Book Description

How did Elijah Muhammad's establishment of the Nation of Islam affect the civil rights movement in the United States? Philosophers and Religious Leaders answers that question and others as it presents 200 leaders whose lives and work have greatly influenced the world we live in today. Profiles include: Muhammad Abduh--architect of Islamic modernism. Mary Daly-- influential feminist theologian and philosopher. Mary Baker Eddy--founder of Christian Science. Mencius (Meng K'o)--Confucian moral philosopher and interpreter. Shang Yang--Chinese philosopher of legalist school. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Those Who Made a Difference in Our World
Imagine in your quest for truth a banquet sampling of many wise ones from the beginning of time until today...imagine a one-page synopsis of each person's life, work, and legacy...imagine seeing their faces...and learningand growing from their journeys.That's what can be yours when you takethe time to digest 199 lives of the courageous philosophers who took bravestands, focused their incredible personal energies,and managed to changethe world one person at a time.

This book should be required reading inevery high school and college in our world.Our emerging leaders need toknow how our world came to be the way it is and the visionary leaders whoshaped it, so they can begin to plant seeds of greatness within themselves. After reading this book, no clear-thinking person can ever, ever believeone person cannot make a difference.

Do avoid the temptation tosecond-guess Editor von Dehsen in his choices.Of course, some aremissing.Booker T. Washington is there and George Washington is not,however, Thomas Jefferson is, but Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt are not.

This is a book for every library in every home where people read. ... Read more

Book Description

The first book on Nietzsche ever to appear in English, this examination by legendary journalist H. L. Mencken is still one of the most enlightening. Mencken wrote this book while still in his 20s, but his penchant for thoroughness was evident even at that young age-in preparation for writing this book, he read Nietzsche's works in their entirety, mostly in the original German. A brief biographical sketch is followed by clear and thorough explanations of Nietzsche's basic concepts and attitudes. Analyzed are Nietzsche's much-misunderstood concept of the superman, his concept of eternal recurrence, his rejection of Christianity, and his basic rationalism and materialism. Included are two essays on Nietzsche that appeared in Mencken's magazine The Smart Set subsequent to the publishing of the original edition of this book. Also, nearly a century after its original publication, this remains one of the clearest, most concise, and entertainingintroductions to Nietzsche to date. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Nietzsche + Mencken = Awesome book
Mencken's ability to clearly explain Nietzsche's philosophy in a way that is both accessible to the average reader(that's me) and faithful to the original is impressive. But this doesn't surprise me, and I doubt anyone at all familiar with Mencken's work will be surprised either. What's surprising is the fact that Nietzsche's philosophy has had such widespread influence, and that this influence is usually so vehemently denied. Ayn Rand's Objectivist philosophy is a perfect example of this. How much difference is there between "the will to power" and "rational self-interest", after all? Not much. Another thing that surprised me was Nietzsche's occasional detours into utter nonsense -- eternal recurrence, for example. In the main, his conclusions follow from his premises, and his arguments are, if not tenable, at least reasonable. What led him to his belief in the theory of eternal recurrence and a few other anomalies that pop up is anyone's guess. These glaring absurdities are pointed out as such by Mencken throughout. Obviously some of the ideas in this book were, and remain, controversial and have been credited with horrors as terrible as Nazism, but looked at simply as food for thought, it's a great read. Probably the most admirable notion put forth by Nietzsche was his acceptance of the fact that his philoshophy would not stand the test of time, that it was only a step in the right direction. Although he did seem to turn from this near the end of his life. Incidently, he also went insane. The vanity of thinking that one has solved, once and for all, the great riddles of life is a very annoying trait among philosophers. Anyone interested in learning about Nietzsche will get much from this book. The fact that Mencken's prose is as smooth as a baby's behind is an added bonus.

Good as an example of early Mencken
As an example of H.L. Mencken's nascency as a serious writer and critic, this biography of the philosopher Nietzsche is invaluable to anyone interested in the writings of either man. The introduction by the editor is insightfully critical but does fail to emphasize the context in which Mencken himself held certain views controversial by today's accepted standards. Mencken's interpretations of Nietzsche's ideas tend toward social Darwinism. Especially where he is writing about the early life of Nietzsche, Mencken's outline is better than any other book in English on the subject. But Mencken mixes and matches concepts arising from Dionysus and Apollo too loosely, sometimes to the point of miscomprehension of Nietzsche's position, and sometimes by using their Roman name equivalents. All in all, Mencken is thorough, conscientious and clear in his expose on the great German philosopher.

Nietzsche and Mencken: "Let the Harshness Commence!"
_Friedrich Nietzsche_ by noted early 20th century American journalist H. L. Mencken is a both a brief biography of Nietzsche as well as a basic outline of his philosophy. Nietzshe's biggest influence is easlily recognized as his predescessor in German pessimism, Schopenhauer, along with the ancient Greeks before Socrates. Nietzsche is criticized as being only a destructive force in his philosophy, merely tearing down the decadent Christian morality that reigned in the West during the 1800s. However, Nietzsche's ultimate goal was the "superman," men who were above morality, sentimentality, religion and the "mindless grazing herd of cows" that constituted most of humanity. Much of this book attacks Christianity, which Nietzsche abbhorred above all other things, and considered it a "slave-morality" derived from the Jews as opposed to the "master-morality" of the European aristocrats. The origin of morality, according to Nietzsche and derived from Schopenhauer, comes from a race's will to live, and this manifests itself in a the law codes, usually of divine origin, of any given tribe, ethnicity, social group, civilization, race or nation. Nietzsche differed from Schopenhauer in that he felt that a heroic life was the best life to lead, instead of giving up the will to live as Schopenhauer taught. Both Nietzsche and Schopenhauer rejected trying to live a "happy" life, realizing that true happiness is unnatainable. In some respects, Nietzsche is reminiscent of the religious prophets he hated so much--he does not believe in free will, that people are more or less determined in their ways by forces that are beyond individual control, but he still exhorts them to dust themselves off and better themselves anyway. As far as his views of marraige and women are concerned, they are very pessimistic yet grounded in reality. "Love" comes from physical desire, and marriage is the official sanctioning of it. The ultimate purpose of marraige should be to breed a better race of humans to attain the "superman" in the future. There are some areas where Nietzsche's thoughts went a little fantastic. One theory he propounded was that Christianity was created by the Jews to make the rest of the ancient world a "slave morality". This is ridiculous, as Mencken notes, however some Jewish scholars today like to credit their own people with Christianity's rise at the same time voicing their disgust towards Christianity itself. But Nietzsche predicted that in the future Jews would be the ones that would virtually rule the world and have the greatest amount of influence in the intellectual fields. Another of Nietzsche's offbeat ideas is the doctrine of "eternal reccurance," that time repeats itself in cycles from eternity to eternity and gives the heroic "superman" the same struggle (in which the superman glories in) forever. As far as Nietzsche's influece goes today in 21st century America: I would only conclude that it is partial. It is readily apparent from reading Menckens exgesis where Nietzsche influenced Nazism, libertarians, nihilists, right-wing anarchists, "Ayn Rand style" objectivism and Satanism. Nothing exists for racial improvement, eugenics or euthanasia that is propelling humanity upward. The racial policies and ideals in ascendancy today are extremely dysgenic instead. Some of Nietzsche's ideas which are more readily observabable are the rule by an elite that is above the law--an "Illuminati" of sorts--but it is not bringing the human race upward--it is sending it crashing down to hell. I do not personally agree with many of Nietzsche's ideas, especially his attack on Christianity, but this is a thought provoking book of the "mad prophet of Nihilism."

Nietzshe Explained
This is the most lucid and entertaining explanation of Nietzche's thought and life that I have ever encountered. Philosophical goobledygook is virtually absent and the essence of Nietzche's philosophy is accurately expounded in a no-nonsense style.

A very readable account of the subject matter.
First published in 1907, this book is an extraordinary work by one of the great early 20th century American wordsmiths. The subject matter, the philosophical perspective outlined by the life's work of 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, strikes me as one of the most important that modern man can hope to tackle. Mencken never talks down to the reader, yet this work is accessible to all. I highly recommend it to all men and women, but especially to students of philosophy and the social sciences ... Read more

Amazon.com

Thomas Sowell is known for speaking--and writing--his mind, even when his opinions won't win him any popularity contests. In thoughtful, straightforward books like The Quest for Cosmic Justice and Civil Rights: Rhetoric or Reality? he questioned affirmative action and expressed frustration with government bureaucracy, elaborating on his ideas of personal freedom and responsibility in the process. In A Personal Odyssey, we're shown glimpses of the man behind the ideas, and while the narration is sometimes frustratingly distant, it's an enjoyable history of a fascinating man. Beginning with his early life in North Carolina, where his encounters with white people were so limited that he didn't really believe that "yellow" was a possible color for hair, Sowell details his childhood with humor and appreciation for the adults who raised him with love, attention, and high expectations. Throughout the experiences that follow, from the U.S. Marines to Howard and Harvard Universities to his fellowship at Stanford's Hoover Institute, Sowell's strong opinions make him stand out from the herd. His brother sums up this trait in describing Sowell's son: "Tommy, when I see a dozen kids, all doing the same thing, and in the midst of them is one kid doing something entirely different, I don't have to guess which one is our mother's grandson." You don't have to be familiar with Sowell's scholarly works to appreciate his life--this is a read for any freethinking iconoclast. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Great expectations....dashed!
I ordered this memoir immediately because I have been a big fan of Sowell's books on economics, politics and race. I was especially interested in his "odyssey" from a Marxist to a free-market economist. Tragically, he fails to bear his soul on this and many other critical issues. If you think this book is about ideas and philosophy, and how they changed over time, think again. You never find out! It is more a series of anecdotes in his childhood and adult life--growing up in Harlem, joining the Marines, going to school at Howard, Harvard, Chicago, teaching at Cornell, UCLA, working at AT&T, the Urban Institute, and finally researching and writing at Hoover. He does spend a great deal of time writing about race relations, why he has been accused of being a recluse since the Reagan era, his success in getting his son to start speaking after age 4, and some insights on his divorce, but if you want to know WHY he opposed the Vietnam War, disagreed with Chicago professor George Stigler on Say's Law, or abandoned Marxism in favor of the free-market economics of Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman, you will be disappointed. I did enjoy his short encounters with famous economists Milton Friedman, George Stigler, and Kenneth Arrow, but he could have said a lot more. Let me give you one example of my frustration: On pp. 276-77, Sowell talks about a quotation from black Air Force General Chappy James that then California Governor Ronald Reagan was especially fond of. Sowell disliked the quote--but never tells us what the quote is! One final annoying drawback: Sowell's autobiography has no index! Grrrrr.

Shows the power of clear thinking
The beauty of Dr. Sowell's life as chronicled in the book is its witness to the fact that clear, honest thinking puts one in a minority, regardless of race or class or "station" in life, and that ultimately people come around to respect you for it and you can accomplish so much if you stay that course.

So many times Dr. Sowell came to a place where the stated mission was later found contrary to the real priorities of his superiors, who thwarted so many of his efforts to accomplish the stated mission. When he would finally corner them into admitting their ulterior motives and obstructionism, they had the choice of changing policies or accepting his resignation. Few people have resigned from so many places, and fewer still were later sought by the same places with promises that, really, it will be different this time.

It is also wonderful to behold someone who thinks like an economist virtually ALL THE TIME. He asks, why should blacks spend any energy protesting against a fifth-rate school for not admitting them? Especially when the best schools WERE admitting them? Can not that energy be better used elsewhere? Good questions. This kind of thinking is so prevalent in the book it inspires one to emulate it as a matter of lifestyle.

True, this is not a tell-all, and some things are left mysteries (like why exactly he parted with his unnamed first wife). Perhaps some such things are best left unanswered. After all, we are talking about DR. Thomas Sowell, not MR. Geraldo Rivera. I think we learned enough to understand the man and allow him to keep his dignity, and yes, respect the privacy of the other players, guilty or not.

This is a compelling story which is not easily put down once started.

An excellent book to read
Thomas Sowell is one of the first African American scholars who has made enormous contributions in economics and history. He is not afraid to even attack the education of most predominantly black colleges. He even has the guts to criticize the underlying philosophy behind most top-flight universities. His keen interest and personal journey deserve our careful reading, and one will not feel the same after reading A Personal Odyssey. I personally admire this man for what he stands for and I think every everyone--regardless of their background--should read this book.

A Little Bit 'o Sowell
Imagine you're a five-year-old Negro orphan without so much as a pot to pee in, growing up in segregated North Carolina in 1935. What can you hope to do when you grow up? Become a farm laborer? Join the Great Migration, to work in northern factories? Or how about, become America's most brilliant social scientist, aka Thomas Sowell?

Economist Thomas Sowell may have graduated magna cum laude from Harvard, and have a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, but the most important "degree" he ever earned surely came from "UCLA" -- "the University at the Corner of Lenox Ave." -- as the old Harlem saying would have it.

Sowell has written on economic theory, race and ethnicity, education, political philosophy, cultural history, even late-talking children, in relatively simple and unpretentious prose. Readers of his curmudgeonly newspaper column know that he was born in the South, grew up in Harlem, dropped out of high school, and served in the United States Marine Corps. Here he fills out that picture. This book is a self-portrait of a man who since childhood has always gone his own way, and spoken his piece, petty tyrants be damned, even if that meant having to back up his words with his fists.

By the time Thomas Sowell was born in North Carolina in 1930, his father, Henry, had died. His mother, "Willie," overwhelmed with four older children to feed on her salary as a domestic, turned to her aunt, Molly Sowell. Molly, already some sixty years old, and her husband (whose name we are never told), adopted the child, Buddy, whom they renamed Thomas Sowell, and raised as their own.

Under the pretext of visiting her aunt, Willie would frequently visit Buddy. But a few years later, she died in childbirth, and Sowell was not to know of his true siblings until he was an adult. As a child, he knew of his aunt and uncle only as "Mama" and "Daddy."

In North Carolina, young Thomas had so few dealings with white folks, that when he saw "yellow-haired" characters in a comic strip, he did not believe that such people existed. When he was nine, "Mama," by now separated from her husband, took him and her grown-up daughters, Ruth and "Birdie," north to Harlem. In New York, the youngster discovered that yellow-haired people really did exist.

Despite his humble beginnings, Sowell considers himself lucky: Lucky that he was spared the worst of southern racism and the destruction of New York City's public schools, and lucky that he was able to establish himself professionally prior to the age of affirmative action, which has since cast a cloud over all blacks' achievements.

Not that Sowell romanticizes his school days. For though he depicts his teachers in New York City as vastly superior to their semi-literate successors, he indicts them as having been consumed with wielding power over children. In young Sowell, who depicts himself as having been an incorrigible smart-ass, more than a few met their match.

Unfortunately, it was not only in institutional settings that Sowell clashed with those who would abuse authority.

As she grew older, "Mama" increasingly became "Mama Dearest," lying and bullying, and even manipulating the police and courts, in seeking to force the teenager to submit to her, and give up any hopes he had of making something of himself. The conflict resulted in Sowell's dropping out of New York's elite, Stuyvesant High School.

Leaving home at the tender age of 17, Sowell subsisted on low-paying, dangerous, unreliable jobs as a messenger and in machine shops. Eventually, he earned his high school equivalency diploma, and after military service attended night school at black Howard University in Washington, D.C., a dismal experience, before being accepted by Harvard.

Sowell shows that already in the early 1970s, students (aided by opportunistic administrators) were telling professors what to do -- including what grades to give them. Such pathologies hastened his departure from academia. I can think of no more damning indictment of academia than that it can welcome with open arms the Andrew Hackers and Leonard Jeffrieses of the world, but has no room for Thomas Sowell.

Noting that he is not even registered to vote, Sowell mocks the notion of his being a Republican operative as a myth spun out of whole cloth by journalistic antagonists such as the recently deceased Carl Rowan. While he has little to say about politicians -- virtually none of it complimentary -- he fondly recalls the two brief encounters he had with President Ronald Reagan.

Sowell thought that Reagan had much to offer black Americans, but lamented that The Great Communicator was lost, when it came to connecting with them.

Sowell briefly notes that he occasionally suffered from racial discrimination. He has three points to make about such matters. 1. Determine that a situation is actually characterized by racial discrimination, rather than some other reason. 2. It is often better to confront racism directly, whether verbally or through a punch in the nose, than through lawsuits and legislation. 3. Perhaps most important, whites who have been caught discriminating against qualified blacks, have tended to compound their misdeed, by then hiring unqualified blacks, based solely on the color of their skin.

Sowell's main shortcoming is in failing to portray his own intellectual development, from his youthful Marxism, to becoming Marx' most trenchant American critic. A secondary weakness is his botching of the rare chronicling of his adult personal life. At one point, Sowell mentions the entry of a new woman into his life, but the next time he mentions a name, it is of a different woman entirely.

As readable as this book is, Sowell is unable or unwilling to meet the standard he set with his earlier works.

In a world of hype, whole herds of writers may claim -- through their press agents -- to be iconoclasts. A Personal Odyssey shows what really goes into leading such a life, and the price it exacts -- a price few are willing to pay.

A Different Drummer, January 3, 2001.

Anecdotes Of a Scholar
"A Personal Odyssey" is a collection of anecdotal remembrances of Thomas Sowell from his birth to the date of the writing. Written in an almost stream of consciousness style, it conveys his thoughts and values without preaching them.

Born to a poor family in the south, Sowell was given to relatives who became his new family. With this new family he moved to New York were he attended school and eventually left an intolerable home life to set out on his own at a young age.

Through this book we learn of his family, schools, his jobs, both in and out of the academy, his brushes with the political world and his interaction with the black and white communities.

There is something for many readers in this book. Everyone who has felt betrayed by family will sympathize with Sowell's young life. Everyone who has struggled with a difficult child will feel his pain when telling of his son's delayed speech. His succession of job experiences will be eye-opening for those who never worked in the academy. I think that readers generally will appreciate being spared the details of the breakdown of his marriage.

The concept of Thomas Sowell as a black man in a white world runs throughout "A Personal Odyssey." Recognizing the discrimination prevalent in society, Sowell advocates realistic and helpful solutions, while expressing his disgust with what "Black Leaders" have done to their community. Throughout his career, Sowell has striven to be accepted as a man and an economist, not as a token or a black guru. As one who came in through the front door, he resents the implication that all successful blacks come in through the back door (affirmative action).

Sowell devotes much ink to dispelling notions that he played significant roles in the Ford and Reagan Administrations. Although he is perceived as a Conservative Republican, he makes it clear that he is largely apolitical. I find Sowell's position as one who neither votes nor belongs to any political party as troublesome. Although his disgust with his treatment by political operatives is understandable, his decision to drop out of the political process is hard to understand.

Thomas Sowell leaves each reader to formulate his own opinions of the author. Personally, I gained added respect for Sowell as one who has courageously surmounted daunting obstacles and has fought for what he believed to be right. At the same time, I have to suspect that he is a difficult person to get along with. He seems to have had a lot of family problems and has left an awful lot of jobs on bad terms. Perhaps the best evaluation is that he is very courageous and strong analytically, but may be weak in interpersonal skills. In the end, I believe that I have a better understanding of Thomas Sowell from having read this book. Read, enjoy, and form your own conclusions. ... Read more

Book Description

Who might reasonably be nominated as the funniest philosopher of all time? With this anthology, Thomas Oden provisionally declares Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)--despite his enduring stereotype as the melancholy, despairing Dane--as, among philosophers, the most amusing.

Kierkegaard not only explored comic perception to its depths but also practiced the art of comedy as astutely as any writer of his time. This collection shows how his theory of comedy is integrated into his practice of comic perception, and how both are integral to his entire authorship.

Kierkegaard's humor ranges from the droll to the rollicking; from farce to intricate, subtle analysis; from nimble stories to amusing aphorisms. In these pages you are invited to meet the wife of an author who burned her husband's manuscript and a businessman who, even with an abundance of calling cards, forgot his own name. You will hear of an interminable vacillator whom archeologists found still pacing thousands of years later, trying to come to a decision. Then there is the emperor who became a barkeeper in order to stay in the know.

The Humor of Kierkegaard is for anyone ready to be amused by human follies. Those new to Kierkegaard will discover a dazzling mind worth meeting. Those already familiar with his theory of comedy will be delighted to see it concisely set forth and exemplified. Others may have read Kierkegaard intensively without having ever really noticed his comic side. Here they will find what they have been missing.

... Read more

Book Description

Alain Badiou is one of the most inventive and compelling philosophers working in France today-a thinker who, in these days of cynical resignation and academic specialization, is exceptional in every sense. Guided by disciplines ranging from mathematics to psychoanalysis, inspired as much by Plato and Cantor as by Mao and Mallarmé, Badiou's work renews, in the most varied and spectacular terms, a decidedly ancient understanding of philosophy-philosophy as a practice conditioned by truths, understood as militant processes of emancipation or transformation.

This book is the first comprehensive introduction to Badiou's thought to appear in any language. Assuming no prior knowledge of his work, it provides a thorough and searching overview of all the main components of his philosophy, from its decisive political orientation through its startling equation of ontology with mathematics to its resolute engagement with its principal competition (from Wittgenstein, Heidegger, and Deleuze, among others). The book draws on all of Badiou's published work and a wide sampling of his unpublished work in progress, along with six years of correspondence with the author.

Peter Hallward pays careful attention to the aspect of Badiou's work most liable to intimidate readers in continental philosophy and critical theory: its crucial reliance on certain key developments in modern mathematics. Eschewing unnecessary technicalities, Hallward provides a highly readable discussion of each of the basic features of Badiou's ontology, as well as his more recent account of appearance and "being-there."

Without evading the difficulties, Peter Hallward demonstrates in detail and in depth why Badiou's ongoing philosophical project should be recognized as the most resourceful and inspiring of his generation.

Peter Hallward is lecturer in the French Department at King's College, London. His previous publications include Absolutely Postcolonial: Writing between the Singular and the Specific (2002) and a translation of Alain Badiou's Ethics: An Essay on the Understanding of Evil (2001). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best available intro
Hands down the best and most comprehensive book on Badiou to date, and probably for sometime to come. Covers just about everything the guy has written, a fair bit of it unpublished. The emphasis is more on Badiou's 'Being and Event' (1988) and subsequent work, so one weakness here is the relative lack of detailed attention paid to 'Theory of the Subject' and Badiou's other early texts. The concluding stuff on 'absolutism' is maybe a little OTT. But in general this is very solid work, and not many contemporary philosophers have been given such careful treatment so early in their reception. If you're curious about Badiou, or know something about him but are looking for some extra material, then this is an excellent place to start.

And unlike the previous reviewer, I thought the mathematical and contextual dimensions of the book were mostly helpful and about as thorough as is feasible, at least for non-specialist readers. Most of Rasheed Sabar's bizarre objections don't make any sense, or suggest that he hasn't actually read this book - for instance Hallward offers around a dozen obvious reasons why Badiou is opposed to Heidegger, and Badiou himself repeatedly affirms both formalism and realism/platonism without any contradiction or confusion, etc. If you want more info I found a much more informed & reliable review by Adrian Johnston, on the Metapsychology website (http://mentalhelp.net/books/books.php?type=de&id=1819).

Decent by Default
Before briefly stating my opinions on the book, let me mention that amazon reviews, capped at 1,000 words, do not provide an optimal forum for in-depth reviews. My review has been criticized as "non-sensical" by the other reviewer on this site who posted from New York. Within the next several days I will put up a website which contains a much longer review of this book. Not only will I show that my claims are not non-sensical, I will also attempt to get it into the other reviewer's tiny mind just how the book fails. The author himself, upset at the amazon review, sent me a letter, to which I will respond in depth on the aforementioned website. If you are interested in understanding Badiou (indirectly) or how Hallward's book lacks significant philosophical worth, look for this upcoming website. For now:

Though indisputably erudite, Hallward's book is not only confusing but confused. The first four chapters seek to situate Badiou in the context of classical philosophy and current French thought, and to clarify the role of mathematics in Badiou's philosophy. The attempt to contextualize Badiou fails horribly. We find out, in particular, that Badiou aligns himself with Plato, Descartes, Sartre, etc; we find out that he rejects the linguistic turn. We find out that he is the "exact contrary" of Heidegger, but it is never explained how or why this is so. In other words, all we get is a cataloguing of Badiou's positions (as if he were a politician) without the argumentation that Badiou uses to ally himself with these positions. The majority of what we get by way of argument-reproduction is the trite phraseology that Badiou cares for strong subjectivity, clarity, universalism, etc. Ok. But why? And how does he defeat the linguistic turn? Why is thought before being?

The explanations clarifying Badiou's equating of mathematics and ontology fail abysmally through internal contradictions. The author fails at points to keep "pure being" and "what can be said of being" distinct; at one page he will call mathematics "true thought", and at another time he will say that it is valueless--it is the event which is true thought. We do not get a clear sense what the precise connection between mathematics and reality is for Badiou: at one point Hallward says that, for Badiou, mathematics as articulating Being implies that it is "prior to" the distinction between the actual and the potential; while at other moments he attempts to understand Badiou as a partial realist and partial formalist (these terms, or at least realism, presuppose the strong divide between reality and mathematics which Badiou seeks to overcome). It is of course possible to make arguments which resolve these tensions in Hallward's text. But the book makes the reader work too hard to thread something coherent from the mess that is presented.

It is only through attentive reading that these gaps and contradictions come out. A cursory reading will leave one very satisfied. But if you want to understand Badiou deeply, this book reads roughly. Unfortunately, there are few other books on the market which cover the range of Badiou that Hallward does. So i'd have to say that it is decent by default. ... Read more

Book Description

Few twentieth-century thinkers have proven as influentialas WalterBenjamin, the German-Jewish philosopher and cultural and literarycritic.Richard Wolin's book remains among the clearest and most insightfulintroductions to Benjamin's writings, offering a philosophically richexpositionof his complex relationship to Adorno, Brecht, Jewish Messianism, andWesternMarxism. Wolin provides nuanced interpretations of Benjamin's widelystudiedwritings on Baudelaire, historiography, and art in the age of mechanicalreproduction. In a new Introduction written especially for this edition,Wolindiscusses the unfinished Arcades Project, as well as recent tendenciesin thereception of Benjamin's work and the relevance of his ideas tocontemporarydebates about modernity and postmodernity. ... Read more

Book Description

Divine Harmony describes Pythagoras’s wanderings in ancient Phoenicia, Egypt, Babylon, and Greece, and explores key Pythagorean ideas as taught at his scholarly community in southern Italy. This fascinating study of the sixth-century Greek scientist and mystic includes illustrations, a map, a new introduction, and an updated bibliography. Drawing on the writings of Pythagoras’s disciples, the authors present a lively portrait of a man whose ideas continue to resonate. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

For the magic crystal, metaphysical set.
I wanted a book that gave me more insight into a great thinker. A mathamatician who gave us the theorum bearing his name. What I got was a book where in the first chapter, the author says that Pythagoras may have been a direct decendent from the Gods! Went down hill from there. No information on mathematics, astronomy, geometry, physics or any of the other fields that Pythagoras studied and helped advance. Instead we get a glorified view of a cult leader and a focus on the metaphysical.

Most mysterious of ancient philosophers
Considered by many to be the first important Western teacher of wisdom, exalted by such luminaries as Socrates and Plato, the stories that have come down to us about Pythagoras and his teachings continue to resonate and have value in our modern world. This precious little book (159 pages) is written simply, introducing the life and teachings of one of the most mysterious of ancient philosophers.

The book is organized brilliantly; touching on all aspects of the life of Pythagoras and his teachings, ranging from knowledge and friendship, mathematics, music, care of the self and magic and miracles. Particular attention is devoted to the Pythagorian community and the followers of his teachings during his relatively long stay on the planet, (he nearly reached the age of one hundred) until his enforced death by his enemies through starvation, while taking asylum in the temple of the Muses.

At the end of the book is written The Golden Verses, a poetic guideline or introduction to the Pythagorean way of life. In a word, this is an ancient 'self-help' treatise that should be posted on one's shaving mirror, and attempted to be practiced everyday. If you do anything at all, read these ancient verses, as they are inspiring and valuable to living. As the authors state about them: "That they are hard to date with accuracy attests to the fact that they convey timeless truths."

As a starting point to the study of philosophy or just mere curiousity about the source of the famous Pythagorean Theorem, Divine Harmony is a valuable book to read and own.

This book is recommended highly.

There IS hope for the future of humankind - back in the past
Have you ever wondered why the world seems to be on the brink of utter chaos? Have we put aside the admonitions and teachings of ancient philospohers and thinkers only to find ourselves firmly entrenched in a world bent on destruction? The Pythagorean mindset is one of stark beauty, simplicity, common sense, and discipline. Pythagoras was a Greek seer (some thought him to be a god), with the ability to think with his soul. After a time, his life was threatened. He lived for a time in southern Italy where he had a following of like-minded people. He was a man of wealthy and noble birth, yet his words speak to the hearts of all manner of humankind. This book is a treasure - priceless. Were our world leaders to take the words of Pythagoras to heart, we might be able to mend the wounds of this old world. Pray that it may come to pass that the words of the ancients will win the approval of the modern thinkers.

Pythagoras - What goes around comes around
Have you ever wondered why the world seems to be on the brink of utter chaos? Have we put aside the admonitions and teachings of ancient philospohers and thinkers only to find ourselves firmly entrenched in a world bent on destruction? The Pythagorean mindset is one of stark beauty, simplicity, common sense, and discipline. Pythagoras was a Greek seer (some thought him to be a god), with the ability to think with his soul. After a time, his life was threatened. He lived for a time in southern Italy where he had a following of like-minded people. He was a man of wealthy and noble birth, yet his words speak to the hearts of all manner of humankind. This book is a treasure - priceless. Were our world leaders to take the words of Pythagoras to heart, we might be able to mend the wounds of this old world. Pray that it may come to pass that the words of the ancients will win the approval of the modern thinkers. ... Read more

Book Description

Hayek's Journey is a philosophical, intellectual exploration of Hayek's comprehensive life work. Tracing Hayek's intellectual journey from Vienna at the turn of the 20th century through London, Chicago, and Freiburg, Hayek's Journey provides a deeper understanding and exploration of Hayek's thought than previously attempted. Special attention is given to Hayek's intellectual relationships with Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises, John Maynard Keynes, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Karl Popper, and Milton Friedman. Hayek's Journey presents Hayek as an economist, political philosopher, and pure philosopher. Particular consideration is given also to development of Hayek's final work, The Fatal Conceit. In Hayek's Journey, Hayek emerges as a thinker and writer of the greatest depth and importance.
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Reviews (4)

A valuable thematic supplement
In this readable volume, Ebenstein offers an overview of Hayek's thought organized thematically rather than chronologically. It is meant as a companion volume to Ebenstein's biography of Hayek, but I read it as a supplement to Caldwell's intellectual biography, Hayek's Challenge.

Being only modestly acquainted with 20th century history, and even less so on economic and political theories, I strongly endorse reading a historical account of Hayek prior to considering this thematic presentation. Hayek was a man of his time, passionately contending with political ideologies and economic centralization that he felt threatened individual liberties. In my view, a historical approach can more aptly express the interplay of social, cultural, and personal influences that shaped Hayek's life and thought.

Be that as it may, Ebenstein has done a fine job in this book. Each chapter is devoted to a specific idea of, or a major influence on, Hayek. Foundational ideas incorporated into Hayek's thought are discussed (Darwinianism, German historicism, Austrian school economics) as are significant works that denoted major changes in his thought. Individual chapters deal with Mises, Keynes, Friedman and Popper, and another contrasts Hayek's thought with Marx, Mill, and Freud. Hayek's major economic thought is address in chapters devoted to both his early years and his later work.

I recommend this book primarily as a ready and current reference for the ongoing debates and interpretations of Hayek. Ebenstein's Bibliographical Essay on the collected works of Hayek may be an essential source for those studying this man.

Another disppointing treatment of Hayek
I read Ebenstein's biography of Hayek with high expectations, only to find the work disjointed, inadequate, and incomplete, and I was left with the feeling that either the author did not understand Hayek, had problems expressing himself or did not do adequate research.

When this title hit the bookshops, I immediately purchased a copy thinking that this volume would make up for the inadequacies of the first. But again, I am left with the feeling that a better work on the life and writings of the great Von Hayek is still to be written!

Recommended.
A very good starting point for those who have heard about Hayek and his ideas, but are not ready to jump into the details of his other works. A few well known traders say that to do well in the stock market, one must have a good understanding of the thinking of the Austrian School.

This book summarizes the ideas and discusses his many books, most of which are currently in print. It is written in an easy to read style. It may help you decide which of Hayek's works to read first.

I enjoyed it.

Only goes so far in explaining the genius
Frederich Hayek was a genius who happened upon his brilliance by both nature and nurture. He lived in an era which thought it not unusual to work in both the physical and social sciences. In Hayek's case it was most important that his first love was biology since the evolutionary underpinnings of society were fundamental to his approach to the social sciences.

He is today remembered for such classics as THE FATAL CONCEIT, THE CONSTITUTION OF LIBERTY and especially THE ROAD TO SERFDOM. He excelled in many categories and it was this fusion of various fields that made his work so unique and so vital. Starting as a scientist in the tradition of Ernest Mach, he soon began studies in economics, particularly value. From semi-Socialist leanings he became convinced of the link between economic and political freedom. This was the subtext of THE ROAD TO SERFDOM.

His argument against collectivism and central-run economies are as valid today as they were in the early part of last century. Central economies fail because 1) Society has too much knowledge to be centrally commanded (2) all economic decisions become political and thus authoritarian and noncreative and (3) there is no way to set value (price) under Socialism.

THE SENSORY ORDER dealt with epistomology, then he branched out to philosophy and politics. As an example of how Socialist we have become, Hayek's views were called ""liberal" and are now called "conservative" despite the fact that they're unchanged. He wrote one piece "WHY I AM NOT A CONSERVATIVE" which is a clarion call for libertarianism and classical liberalism.

The book examines the clashes between intellectual giants - von Mises, Popper, Mach, Wittgenstein (his cousin) and others. He was a secularist, a capitalist and a political liberal in the classical sense. His work on monetary policy still affects us (adjusting interest rates to increase or decrease the money supply, "floating" currencies externally). His influence with Western politicians and intellectual leaders was and is huge. He won the Nobel Prize for Economics in appreciation for his many contributions.

Almost as an afterward Hayek issued a brilliant statement. The aim of all economists is the increase in material wealth. He wanted this accomplished through an increase in wealth (capitalism) rather than a confiscation / redistribution of wealth (socialism / central run economies). The battle between these two points of view are with us today. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Never thought that Sartre could make you cry?
Then you need to read this book. It is Simone de Beauvoir's first-person account of the last ten years of Sartre's life, and it is heartbreaking to read in several places. Her descriptions in particular of his final few days are wrenching, and I did actually cry as she described Sartre's death. The prose is characteristic of de Beauvoir: deeply and intimately detailed, meticulous, and dense in some places. But the reading is ultimately rewarding as it gives the reader an even more thorough understanding of the devoted side of de Beauvoir--and the very human and mortal side of the great philosopher Sartre.

A Beaver's Tale
Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre were *the* couple of the 20th century. For all the immense history they created, it may be beyond our ability to imagine just how and why they were first drawn together, or more why they *stayed* together right up until Sartre's death in 1980. This two-part memoir is remarkable for its poignant intimacy, first as an historical record from 1970-1980, and then as a transcription of de Beauvoir's own interviews with Sartre during that same period of time. These two were a rough mix, as though that was a revelation. And, ironically, it's perhaps de Beauvior's own deep emotional commitment that comes through most clearly in these pages. On the other hand, we're also offered a fascinating view of their long public life together. From the times of divided German-occupied France, to the political activism of the 60s and beyond...and, above all, the writings they produced! If anything, this book reveals how moot is the point of Sartre's caustic personality, and to what extent he may have "used" her. (As if a woman of this caliber *could* be used!) Their focus was always on the change they hoped to produce in the world. Well, and for de Beauvoir, at least, there was also the issue of their own personal relationship. Therein lies the charm of this book. You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Osho, better known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, became infamous for his posh lifestyle and outrageous teachings. A prolific author of some respectable and even insightful books, he refused to pen an autobiography for his myriad disciples. Nonetheless, two of these, Sarito Carol Neiman and Ma Yoga Bhakti, have pieced together an autobiography of sorts from the many of volumes of his writings and published talks. We find in Osho a vibrant mind, a sharp wit, and a feigned unpretentiousness that is both disarming and seductive. Following his story, we learn Osho was raised on a loose tether by his businessman grandfather and atheist grandmother, rebelliously questioning religious authority by the age of 5. By the age of 7, he was uncontrollable, and at 21, he had a prolonged enlightenment experience. A Ph.D. in philosophy brought him to the role of professor, but he outgrew it with his talks on meditation that gradually became more radical, until he was known in India as the sex guru. Ousted from India, he sought to create the perfect and most free community, choosing a remote corner of the U.S. Controversy erupted, and the man who called himself Zorba the Buddha became persona non grata the world over. To read about this unorthodox teacher in his own words is certainly entertaining, and although not without internal contradictions, the book is valuable for its relentless challenge to the sacred tenets of established religious thought. Like the best Zen master, Osho forces us to reconsider our conventions. --Brian Bruya ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Among my fav all-time readings
For anyone who seeks a fair introduction to one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century, Osho, this is the place to begin. Osho never really wrote his biography. This book is a collection of his lectures on different subjects that he addressed to over the course of time.

It adheres to the values of eastern spirituality since Osho was highly influenced by the teachings of Gautama Buddha. He had a flair for simplifying the more complicated issues that human mind, body, and soul is constantly inflicted with in the modern times.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who seeks insight into spiritual (particularly eastern) studies.

A Unique Autobiography of a Unique Master of the Millenium!
Of Indian mystics, after Paramhansa Yoganand's Autobiography ofa Yogi, Osho's autobiography stands apart from the convention. Theuniquness of this book is that it is not written by Osho. It is TALKEDby Osho to his intimate pupils and is recorded by them thereafter. And therefore, it provides a freshness in the story. The book reveals many secrets of the life of Osho which I have not found in any of his books. It also details the biblical situation of Osho's birth, his association with other enlightrened masters who recognized his potential when he was very young and took care of him until he attained to enlightentment. Osho's meeting with India's first prime minister Nehru is another very interesting part. Osho's accounts with Nehru surfaces some of the hidden qualities and spirituality of Nehru. At one sight, Nehru recognizes the future potential of young Osho (may be then 14/15 years old only) and asks Osho's companion, Masto Baba , to take care of him. Mosto Baba is one of the three enlightent Masters of a single chain, who, one by one, took care of Osho in succession. The spiritual journey of Osho is very inspirational. In some places he looks like a dare devil: ready take any kind of challenge; and in some accounts he appears to be as humble as one can be.

preconceptions smashed
I just knew he had some crazy meditation techniques was a bit of a rogue, had 93 rolls royces, accepted sex and i had a few friends who recommended him. Wow, blown away, this is one of the most beautiful books i've ever read! Osho's integrity shines through and yes he is a dangerous man because he's not concerned about beliefs but the truth. And he challenges you deeply, i was a buddhist monk for 3 years and he takes traditions apart 'Buddha wasn't a buddhist' what a one liner. Many buddhist books seem to take a mathematical approach to enlightenment, Osho is a poet. I just cried reading this book, with laughter and joy and hope, i even found myself clapping and shouting 'Yes yes yes!' Sheer delight. I'm hooked.
love and peace

Must for Osho lovers
Although this is not an autobiography in true sense (Osho never wrote his autobiography). This book is a collection from several of his talks that fit like an autobiography. If one is a critic of his views, then he will find a lot of stuff that can be criticised. On the other hand if one is a believer, he/she will get ample dose of Osho's wonderful message.
I finished the book in about 6 hours. Once I started reading, I just could not stop myself. I highly recommend this book for all readers. When reading anything by Osho one has to be prepared to face the truth. Osho has a "in your face" approach to everything, and that's what makes him great.

A glimpse into the life of a great teacher
I have read several of Osho's works. As a mathematician, I find his logic entertaining if not always rigorous. His outlook on the world, and on life, is uplifting. If I could afford it, I'd buy all of his books. I bought this book because I was curious about his life. I was not disappointed. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (12)

A Most Useful Biography
Viroli concisely depicts the people and tumultuous events of 16th century Italy. This illuminates Machiavelli's 15th and 16th century historical examples, and helps the reader of _The Prince_ and _The Discourses_ to obtain a firmer grasp of Machiavelli's subtle and ephemeral ideas.

Reading Viroli has helped me see that Machiavelli was a man out of season, and that this contrariness is key to understanding his works. Machiavelli saw, and experienced that the tectonic momentum of centuries of declining political and military virtue in Italy (and the rest of the world) could not be reversed by a single man in a single lifetime, whether he be an outcast Secretary of a failed government, like Machiavelli, or a deposed military strongman like Cesare Borgia.

Machiavelli's experience as Secretary fed his scholarship. It led him to understand the changes in peoples and states. Machiavelli reveals that truth very carefully and quietly in books that are seemingly straightforward and brash. The aspiration to rule, he might say, requires blindness to history, and a love of myth. The would be prince can not see that the highest examples of Princes, men who are revered for changing the course of whole nations, were failures and were despised by their contemporaries. Their "revolutions" unfolded over the course of generations as the mass of the people absorbed a new teaching, and a common language.

Rather light but enjoyable biography of Machiavelli
Machiavelli has been unfairly portrayed as the unethical and ultimately immoral original proponent of "realpolitik". By contrast he was a strong patriot of his native Florence, a city-state surrounded by larger, more powerful political entities and forced to participate in various alliances and rivalry's in order to insure it's own political survival.

Known more for "The Prince" (His other writings such as "Discourses on Livy" and "The Art of War" are not as well known) than anything else, Machiavelli was also a great supporter of Florence's republican form of government. He understood that a nation needed it's own citizen army rather than depend on foreign mercenaries or powers for its protection.

This biography written by Maurizion Viroli takes us on a more personal journey through Machiavelli's life. We're exposed to his personal friendships and relationships which show him as a much more sympathetic and ultimately likeable individual.

Understanding his position after his fall from office, one can see why he wrote "The Prince" for Lorenzo Medici. A well written and well translated biography, this is a good starter for anyone interested in the life an background of Machiavelli as well as a decent primer for the political scene of the beginnings of the Italian Wars of the sixteenth century, an event whose occurence is only now being realized as the real beginning of early modern europe.

Pleasing revisionism
This biography presents the full Machiavelli, not just the cynical philosopher of politics. The reader discovers many other facets of his sometimes lusty, sometimes ironic, sometimes mischevious personality. The book places Machiavelli in the context of local events current to his time. We can see how he was influenced by, and tried to influence, the politics of his day. Above all, this book conveys Machiavelli as a writer, more effective in offering advice than he was at managing events. Viroli's brief essays at the beginnings of some of his chapters are elegant works in themselves. A plan of Renaissance Florence would have been a useful addition.

Machiavelli as a human being rather than an epithet
This is a concise and lively account of Machiavelli's life. It provides the general reader with much needed context and background in order to read Machiavelli's works with any kind of understanding. While there are good scholarly works that can provide the feeling of more intellectual heft, this book should not be underestimated simply because it is easy to read and doesn't require weeks to read.

Machiavelli is one of those brand-name characters that evoke certain reactions in people in such a generalized way that people mistakenly believe they know something about the man and his work. This book can help debunk much of that received nonsense. It is surprising how "modern" a man he was considering he lived nearly 500 years ago.

The author has admiration for Machiavelli's skills as an analyst and as a diplomat, has sympathy for his personal suffering and disappointments, and forgiving in his attitude towards Machiavelli's human failings (the author might not even agree they were failings - they were just human). And that is the book's greatest contribution; it shows its subject as a human being rather than a caricature or a statue.

In any case, I found this to be a very valuable and entertaining book. I recommend it highly. You can draw your own conclusions about the subject and they author's conclusions. But you will have gained a lot in the process of coming to those (now better informed) conclusions.

There are a few helpful maps throughout the book and a suggested reading list at the end. The translation is terrific.

The man behind the smile
"No man has been more misunderstood," some would say. Who truly is the man behind the famous smile of determination and challenge? Why would anyone advise a ruler to be deceitful? Viroli's Niccolo's Smile is one of few biographies on Niccolo Machiavelli which can help lead us to the answers of our most controversial questions about his life. The book starts off by stating Niccolo's date of birth, family life, and means of education. However, if you read closely about his education, the author helps unlink a clue for us behind the mystery of how Machiavelli was launched into his political career. In the middle of the book are the tales of Machiavelli's first and most important missions while he was second chancellor. Viroli also talks about the politician's most famous work which he's known for, The Prince. Here and there the author talks about Machiavelli's love life and hard times in life, including his banishment in 1513. Sadly, the book does have a depressing ending when it starts to unwind when the author tells the details of this poor man's, whose ideas were ahead of his time, last, depressing days.

My favorite part of Niccolo's Smile was the chapter about Niccolo's banishment from Florence. I liked this chapter because it was written with such an amount of detail. To me, it seemed like the author interviewed Machiavelli because he knew Machiavelli's exact feelings during every minute of his expulsion from his native town. It was in this part of the book which made me feel the deepest sympathy for this man. Especially since Machiavelli's banishment was his punishment for committing a crime he was falsely accused for.

Viroli's Niccolo's Smile was a slightly interesting read considering it was a biography. It taught me many new things behind the world of politics. It also showed me how depressing the life of a person misunderstood was. Though, I wouldn't recommend this book as a "free read" for kids my age, 11-13, because the chapter based on Machiavelli's love affairs isn't very appropriate for children under the age of 15. It was disturbing for me to read about Machiavelli's sick urges, plus those of his friends. Other than that, Niccolo's Smile was well-written. If anyone had to write a report on the life of Machiavelli this book would be first on my list of recommendations. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An excellent biography
I am twelve years old, and I got this book for my bat-mitzva. I loved it and learned a lot and I would recommend it to both adults and children. I particularly liked the way Maimonides helped women during those hard times.

Intelligent, well-researched biography
As a librarian, I was alerted to this excellent biography by Booklist and by The Library Journal, which both gave it excellent reviews. I don't read every book I order, but since I am particularly interseted in Maimonides, I did read it, and with great pleasure. I have studied much of Maimonides' work, and many books that analyzed his work, but Arbel's book is the only one fulfilling the need for a lively biography that really tells about Maimonides, his character and his relationships.

The book is extremely well-written, easy to understand, and will be entirely comprehesible to the secular reader. You don't have to be a Maimonides expert, a philosophy student, or a religious scholar to enjoy it. Yet any scholar will appreciate Arbel's historical research and grasp of the era he discusses.

My only criticism was that I wished the book were longer and continued into the second generation (Maimonides' son, Abraham, was a fascinating character). However, I realized that the book is a part of a series of biographies, the well-received Lives and Legacies (all called "A Spiritual Biography") from Crossroad Publishing, so Arbel probably followed certain guidelines as to length. I am very much looking forward to the publication of Arbel's biography of Rabbi Hillel, which apparently he is writing now.

A New Biography of Maimonides
The appearance of a new biography of Maimonides is always important, if only because it happens infrequently.

What we need, and do not yet have in English, is an excellent and scholarly biography of Maimonides, like Netanyahu's biography of Abarbanel.

Ilil Arbel's new biography, entitled Maimonides, A Spiritual Biography, does not fill that bill. However, for those who are already reading Maimonides, it will fill in the historical gaps reasonably well. The book is based on secondary and tertiary sources, with the exception of the more historically significant items of Maimonides' correspondence and some of the shorter works, which the author shows familiarity with. The author is fluent in Hebrew, and may be an Israeli, it is not clear from the jacket material. That material indicates that she is a "Writer and editor, and has a Ph.D. in the field of mythology and folklore, and is a regular contributor of Judaic myths to Encyclopedia Mythica, her next book is A biography of Hillel, she resides in New York City".

The book comes with a full index and a short bibliography. There are a very few notes, more would have been desirable. I would like to know where she got some of her material. There is a Chronology which she confesses is based on the usual consensus opinions but not based on any research of her own.

I do not think the book will do anyone any harm. She pointedly stays away from giving comment or analysis of the Guide or the Mishneh Torah, and for that reason, I do not understand why she calls this a spiritual biography. The excitement that I get from the works of Maimonides themselves is not well communicated by the author.

What she does do that helps make this book of contemporary significance is the integration of Geniza material from the Ben Ezra synagogue in Cairo, Egypt, about which I recently wrote on in connection with the Spertus College of Judaica exhibit. She does know this material, and has spent some time with the writings of S.D. Goitein, the acknowledged expert in that field. She also has listed in her bibliography several contemporary Israeli books on Maimonides. All of these sources help to provide depth and context in Maimonides' story.

Among these positive attributes I would randomly site her extended treatment of the unending controversies between Maimonides and the Gaon of Baghdad, Shmuel Ben Ali, who was the leader of the Babylonian Academy and saw himself as the universal Jewish authority. She also fills in the personalities of Maimonides son Abraham, and his student Joseph Ibn Aknin, for whom the Guide of the Perplexed was dedicated.

On the controversial issue of Maimonides' feigned conversion to Islam, she fails to explain the meaning of such conversions, and leaves her readers confused. At one point she states flatly we can rest assured that he never converted to Islam, and at other times she indicates just as flatly that he feigned observance of Islam. She should have explained that Islam does not need conversion at all as Islam views people as having an Islamic nature which only needs to be realized. Such realization takes place when the individual acknowledges the formula of the divinity of Allah and the prophecy of Mohammed in a mosque. Maimonides himself writes that since this is all that is required, together with occasional attendance at Mosque prayers, a Jew need not question his own faith if he has to do these acts for the sake of survival.

Admittedly our determination that Maimonides feigned such conversion is based on circumstantial evidence, but it is exceptionally good circumstantial evidence. Apart from his own words in his epistle on the subject, we know for a fact that no Jew, and particularly no Jew of public prominence like Maimonides and his father, could have survived long in Fez, Morocco under the Almohads without feigning Islam. Then there is the well known case, discussed by Arbel, of the prosecution brought by Abul Arab ibn Moisha in Cairo. Moisha had known Maimonides in Fez, as an apparent Muslim, and was shocked to find him as the head of the Jewish community in Cairo. He brought a prosecution against Maimonides for the capital heresy of converting from Islam. Maimonides' protector, El Fadil, Saladin's vizier, was the judge in the case. Arbel states that Fadil's ruling was to declare Maimonides never really adopted the fate or converted but only kept up a fabulous disguise and therefore could not have had a relapse from Islam. What really happened, according to Dr. Joel Kraemer, was that the court ruled coerced conversions were not effective conversions in Islam, citing Quran, and Maimonides could not be held guilty for feigning conversion under coercion.

Like all books nowadays, the editors don't really do any editing, and there are many obvious typographical errors in the text. One howler is the author's apparent inability to distinguish pray from prey (twice!) as in
". . . It prayed on his mind."

The book is neither long nor difficult to read, and the author has a moderately engaging prose style. She seems to be genuinely interested in the details of Maimonides life, and for those reasons the book should be read.

A marvelous, thrilling read
In this exciting, vibrant biography, the author succeeds where all others failed -- she brings Maimonides and his contemporaries to life. A few other books, all of them at least thirty years old, claim to be his biographies, but they are really only discussions of his work, with a few biographical details merely tacked on. Arbel's book, on the other hand, is truly the story of the life of a most interesting man, set against the vast panorama of a turbulent era. The intriguing details, taken from rarely used historical materials, help the reader visualize the scandals, controversies, court intrigues, and wars, as well as the daily lives, fashions, food, entertainment, and houses of people in Spain, Morocco, Israel, and Egypt of the twelfth century.

Arbel obviously likes and admires Maimonides, but she does not worship him, and is not averse to showing his human, less than perfect side. She may run into trouble with the more orthodox rabbis, perhaps, but for the general reader it is a wonderful approach, and you end the book feeling that you have spent some time with a human being, not the demigod that is presented by other authors. I truly enjoyed the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Nicholas Capaldi's biography of John Stuart Mill traces the ways in which Mill's many endeavors are related and explores the significance of his contributions to metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, social and political philosophy, the philosophy of religion, and the philosophy of education. Capaldi shows how Mill was groomed for his life by both his father James Mill and Jeremy Bentham, the two most prominent philosophical radicals of the early 19th century. Mill, however, revolted against this education and developed friendships with both Thomas Carlyle and Samuel Taylor Coleridge who introduced him to Romanticism and political conservatism. A special feature of this biography is the attention devoted to Mill's relationship with Harriet Taylor. No one exerted a greater influence than the woman he was eventually to marry. Capaldi reveals just how deep her impact was on Mill's thinking about the emancipation of women.Nicholas Capaldi was until recently the McFarlin Endowed Professor of Philosophy and Research Professor of Law at the University of Tulsa. He is the founder and former Director of Legal Studies. His principal research and teaching interest is in public policy and its intersection with political science, philosophy, law, religion, and economics.He is the author of six books, including The Art of Description (Prometheus, 1987) and How to Win Every Argument (MJF Books, 1999), over fifty articles, and editor of six anthologies. He is a recent recipient of the Templeton Foundation Freedom Project Award. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Capaldi on Mill
From the view of philosophy departments, Mill is frequently read as as figure in the line of traditional empiricists stretching from Locke to Russell. In that context, some of his teachings, such as the quality of pleasure and the primacy of social good seem like, well, mistakes. In fact, that's how it was presented to me in school and I'm afraid I may have passed that view on. I always wondered how a guy so smart could be so dumb. By bringing in the French connection (and Mill's intellectual environment in general), Capaldi presents the complete thinker. That's a service. Of course, given their format, no title in this series from Cambridge can be either a full scale biography or a full scale commentary. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Superb
Excellent and insightful look at a complex and fascinating visonary who helped changed the culture of the 20th century.

Classic Biography
Excellent bio of AA's co-founder, based on interviews with Bill and those closest to him. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This intellectual biography ofthe 16th century Italian quotes exclusively from Machiavelli's own words rather than quoting others who commented upon him. In this way de Grazia, a professor at Rutgers, paints a colorful portrait of the man entirely in the context of his time. In The Prince Machiavelli had famou