. Far from being a novelty, each book is a highly refined appraisal of the philosopher and his work, authoritative and clearly presented.
"Well-written, clear and informed, they have a breezy wit about them....I find them hard to stop reading."--Richard Bernstein, New York Times.
"Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise."--Jim Holt, Wall Street Journal.
These brief and enlightening explorations of our greatest thinkers bring their ideas to life in entertaining and accessible fashion. Philosophical thought is deciphered and made comprehensive and interesting to almost everyone. Far from being a novelty, each book is a highly refined appraisal of the philosopher and his work, authoritative and clearly presented.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:1566631521
ISBN13:9781566631525
Release Date:April 1997
Publisher:Ivan R. Dee Publisher
Length:96 Pages
Weight:0.25 lbs.
Dimensions:0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
In the spirit of Kierkegaard?
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
What would Kierkegaard have thought about this book? He would have perhaps appreciated Stathern's humor, his narrative skill, his quickness of mind, his emphasizing Kierkegaard's thought as directed not to abstraction but to 'lived life.' But he probably would have resented the effort to reduce the complexities of his thought, their contradictions and dialectical intricacies to easily digestible form. For Kierkegaard 'difficulty' in itself has a value, and the path of the true truth seeker is not one which can be achieved readily, easily without suffering. The essence of Kierkegaard can only be found in confronting his own complex, and highly qualified prose. I like Strathern's books very much, but it seems to me here he chose a subject not especially amenable to this kind of treatment.
Another interesting study by Paul Strathern
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
Strathern is a master at this kind of work, which mixes biography, critical analysis, historical context and humor all in a concise, informative & entertaining package. He lists a time line for the philosopher, his place in world/philosophic history & a selection of works for furthur reading. This series of books by Strathern is a wonderful course in Philosophy 101 without ever having to go to college, all presented in plain, easy to understand English without being bogged down with philosophy's often confusing vernacular. If you are expecting an in-depth review or complete analysis of the philosopher's life & work, read another book. This is meant to be a quick, concise overview & that's just what it provides. There's suggested readings listed in the back for people who want to investigate Kierkegaard's life & works more thoroughly.
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