Subjects:  1. 1842-1910    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. James, William,    7. Literary    8. Philosophers    9. Social Scientists & Psychologists    10. United States    11. Biography & Autobiography / Literary   

Reviews (2)

Greatness of mind
FOR LOVE OF THE WORLD
a fascinating ,well written and judicious biography
This book has become something of a classic. It unearths a mass of detail about Arendt's life - the pages on her upbringing and experiences before her flight from Europe are particularly memorable. However, the main focusis kept firmly on the way Arendt's thought developed during her life. Theauthor [who knew Arendt in her later years] is well versed in philosophyand political thought and so her account becomes a useful companion tostudies of Arendt's many contributions to modern thought:'totalitarianism', 'the banality of evil', the loss of public space in thecontemporary west and much more. Thisbook is not the kind of simpleminded attempt to reduce thought to biography that we see all too often.While it is no hagiography [Arendt comes in for some serious criticism onoccasion], itends with a sense of celebration for a life well lived, oneof passionate thinking motivatedby 'love of the world' ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Philosophers    5. Political    6. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (2)

Drama Queen
Jerome Kuhn's introduction is a little patronizing of Arendt, but it's short and skimpy and won't deter you from plunging into Arendt's prose, beginning with her startling revision of Socrates.For Arendt, Socrates helped split politics and philosophy with one decisive strategy, his defense at his famous trial.It's typical of Arendt that she sees thought in dramatic terms, always with a terminal at either end of time, existing not so much in essential terms but in contingent, always partial and always temporary states of being--human beings reacting to strain or stress, and in turn launching something new to spur new reaction.Thus Socrates becomes interesting only when in peril.
Re-Thinking Politics From A Different Viewpoint.
Politics is considered as a means to an end that lies outside itself.When force is used to create freedom, political principles vanish.She wonders if politics do have any meaning at all anymore.
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Subjects:  1. 1818-1883    2. History & Theory - General    3. Marx, Karl,    4. Philosophy    5. Political    6. Political Ideologies - General    7. Political Philosophy    8. Political science    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Totalitarianism    11. Biography & Autobiography / Philosophers    12. Judaism    13. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Reviews (8)

wonderful book
Alice Koller, author of "An Unknown Woman," devotes this sequel to celebrating solitude.A feeling of wholeness can be felt alone, as well as with another person.Koller herself lives an itinerant kind of life, moving from job to job, house to house, with just her dogs for company.In chapters variously
Does anyone know this author's address or her life story?
LIke so many,I have been strangely touched by her honest reflections. Does anyone know what happened to her? She deserves recognition for her wonderful contribution. Alice wherever you are, thank you.

the animal connection
I totally disagree with the reader from Munich who was disgusted by Koller's deep commitment to her animals. In my opinion, it's the strongest element of her book. She's an extremely intelligent person who's bravely and totally dedicated to the rights and welfare of animals, as well as being able to relate to the natural world all around her. Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Fiction    3. Literary    4. Philosophers    5. Women    6. Biography & Autobiography / General    7. Koller, Alice   

Reviews (10)

One of the Greatest Autobiographies Ever
Autobiographies are inherently unreliable. We all want to gloss over the embarrassing or wrongful moments in our lives and present ourselves as engaging "packages" to our contemporaries and to posterity. In Jean-Jacques Rousseau's CONFESSIONS, we have an autobiographer who is willing to show you his life -- warts and all.
read if you have too much time on hand
I found this book extremely boring.While there are few interesting parts, Rousseau found it necessary to relate detail after monotonous detail.Composing over 600 pages, this book would of been less tiring given half the length.

Sure, Jacques...sure
There are certain books that are cornerstones in your life. This is one of mine. A lot of the Romantic self-centerdness that marks my character can be traced directly back to this guy. But then again, whatever my expansive vision and love of variety and the vagaries of human nature can also be traced back to this cynical, but at the same time genial soul. Read more

Subjects:  1. 1712-1778    2. 18th century    3. Authors, French    4. Biography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. European - French    7. General    8. Historical - General    9. Literary    10. Literary Criticism    11. Performing Arts/Dance    12. Philosophers    13. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques,    14. Biography: general    15. French    16. Literary Criticism & Collections / French    17. Literature/English | World Literature | France    18. Novels, other prose & writers: 16th to 18th centuries    19. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques    20. Western philosophy, c 1800 to c 1900    21. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (9)

Inspirational 'Renaissance Man' speaks in vague terms
"Until one learns to lose one's self he cannot find himself...The personal ego must be suppressed and replaced with the 'universal ego.' One must not be the part, one must be the whole." This is a quote from Russell, explaining his first law of success: humility.
A man truly "In-Synch" with the world.
Walter Russell is one of my hero's. Champion ice skater, equestrian, sculptor...Russell excelled at everything he put his mind to. He said that "Mediocrity is self inflicted; Genius is self bestowed. The choice is yours." Buy this as an introduction to his laws of success and reap benefits for the rest of your life. Me thinks that this book should be required reading for all 7th or 8th graders in public schools.

This man was a Gift
A great little book about one of the greatest beings to walk this Earth. Thank you for your gifts of Truth Mr. Russell. Glenn Clark did this man well with his short bio. I recommend this book as a great intro about a wonderful humanitarian. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography / Philosophers    2. Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology    3. 1871-1963    4. Biography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Philosophers    7. Russell, Walter,    8. Scientists   

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Reviews (3)

An excellent anthology
I am not a big fan of Rorty's work, but this volume is excellent.It contains articles by top-notch philosophers (with Rorty's responses) that hits on topics ranging from truth and objectivity to epistemology and pragmatism. Excellent, but fairly technical for Rorty material
This is by far the best book about Rorty on the market, however it is certainly at the more technical end of the spectrum.Since Rorty's own prose elsewhere is frequently accessible to a wide audience, the prospective reader of this must be forewarned that the essays by his challengers and his responses are all more technical than much that he has written recently. Philosophers Challenge Rortification
Take the single most entertaining and engaging philosopher that the academy can today boast, add a few colleagues who have pointed (and sometimes passionate) arguments to pursue with him and serve at the hands of one of his prot�g�s - and you have Rorty and His Critics edited by Robert B Brandom.Read more

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - General    2. History & Surveys - Modern    3. Metaphysics    4. Movements - Pragmatism    5. Philosophy    6. Rorty, Richard    7. Biography & Autobiography / Philosophers    8. PHILOSOPHERS_UNITED STATES    9. RORTY, RICHARD, 1931-    10. Western philosophy, from c 1900 -   

Subjects:  1. African American philosophy    2. African Americans    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Civil rights    7. Educators    8. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    9. General    10. Historical - General    11. Historiography    12. History & Theory - General    13. Philosophers    14. Study and teaching    15. Black studies    16. USA   

Reviews (2)

Great Author.... Great Read.... 'Spell check's a worry though!
This was a great read.
Great Introduction to Socrates
A more concise, informative review of Socrates could not be written.Many a Philosophy student has spent countless agonizinghours reading and re-reading the platonic dialogues to gain a glimpse into the wisdom that was Socrates.The author here, sums it up, in a no-larger-than-cliff-notes-format, making the world of Philosophy so much more accessible to the novice, like myself.She gives detailed background accounts of the political and social life of athens at the time, describing how the comentary of Socrates related to the various classes in the world's first democracy; making this book a must for the would be philosopher, or historian.No scholarly knowledge of Plato is needed to understand the message Socrates has to offer.Dr. May uses ordinary language and great analogies to explain just how it made perfect sense, for Socrates to continue the great search for wisdom, while maintaining his firm belief that Human knowledge is worth little or nothing, and hence unobtainable.Readers of this book will gain a deep understanding of what Socrates meant by "The unexamined life is not worth living".The last section of the book, entitled "The End of the Examined Life" portrays Socrates' deep moral convictions, as he refuses to abandon his principals even in the face of death.This makes a great companion to any philosophy, acnient history or humanities course dealing with ancient greece, or read it on your own to get the jist of what Socrates was all about. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. History & Surveys - Ancient & Classical    4. Philosophers    5. Philosophy    6. Socrates    7. Philosophy / General   

Reviews (6)

this book is not absurd
K fans-and in this day of badly needed freely speaking Danes, who is not one?-can at last rejoice. Here finally is a book about SK that makes clear the Corsair magazine affair, the matter of K's trousers and thin legs and curved back and how he took his coffee (strong with lots of sugar), the unending engagement to Regine, and oh yes K's attack upon Christendom.
Somewhat ironically, a fun book to read
It may seem astonishing to many that a nearly-900 page biography of Soren Kierkegaard would ever be described as riveting, or as a page-turner, but that is exactly what this book by Joakim Garff, translated by Bruce Kirmmse from the original Danish, turns out to be.I first noticed it at the bookstore of my seminary, and, intended only to read through a few pages at the beginning to be somewhat familiar with the text (having a friend who is very into Kierkegaard), I noticed when I next looked up that I was 60 pages into the book, and half an hour late for my next appointment.
Kierkegaard for Everyone
A very well written, and readable book.The author does a good job of fleshing out the context in each time period of SK's life.The reader comes to know the people who were important to SK both personally and professionally.And, SK's important writings are put within the context of his life and culture.Garff has a sense of humor, and temperance in his editorializing.You don't have to be a fan of Kierkegaard to enjoy this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. General    5. History & Surveys - 19th Century    6. Philosophers    7. Biography & Autobiography / Philosophers    8. European History    9. Philosophy    10. Religion    11. Western philosophy, c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (4)

A Mess
Levy needs help.This book is incoherent and poorly constructed.Except when Levy takes a detour to unload on Heidegger, which he does wonderfully and with real passion, he meanders all over the place.The book is full of non sequitors and bizarre assertions.It is not clear at all what his point is.Must be in here somewhere.
The 'philosoph' of the twentieth century? An excess of 'amour propre'
For the French Bernard Henri Levy the philosopher of the century is the French Jean Paul- Sartre.
Satire as person, provides context
Sartre: The Philosopher of the Twentieth Century by Bernard Henri Levy (Polity Press) 'A whole man, mode of all men, worth all of them, and .any one of them worth him' This was how .Jean-Paul Sartre characterized himself at the end of his autobiographical study, Words. And Bernard-Henri L�vy shows how Sartre cannot be understood without taking into account his relations with the intellectual forebears and contemporaries, the lovers and friends, with whom he conducted o lifelong debate. His thinking was essentially a tumultuous dialogue with his whole age and himself. He learned from Gide the art of freedom, and how to experiment with inherited fictional forms. He was a fellow-traveller of communism, and yet his relations with the Party were deeply ambiguous. He was fascinated by Freud but trenchantly critical of psychoanalysis. Beneath Sartre's complex and ever-mutating political commitments, L�vy detects a polarity between anarchic individualism on the one hand, and a longing for absolute community that brought him close to totalitarianism on the other. L�vy depicts Sartre as a man who could succumb to the twentieth century's catastrophic attraction to violence and the false messianism of its total political solutions, while also being one of the fiercest critics of its illusions and shortcomings. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1905-    2. 1905-1980    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Movements - Existentialism    7. Philosophers    8. Sartre, Jean Paul,    9. Sartre, Jean-Paul,    10. 20th century    11. Biography: general    12. EXISTENTIALISM    13. PHILOSOPHERS_BIOGRAPHY    14. Phenomenology & Existentialism    15. Philosophy / Existentialism    16. SARTRE, JEAN PAUL, 1905-1980    17. Sartre, Jean Paul   

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Reviews (1)

utterly useful, well worth a flatter Mate!
The buzz of Slavoj Zizek is eminently important, fascinating and politcally useful within today's cultural force fields at work. Zizek has found a combustible energy between philosophy and the omnipresence(largely Hegel) and psychoanalysis(Jacques Lacan forever)."We love you Jacques. . . " So whether he speaks/writes about "The Matrix"(Loaded or Not-Loaded), or Kieslowski's "Decalogue",Hitchcock, Lenin, Christianity, cyberspace, junkspace or other competitors,(quite recently) as the late Deleuze of currently Alain Badiou, Zizek locates his triggering points in how objects are pitted against the real and can delude us and seem important, like a prostitute's gaze/or flick of the eye toward her prospective john. So fantasy becomes one place for focus and popular culture abounds in the fetish of the Cult,what is marketable(another pathway into Marx),and one of Zizek's most fertile breeding grounds where his work has spawned and is chocked filled with objects to discuss as they are hardened against the death-drive, the end of time as we know it, the Buzz turned Off. So we,(our culture,our objects) become in a state of "acceleration" as Virilio(within another context) has referred to as the "dromos",the "running or race". Read more

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - General    2. History & Surveys - Modern    3. Literary Criticism    4. Movements - Psychoanalysis    5. Philosophy    6. Semiotics & Theory    7. Zizek, Slavoj    8. éZiézek, Slavoj    9. Biography & Autobiography / Philosophers    10. PHILOSOPHERS_BIOGRAPHY    11. Psychoanalysis & psychoanalytical theory    12. Western philosophy, from c 1900 -   

Reviews (2)

Great Fun in the Master's Inimitable Style
P.G. Wodehouse, referred to as The Master by no less an authority than Evelyn Waugh, was ninety years old when he published this, the second-to-last of the Bertie and Jeeves novels.Despite Wodehouse's advanced age, he managed to fill this book with the sparkle and fun that characterizes all the Bertie and Jeeves novels.
Great read!
Much Obliged, Jeeves was the second Wodehouse book I read. While I enjoyed the almost short story styling of The Inimitable Jeeves, I thoroughly enjoyed the cohesiveness of Much Obliged. Much Obliged starts with Bertie being invited to visit his Aunt Dahlia in Market Snodsbury. An old pal of Bertie's by the name of Harold "Ginger" Winship is a candidate for Parliament in the Snodsbury election. By this time, even a relatively new fan of Wodehouse, such as I am, can tell that trouble is brewing on the horizon. Enter Jeeves and the Junior Ganymede club book. The Junior Ganymede is a club of butlers; each member is obliged to write about his employer in the club book. This is done so that anyone seeking employment with a gentleman may look him up in the club book and, thus, know what they're in for. Of course, Bertie has an unusually large section in the club book. However, much to Bertie's surprise, Ginger also has quite a few damning pages in the club book as well. When the club book is stolen by a unethical, as well as repulsive, character by the name of Bingley, Ginger's chance of winning the Snodsbury election becomes uncertain and the hilarity begins. Again, another great book that leaves the reader shouting, "Good show!" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics    2. England    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. General    6. Humorous    7. Jeeves (Fictitious character)    8. Literature: Classics    9. Single men    10. Wodehouse, P. G. (Pelham Grenville), 1881-1975    11. Wooster, Bertie (Fictitious ch    12. Wooster, Bertie (Fictitious character)    13. Biography & Autobiography / Philosophers   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. General    6. History & Surveys - Modern    7. McDowell, John Henry    8. Mind & Body    9. Philosophers    10. Philosophy, British    11. Modern Western philosophy, c 1600 to the present    12. PHILOSOPHY OF MIND    13. Philosophy / Mind & Body   

Reviews (2)

Too many typos
I'm surprised that the previous review did not comment on the number of typographical errors; as far as I can see there is only one edition. The typos range from the merely distracting, to places where sentences become gibberish. Based on content, I'd give this at least 4 stars, but I found it too difficult to read. It's a nice complement to *Goedel's Proof* by Nagel and Newman--N & N give a much clearer exposition of Goedel's work, but Hintikka brings up a number of points I have not seen elsewhere (warning: many of the points raised can't be fully understood without referring to other works that treat them in more depth, unless you already have a strong background in mathematical foundations and logic).

Very interesting
This is a very interesting introduction to the thought and life of a great mathemetician and sometime philosopher.Hintikka has a clear writing style that helps with some difficult material and has special ability in making complicated math seem not so daunting.An excellent overview of the life of Godel. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Austria    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. General    6. Godel, Kurt    7. Gèodel, Kurt    8. Logicians    9. Philosophers    10. Philosophy    11. United States    12. Gödel, Kurt    13. Philosophy / General   

Reviews (5)

Portrait of a Logical Positivist
A.J.Ayer stood in the tradition of David Hume, Bertrand Russell and the early Wittgenstein. For all of these, metaphysical statements, because they could never be verified by sense observation, were, in a philosophical sense "meaningless".Meaningful statements had to be precisely phrased and then verified by sense observation.
A fuller view
Excellent!A very enjoyable read about a man I've heard disparaged more often than most in 20th century philosophy.While it's true Ayer's work seems to be fairly derivative, and still extremely influential, he was restating a vein of British philosophy that I for one feel pretty favorable about.On reading his life story, I find that Ayer did more than I knew to bring the anti-metaphysical views of his hero Hume to the public, the academy, and a large and interesting slice of cultural limelights.Sure, his flaws were many and glaring, and you'll find a clear cataloging of his vices in these reviews as well as the book itself.What was surprising to me was to read of his many less reported virtues, including an aversion to discipleship, an agile interest in philosophical developments throughout the world, courage in the face of wooly-headed public theism, and a valiant record of worthwhile public service (a rarity in the history of PHI giants).While Wittgenstein romantically isolated himself wringing his hands in the service of a semi-secular priesthood, Ayer made real gains in reforming British adoption, schooling, and discrimination against homosexuals. A Biography Superior To Its Subject
"I warned you," Anthony Blanche said to Charles Ryder in Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited. "I took you out to dinner to warn you of charm. . . Charm is the great English blight. It does not exist outside these damp islands. It spots and kills anything it touches. It kills love; it kills art; I greatly fear, my dear Charles, it has killed you."Read more

Subjects:  1. (Alfred Jules),    2. 1910-    3. 1910-1989    4. Ayer, A. J    5. Ayer, A. J.    6. Biography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. England    9. History & Surveys - Modern    10. Philosophers    11. Philosophy    12. Philosophy Of The 20th Century   

Reviews (6)

Lots of information but - yawn - hard work to get to it.
Turgid.There is no question this book is based on genuine and scholarly research. But the ordinary but informed reader is better leaving this one to the academicians.

Comprehensive and Detailed - an Existensialist Must Read.
Bair works really hard at making it clear that Sartre and De Beauvoir were two sides of the same coin. Larger than life as always but deeply and painfully human too. Despite the eventual demise of their "professional" relationship, and the eventual move of Sartre to study Flaubert and De Beauvior to her feminist crusade, the two are inextricably linked. Did she really have as much control (specially in the end) over Sartre and his life? We will never know. What Bair does though is succeed in making her human more than all of De Beauvior's work ever could. Despite the fact that De Beauvior and Sartre are larger than life, and they always will be, Bair makes her subject - human, vulnerable and understandable. It is comprehensive and exhaustive journey (despite whatever errors there might be), one worth taking at any junction in the readers Existential journey.
Bad book!
According to Claude Lanzmann there are several major errors which do occur in Bairs book, and basically it's gives a rotten and unworthy presentation of de Beauvoirs life and work. Read more

Subjects: &nb