Reviews (1)

True Political Realism on the Make
When it comes to political insight, Hans Joachim Morgenthau is indeed one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. As we read his books, we recognize the phenomenon of a truly giant mind, meeting, as he faced the great issues of American foreign policy during the Cold War - as well as many internal issues - extremely worrisome circumstances, which demanded responsibility and consciousness from their policy-makers. For their decisions and the way they behaved could generate potentially disastrous consequences for the whole of humankind.

It has been already 21 years since Morgenthau has left us a legacy of various articles and books on politics, of which Politics Among Nations is certainly his masterpiece. As someone who sought 'to speak truth to power', his thoughts will still last much longer among us, in spite of any discussions about cold war, states or nations, as well as Aristotle has survived the disappearance of the Greek polis, and Machiavelli, the unification of Italy (!). The secret that unites the three thinkers is that they make it through the surface of their objects of analysis into the essence of political reality, accounting for the configurations and problems which the many questions and dilemmas of power ensue. There are indeed truths about the human condition which remain, among the problems of the day, recognizable to eyes which may be very distant. Precisely this is what makes great thinkers.

Of course, every man cannot but be a son of his own days, expressing reality as he sees it in terms which are currently understandable to, and shared by, his own fellow-men. And pointing out to the (re)discovery of those recognizably human, supposedly eternal, traces of his own condition among the present configurations of his era is therefore a very important characteristic of good biographical work.

It is bearing these observations in mind that I highly recommend Hans Morgenthau's Intellectual Biography, written by Swiss professor Christoph Frei, as an indispensable work for those wishing to understand the task of putting together the pieces of a system of political thought which, at some point in the early 1930's, started being dubbed 'realism', but only effectively reached public in the late 1940's. Before this book, even those who had taken the chance to go through most of Morgenthau's work in English had never researched his early papers, which contain all the seeds of his later intellectual developments. Mr. Frei was the first one to study these papers. And he has also gone through a few thousands (yes, thousands) of other never seen documents, diaries and letters. He provides us a detailed reconstruction of the first decades of Morgenthau's life, points out to the first time when concepts and ideas were put to paper, and provides a detailed and lively account of the difficult conditions under which these concepts and ideas were produced.

A sense for nuance is one of the most important features of a good academic work. In this sense, professor Frei's Intellectual Biography is a brilliant example of an investigation which, in its presentation and reflections, combines a thorough knowledge of the primary sources from which his subject has drawn, only made possible by an extensive trilingual research in English, German, and French, with a careful characterization of the context in which Morgenthau's intellectual development - the Weimar Republic - took place.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part deals biographically with Morgenthau's life story, his studies in different cities in Germany, his acquaintance with, and perceptions of, the several ongoing schools of social sciences which developed in those times, and the beginning of his professional career. As the specter of totalitarianism approached the old continent with its somber colors, we watch his difficulties first in Europe as a Jew, then trying to emigrate to America, and later on in America as a German and a Jew, struggling first for survival and next to retake his intellectual projects. This first part leads us up to the great success he was able to achieve after the publication of Politics Among Nations, and deals, this time in lesser detail, with the second half of Morgenthau's life as a successful political scientist, trying to contribute to the American context and experience during the Cold War.

As the second part of the book unfolds, we go back to the early decades of the twentieth century and embark on a philosophical trip side by side with the experience of disillusionment, of which the young Morgenthau, who by means of a lone and ineffective philosophical reflection on the future of morals and civilization in a time of decay, could not help but falling pray. Here we see the formation of his Weltanschauung, his most important intellectual disputes, and the criticisms from him to others and also from others to him. In this part, we approach the substance of his intellectual reflections on the contours of man and society. The author braces himself with his subject, by letting him speak out his frankest reflections on the limits of science, on the political sphere, on the place and importance of power as an irremovable reality among human beings. Frei strikes us with his very clever insight, by making Immanuel Kant's four philosophical questions: "What is man?; What am I allowed to know? What should I expect?; and What should I do??" the skeleton of his investigation. He ends his book by pointing out to how Morgenthau's realism is in fact sober idealism, or "transcendent idealism" as he puts it.

After a few years without English translation, the German version of this book (beautifully written in the original, for those who can read in German) accounts, for the first time, for Morgenthau's steps in Europe and America, and his struggles and observations about himself and the world around; it unveils his important intellectual sources - I personally found the chapter on his existential and philosophical dialogue with Nietzsche the most fascinating one - and the formation of his worldview, which was the very core of that thing not that many agree - I do -, but which he called a theory.

Those who wish to deepen their knowledge of what is true political realism on the make must read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Isaiah Berlin was witness to a century. Born in Riga in the twilight of the Czarist empire, he lived long enough to see the Soviet state collapse. Biographer of Marx, scholar of the Romantic movement, and defer of the liberal idea of freedom against Soviet tyranny, Berlin was the presiding judge of intellectual life on both sides of the Atlantic. When he died in 1997, he was hailed as the most important liberal philosopher of his time. But Berlin's life was not only a life of the mind. From Albert Einstein to Virginia Woolf, Winston Churchill to Anna Akhmatova, his circle of friends constitutes a veritable who's who of twentieth-century art, politics, and philosophy. In this definitive work, the result of a remarkable ten-year collaboration between biographer and subject, Michael Ignatieff charts the emergence of a unique temperament and a singular vision.
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Reviews (12)

Elegant Portrait of a Great Liberal Intellectual
Michael Ignatieff spent many hours with Isaiah Berlin over the ten years before Berlin's death, aged 88, in 1997, and the frank portrait that emerges in this book is of a very human intellectual with a deep attachment to liberty. The book traces Berlin's life from his early years in Riga and revolutionary St. Petersburg, and his family's flight to England, to his sure rise through the hallowed halls of Oxford and the Foreign Office to the very pinnacles of the British academic establishment. Berlin quickly put aside the sterility of formal philosophical debate and engaged himself in a life-long study of the history of ideas, and in particular the evolution of liberal thought. Berlin's overwhelming interest was in people, and the book catalogues his varied encounters with a gallery of huge personalities over the course of the century. The reader catches glimpses of Churchill, Kennedy, and literary giants such as Anna Akhmatova. Berlin's persona is part Russian Jew, part Englishman of letters, and Ignatieff draws out the contradictions and felicitous harmonies in this cultural mixture. Berlin had an unerring knack for being in the right place at the right time, and in distilling Berlin's extraordinary life, Ignatieff provides a lively overview of a century of ideas. An excellent read.

A Wonderful Biography
I just finished reading "Isaiah Berlin" and must say that it is one of the finest books I have ever read. The story of Mr. Berlin's life is fascinating, from his childhood in Russia and England, to his education, his service in the Foreign Office during WWII, his meetings with Boris Pasternak and Anna Akhmatova, his career as an Oxford don, etc. Mr. Ignatieff tells the story, interspersed with the substance of his developing philosophical views, with warmth and insight. Even if you care not for philosophy (and I generally do not), this book deserves attention simply because it is a wonderful life and well told.

British spy makes first-class Oxford philosopher
It was Joseph Stalin who called Mr. Berlin 'a British spy'. He did it after he had learned that Isaiah Berlin privately visited Russian exiled poet Anna Akhmatova during Berlin's short stay in Leningrad (of course, against Soviet government wishes). Surprisingly, it turned out that Stalin was correct. Sir Isaiah Berlin was in fact a former British intelligence officer. At least, this you can find in the recently published Stephen Dorril's monumental volume called 'MI6 'Inside the covert world of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service'. Michael Ignatieff, who wrote this interesting book about Sir Isaiah Berlin, for whatever reason didn't mention this fact. Perhaps he didn't know about this darker side of Berlin's past, but more likely explanation would be his desire not to turn the book into a spy thriller, which is reasonable. I'd find it hard to believe, that Ignatieff was unaware of Berlin's ties to the British Intelligence, particularly in light of history of Ignatieff's own grandfather, beautifully described in Ignatieff's other book 'The Russian Album'. Berlin's life was long, interesting, and fortunate for a Russian born in 1909. After spending few years in Petrograd (where he witnessed and never forgot the 1917 Russian Revolution) his family was able to move with some difficulty to England, thanks to his father being a timber merchant with some connections and means. Ignatieff had been meeting with Berlin for ten years in London in order to write a biography, which, according to Berlin's condition couldn't be published while he was still alive. The book, apart from fascinating and packed with events life of Berlin, was interesting to me due to the fact that both Ignatieff and Berlin were closely linked to Russia, although at the different ends. Berlin - a Russian Jew from Riga, a fluent Russian speaker, steeped in middle class values, turned British Intelligence officer, later a renowned British philosopher, historian of ideas, and founder of one of Oxford colleges. Ignatieff is a descendent of high Russian aristocracy with links to the Tsars, who became a Harvard professor and a writer. I feel like he is almost redeeming the Ignatieff name in this book, since according 'Russian Album', his great-grandfather count Nicolas Ignatieff (Minister of Interior of Russia), was renowned for his anti-Semitism. It's interesting that Berlin's favorite writers were mostly Russian; particularly he admired Herzen and Tougrenev. He used to say that Herzen (who was also a Russian émigré living England in 19th century) influenced him most. Ignatieff's father had to go to exile (first to England and then Canada) after 1917 Russian revolution almost at the same age as Berlin. There was clearly a deep, almost farther-son connection, uniting these too men and I suspect their meeting was not accidental. Although Berlin thought all his life about idea of liberty (Two concepts of Liberty), he wasn't a liberal in the American contemporarily meaning of the word. He has first formulated the simple but wonderful idea of value pluralism and put it ahead of the democracy, which he said could be intolerant and oppressive. He was a true free thinker, who refused to subscribe to any ideology. In short, Berlin was of his own class. Unique thing about him was, although he was a British subject, he combined a trinity of identities ' i.e. British, Jewish, and Russian and managed to tap from them creativity, intelligence, and insight. With all its incompleteness, this is a talented and useful book for anyone interested in Belin's life, philosophy, and Russian history.

a biography of one of the great historians of ideas
Ignatief has done a fine job here in detailing not simply the life of Berlin but in actually digging into his past to provide insight into the biographical context of many of his views. Ignatief explains that Berlin's Russian roots were never fully covered over by his passionate embrace of his adopted country of Britain. His identity became what postcolonial theorists refer to as an example of "hybridity," meaning that he was niether fully one or the other.

This hybridity helped to form the basis for Berlin's belief that life is in essence tragic and there is no way to reconcile all valid worldviews.

I found this to be an incredibly compelling interpretation of Berlin's famous defense for pluralism. Finally, anyone interested in Western ideas in the aftermath of the Second World War will benefit greatly from reading this book.

Nobody's useful idiot
Isaiah Berlin was an intellectual figure whose deep subtlety of thought never made him inscrutable. His reputation as a standard bearer of liberalism is also widely but imperfectly known. Michael Ignatieff has made good this state of affairs, aided by the decade-long co-operation of his subject, who put none of the usual obstacles of authorised biography in his path.

Born in Riga to traditional Jewish parents and raised there and later in St Petersburg in the last days of Tsarist Russia and the early years of the Soviet Union, Berlin was taken providentially to Britain where he adjusted with ease to British education and mores. His detractors would later identify his defence of British institutions as a deformation of émigré idealisation. His school career gave only slight indication of the achievement to follow at Oxford, where he was elected at 23 a fellow of All Souls, perhaps the most rarefied, in its association of powerful men and untrammelled scholars, of Oxford colleges. The chaos and mounting dread left behind in Russia immunised Berlin from the millenarian ideologies that so infected his contemporaries.

Chance took him to America during the war and into the service of the British Foreign Office, where he dazzled his superiors from Churchill down with the probity and depth of his copious reports on the American scene. Churchill would comment approvingly on his memoranda to Eden, an insecure politician who appreciated Berlin's brain but suspected expertise and who took the opportunity to note in margin, 'There is perhaps a too generous Oriental flavour' (p. 125).

So impressed was Churchill with Berlin that he insisted that he be invited to dinner, where he quizzed his guest on the war and strategy, only to receive bland replies. "But when do you think the war will be over?" persisted Churchill. "Mr Prime Minister", Berlin replied, "I shall tell my children and grandchildren that Winston Churchill asked me that question". Perplexed, Churchill then inquired what was Berlin's best work. "White Christmas" came the reply from Irving Berlin (pp. 125-6). And so the celebrated tale of the wrong Berlin being invited to dinner was born. Ignatieff recounts these and other anecdotes with style and gentility.

A life-long Zionist, Berlin appreciated that Jewish statehood had created the potential for normalcy in Jewish life, allowing Jews for the first time to decide how they might manage their individual lives. Nonetheless, he adjudged early that a life in Israel was not for him, though Weizmann, Ben Gurion and others all sought to harness his energies to the national enterprise.

He could be sedulously aloof from Zionist work while serving in the Foreign Office, won points from colleagues for towing the official line, but grave times saw him side with his Jewish loyalties when, in 1943, he learnt of an Anglo-American initiative to defer Zionist claims till after the war. He let word out to the Zionists in America and gingerly covered his own tracks in doing so, aborting the initiative. "If he had once entertained thoughts that a Jew might work happily in the Foreign Office," writes Ignatieff, "the experience of 1943 cured him of that illusion for good." The history of ideas, not the labyrinth of diplomacy, was to become his natural domain.

Philosophically, Berlin rejected the sterile pretensions of logical positivism while at the same time rejecting the moral absolutism of political belief. Indeed, he avoided all semblance of intellectual intolerance, taking his friends from many points of the political and social compass. He did not always handle the resultant suspicion and criticism well.

The Left comprised the better part of his intellectual opponents, with E.H. Carr arguing that Berlin's avoidance of socio-economic factors in an individual's actions destroyed the ability to morally evaluate at all. Berlin retorted with a classical defence of individual choice that was circumscribed but never foreclosed by background and circumstance.

Berlin regarded all terrorism as a moral deformation and for that reason was but a sceptical sympathiser of nationalism. He perceived the value of national independence but never deluded himself that decolonisation wars and nation-building necessarily established liberty. Thus his refusal of requests to back the FLN campaign in Algeria because of its wholesale recourse to the terrorist method of murdering civilians.

A man of exquisitely complex background and loyalties, he eschewed ideological absolutism of any kind: thus his debate with Arthur Koestler on the latter's advocacy after Israel's establishment of the diametric alternatives of emigration to Israel or total assimilation for Jews. He detected in Koestler's own complex working out of his divided identities another totalitarian temptation that ill-matched the complex alternatives now actually open to Jews. He repudiated the idea that Jews, uniquely amongst peoples, would have to bow to historic necessity (a favourite totalitarian truncheon) and either emigrate en masse to Israel or divest themselves of their own identity.

Berlin also rightly identified the totalitarian fallacy in the sublimated desire of people to surrender choice to systems that relieved them of responsibility. Berlin's liberal universe was strong but not idealised: liberty means choice between often-incompatible values and tragedy is implicit in the potential loss involved. Liberty creates harm and hardship, but it is better than all alternatives in providing scope for an otherwise unattainable individual freedom.

Ignatieff's portrait of Berlin is solid and supple. He depicts a man who refused to be drawn into political campaigns, was singularly free of the vice of cultivating power and privilege, and who produced outstanding and digestible expositions of his key philosophical ideas.

Even in this magisterial biography, there are inevitably some small quibbles. Some lapses in sub-editing can be put right in a new edition and might not even exist in the British one. Abba Eban's surname is mis-spelt more than once (though not in footnotes); Lord Moyne is described as a senior Mandatory Palestine official when he was in fact the British Minister of State in Cairo. But Ignatieff deftly handles the multiple briefs of his subject without sacrificing chronological coherence or clarity of exposition. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Approaching comprehension with great praise
It has been so long since the original German version of this biography of Kant was written by Ernst Cassirer in 1916 (and first published in 1918, due to "the delay inflicted by the war on the progress of the edition of the complete works," (p. 2) according to the Foreword by Ernst Cassirer dated August 14, 1918) that it might be considered quite proper that the recent biography of Kant by Manfred Kuehn deserves to be much more modern in its point of view.My review of Kuehn's book emphasized how modern Kant ought to be considered for someone who lived in his times.Kuehn also put a major emphasis on Kant's desire for perpetual peace, a topic which might have been considered questionable for anyone writing in German at the time when Cassirer was writing this book for use as a supplement to the study of Kant's complete works.

I should admit that I have not attempted the study of Kant's work in the manner for which this book is meant to be a guide.I might even be considered too political to be offered a position on such a faculty, so I have no expectation of ever becoming a professional philosopher, and furthermore, I might even be so comical that I would dare to consider Cassirer and Kant as representative of philosophers in the way that Merry and Pippin were typical of hobbits in the movie cycle, "The Lord of the Rings."The set of 4 DVD disks covering the first movie, "The Fellowship of the Ring," allows easy access to specific points in the movie, and scene 44, "The Breaking of the Fellowship," on the second disk, shows the two hobbits (knowing that Frodo Baggins was the only important target) acting as decoys, crying, "Hey!Hey, you!Over here!"Logically, this follows scene 40, "The Fighting Uruk-hai," in which Saruman declares his creation, the Uruk-hai, a perfect creature for war, much as Prussia is described as a highly disciplined place during Kant's life in this book.Philosophically, Kant's writings, which reflect his use of thought processes, can be selected and their relevance to "The whole moral voice of the Enlightenment, as it lived in the purest and greatest spirits," (p. 83) are here demonstrated as logically as Pippin and Merry's exclamations, "It's working!""I know it's working!Run!" could be considered a histrionic reflection of the admiration for tactics similar to the praise for Kant's philosophy which this book exhibits.

This book also exhibits an eagerness to bring God into every discussion in a manner which has become much less popular as the experience of the godly has been tied detrimentally to the likes of Osama bin Laden in the last hundred years or so.My interest in the early part of the book was primarily in comparing the competing Cosmologies of that time.Kant's early work, UNIVERSAL NATURAL HISTORY AND THEORY OF THE HEAVENS (March 14, 1755), which was dedicated just three months before Kant became a doctor of philosophy on the strength of his treatise, DE IGNE (ON FIRE), was not well known in his time because "The publisher had gone bankrupt while the work was in press; his entire warehouse was sealed up, and therefore this book never came onto the market."(p. 40).In attempting to think beyond the laws of motion which had been established by Newton for a Kantian cosmogony which Kant derives from such laws, "The planetary world in which the sun, acting with its powerful attraction from the center of all the orbits," (p. 47) is considered the cause of the planetary system, and particularly accounting for "the `unanimity of the direction and positions of the planetary orbits'." (p. 49)Kant also uses this explanation "in order to think of it as in proportion to the power of the Infinite Being, it must have no limits at all."(p. 47).Newton could have come to the same conclusion about the origins of planetary motion "if instead of seeking the physical bases of the system of astronomical phenomena exclusively in its present state he had turned his gaze backwards to the past of the system, if he had pushed forward from the consideration of the systematic state of the universe to its systematic becoming."(p. 49).

The big jolt in Kant's cosmology was caused by his attempt to comprehend a heavenly system of a different kind, described inPart 3 of the second chapter of this book. "The Critique of Dogmatic Metaphysics:DREAMS OF A SPIRIT-SEER," (pp. 77-92) on Kant becoming "aware of the marvelous tales surrounding the `visionary' Swedenborg, which led him to immerse himself deeper into Swedenborg's work, the ARCANA COELESTIA.We use this account here not to repeat it, but are content to make reference to it.Who will seriously believe that because he had bought the eight quarto volumes of Swedenborg's works, at a considerable outlay of trouble and expense, Kant would have decided to perform a literary analysis on the book?"(p. 79).Kant's book on Swedenborg "appeared anonymously" (p. 78) and he was determined that "I shall never become a fickle or fraudulent person, after having devoted the largest part of my life to studying how to despise those things that tend to corrupt one's honesty."[Kant to Mendelssohn, April 6, 1766] (p. 79).Swedenborg's ARCANA COELESTIA might still be considered a work in which the dreams of a religious writer were collected with more enthusiasm than anyone prior to Freud had shown for understanding his dreams, and Kant's problem stems in large part from Swedenborg's understanding of his dreams being considered an explanation of heavenly forces, or more often, of the conflicts between heavenly and hellish spirits.Cassirer is willing to venture "that the whole idea of the spiritual is due to habit and prejudice, rather than to exact scientific analysis."(p. 81).Lacking such habits, modern people can read this book for a philosophical guide to how Kant's thought went on from that point, or spend their time watching hobbits, with the 4 DVD disks that show how the "Lord of the Rings" movies were made, or make countless other choices.People who believe this book might spend a lot of time studying Kant, as the author certainly did.

What is Enlightenment?
One of the mysteries of the rise of the modern world is the sudden appearance of the grand phase of German philosophy beginning with the work of Kant, as his thought suddenly flowered late in life with his precipitousCritique of Pure Reason. Like an echo reverberating across the ages, Kant'sbreakthrough both recovered and surpassed the height to which philosophyhad reached in Plato. This thunderclap just at the takeoff of therevolutionary passage to a new era is the prelude to an entire new universeof thinking, and joins the world of science, the Enlightenment, with aworld as ancient as the Upanishads and as futuristic as Quantum Mechanics.Cassirer's philosophical biography is one of the clearest and most cogentintroductions to the Kant's life and work and is a classic in its ownright.

A Rewarding Read
Over the past few years, I had increasingly developed an interest in the Kantian system.I had approached several of Kant's most important works in order to gain an understanding of his thought, but I found that I oftenstruggled to make clear sense of many of his ideas.Although I hadobtained a basic knowledge of his philosophy and some lasting insights fromthese works, I found that Kant's method of presentation often presentedsome difficulties regarding a complete understanding of them.

ErnstCassirer's book provides the student of philosophy with an excellentelucidation of Kant'ssystem of critical thought and both thecharacteristics of this philosopher's personality and the currents ofthought that were prevalent during and preceding his lifetime that led himto develop the philosophic views for which he is well-known.Cassirer alsoamalgamates Kant's theoretical, ethical, and aesthetic aims into a wholesystem that reflects Kant's fundamental philosophical outlook.A greatdeal of material containing many subtle and frequently misconceived pointsis presented in a very clear, though well-detailed, way.Cassirer'sdiscussion of the Critique of Judgment, a book that has long stupified manyreaders, is especially thought-provoking.The impression one receives of Cassirer's deep admiration is understandable given the astonishingintellectual depth and breadth of Kant's achievementsThis book is highlyrecommended for anyone seeking a more profound understanding of Kant's lifeand works. ... Read more

Book Description

Thomas Kuhn (1922-1996), the author of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, is probably the best-known and most influential historian and philosopher of science of the last 25 years, and has become something of a cultural icon. His concepts of paradigm, paradigm change and incommensurability have changed our thinking about science. This volume offers an introduction to Kuhn's life and work and considers the implications of his work for philosophy, cognitive psychology, social studies of science and feminism. More than a retrospective on Kuhn, the book explores future developments of cognitive and information services along Kuhnian lines. Outside of philosophy the volume is of interest to professionals and students in cognitive science, history of science, science studies and cultural studies.Thomas Nickles is Professor of Philosophy and Chair at the University of Nevada, Reno. He is editor of Scientific Discovery, Logic, and Rationality and Scientific Discovery: Case Studies (both Reidel, 1980). Nickles is co-editor of PSA 1982 (The Philosophy of Science Association Proceedings). ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most important mathematical theorems is named after Pythagoras of Samos, but this semi-mythical Greek sage has more to offer than formulas. He is said to have discovered the numerical nature of the basic consonances and transposed the musical proportions to the cosmos, postulating a "harmony of the spheres." He may have coined the words "cosmos" and "philosophy." He is also believed to have taught the doctrine of transmigration of souls and therefore to have advised a vegetarian diet. Ancient legends have Pythagoras conversing with dogs, bears, and bulls. A distinctly Pythagorean way of life, including detailed ritual regulations, was observed by his disciples, who were organized as a secret society. Later, Pythagorean and Platonic teachings became fused. In this Platonized form, Pythagoreanism has remained influential through medieval Christianity and the Renaissance down to the present.

Christoph Riedweg’s book is an engaging introduction to the fundamental contributions of Pythagoras to the establishment of European culture. To penetrate the intricate maze of lore and ascertain what history can tell us about the philosopher, Riedweg not only examines the written record but also considers Pythagoras within the cultural, intellectual, and spiritual context of his times. The result is a vivid overview of the life and teachings of a crucial Greek thinker and his most important followers. ... Read more

Book Description

In this infectiously exciting book, Bryan Magee tells the story of his own discovery of philosophy and not only makes it come alive but shows its relevance to daily life. Magee is the Carl Sagan of philosophy, the great popularizer of the subject, and author of a major new introductory history, The Story of Philosophy. Confessions follows the course of Magee's life, exploring philosophers and ideas as he himself encountered them, introducing all the great figures and their ideas, from the pre-Socratics to Bertrand Russell and Karl Popper, including Wittgenstein, Kant, Nietzsche, and Schopenhauer, rationalism, utilitarianism, empiricism, and existentialism. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Well-written but pretentious
In "Confessions of a Philosopher," Bryan Magee traces his personal development regarding philosophy. Magee often is very astute and is a good writer. His sections on Kant brim with passion as does his section on the God question. Although this book is not a technically a survey of philosophy, it does introduce the concepts of many philosophers, especially Kant, Wittgenstein and Schopenhauer, in very readable prose. I also enjoyed the chapter on Magee's mid-life "existential" crisis and his dealings with the existentialists, especially Nietzsche.

Magee, however, is pretentious. He repeatedly demeans Bertrand Russel's "History of Western Philosophy" by calling it a text for "adult education." Unlike Magee, however, most people don't have the advantage to attend Yale and Oxford. His chapter on writing novels is particulary self-serving and has almost no purpose within the text. He constantly chastises academics for their own unchecked egos, but falls into much of the same elitist mindset that he complains about.

I would recommend this book for anyone interested in a personal journey through the eyes of a "professional" philosopher. For a true survey of western philosophy, however, I recommend Russell's "History of Western Philosophy."

Join The Great Discussion
Finishing this book, I more deeply understood a quote from Bertrand Russell --"There is a communion of philosophers as well as saints and it is largely that that keeps me from feeling lonely." I strongly recommend this excellent book if you just feel like kicking your shoes off in the privacy of your own house, and informally enjoy what Plato termed 'that dear delight' of philosophy with one of the keenest and most erudite philosophical minds of whom I am aware. Magee shares in lucid and at times beautiful prose his life of struggle with the enduring existential problems, and in so doing summons the reader to join him and the countless other great minds who have spent a lifetime in the sustained and systematic attempt to understand the world through Reason. Reading it, I felt a deep, spiritual-like pleasure as if I myself were taking part in a gab session with Magee, Kant, Schopenhauer, Popper, Wittgenstein et. al. Is there a more compelling reason to read than to achieve this sort of communion?

The major theme running throughout is an assault on the unbounded arrogance of Analytic Philosophy. Magee hammers home page after page how the fundamental 'raison d'etre' of Philosophy was betrayed by the contented gameplayers of Oxford and Cambridge during the 20th century. Although not as elevating as other parts of the book (and also conspicuously causing Magee to depart from the dispassionate and wise philosopher/narrator role), nonetheless this theme should find sympathetic ears from all those who think And feel that there are in fact 'real' problems that run deeper than just grammar and language; and moreover who think that it is somehow around the grappling with these problems that we are to ultimately gain our humanity.

Mr. Magee, thank you for sharing your life. You have helped me to better understand myself.

Seen from the inside
This is not a polularization /adult-education style presentation. Magee sees things form the inside; it is his own formation of philosophical ideas & techniques that we witness.
Magee was close enough to Popper to present us with his ideas first-hand (nobody reads Popper; people read about him). He also debunks a few idiotic myths about Wittgenstein as an atomist (Magee read W and realized that people read commentary on him rarely the original).
Magee writes with the remarkable clarity of the English philosophers/thinkers.

Clear and deep
I'll admit that I was originally turned off by the corny title and cover of the book, but once I got past that, I realized that few minds have grasped the real meaning and import of western philosophy like Magee's has. Magee is the best kind of philosopher--exhibiting disciplined thinking with an incredible grasp of the material's meaning. His critique of modern analytic philosophy is profound and displays incredible insight. His grasp of the mystery of existence is deep and his ability to convey that mystery to the reader is his shining accomplishment. Magee makes it clear that you don't need to be religious to really feel that mystery. His general criticisms of both religionists and humanists are right on. Religious people tend to be smug about and uncritical of their inherited ideas, and humanists tend to lose the sense of the crushing mystery of why there is anything at all rather than nothing.

I can honestly say that no book has hit me so profoundly than this one (other than Schopenhauer's _The World as Will and Representation_, which Magee addresses with great skill in his book).

An admixture of pleasure and pain.
Fascinating and enlightening in places, and intensely irritating in others. Without doubt Magee is a smart man, but he is by no means a philosopher. Indeed, one of the arguments postulated by him in this very tome is that philosophers must in some way contribute to humanity's understanding of itself and its universe. While Magee's body of work (including this volume) certainly contributes to our understanding of *philosophy*, that's about the end of it. On top of that, Chapter 2 appears to be nothing more than his entry into the "mention your tenure at Oxford as many times as you can in a single paragraph" competition that I understand is being held globally at the moment, and Chapter 16 is his "ooh, look, I done wrote me a book!", which is utterly pointless because what are we reading?

In any event, as I say, good in places, painful and egoist in others. I finished it and I knew a few tidbits more than I did when I went in, but that's the extent of it. Good for people who enjoy reading *about* philosophy, but people seeking wisdom can give this a miss. ... Read more

Book Description

Paul Tillich (1886-1965) was a remarkable theologian who was as much at home in a philosophical discussion as he was in a pulpit, and as keenly interested in art and politics as in his life-work as a professional theologian. Tillich's attacks on Nazism led to the banning of his books, his dismissal from Frankfurt University, and ultimately his departure for the United States in November 1933. His many points of contact with key thinkers in theology and philosophy (including Heidegger, Otto, Bultmann, Adorno, and Barth) make him a compelling figure for those interested in the history of ideas in the twentieth century.

J. Heywood Thomas critically reviews the philosophical background to Tillich's theology, inlcuding his debts to Schelling, Kant, and Husserl. He surveys Tillich's achievement as a philosophical theologian, examining his ontological approach to Christology and salvation, and his understanding of the church as a spiritual community. Thomas concludes with an exploration of Tillich's contribution to the changed situation of theology today. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

J Heywood Thomas' "Tillich"
This is truly an exquisite Tillich-monography! John Heywood Thomas, who studied with Tillich and remained friends with Tillich until Tillich's death, provides us with an in-depth account of the life and work of Paul Tillich (1886-1965), the remarkable philosopher-theologian who implemented the thought of Schelling, Kant and Hegel, just to name the most prominent of his philosophical influences, directly and explicitly into the theological discourse of the twentieth century. Apart from accounting for these influences, Heywood Thomas interprets Tillich's many points of contact with some of the great intellectuals of the twentieth century, including Heidegger, Otto, Bultmann, Adorno and Barth. Though not as extensive as some of the older, established commentaries on Tillich (such as J L Adams' famous commentary, Paul Tillich's Philosophy of Culture, Science and Religion [New York: Harper and Row, 1965] or the earliest, and still the most valuable, collection of essays on Tillich's work, The Theology of Paul Tillich [Kegley, C & Bretall, R W eds., New York: MacMillan, 1952]), Heywood Thomas' book should to my opinion be regarded as the most penetrating and illuminating account to date of Tillich's extraordinary ability to exploit hardcore philosophical concepts within the realm of theology. These concepts include phenomenology into a "phenomenological theology", existentialism and critical theory into Tillich's own theological theories of "existence" and "estrangement", Neo-Marxist critique into a "theology of culture" and, famously, his "ontological approach" to Christology and salvation. Paul Tillich was indeed a remarkable and unique theologian, exactly because he was as much at home in a philosophical discussion as he was in the pulpit and seemed as keenly interested in art and politics as he was in his life-work as a professional theologian. The book consists of ten chapters, each dealing with a predominant theme in Tillich's work. Chapter 1 (Tillich's life and career) provides the reader with the kind of biographical information which could be considered as crucial for understanding Tillich's philosophical inclinations and his areas of specialization in theology. Tillich's experience of the trench warfare in World War I, for example, had a fundamental impact on his psyche and contributed substantially to him taking leave of the claims of traditional Protestant theology or, at the very least, his reinterpretation of Lutheran theology (pp. 5-10). Actually, it was the war experience that initiated his progressive activist attitude in politics and the church. Much ado has been made of Tillich's debauchery and his infamous erotic experiences with women directly after his wife, Grethi, left him in 1919 (p.9). Heywood Thomas puts this tragic phase of Tillich's life in sympathetic perspective. He certainly was an ambiguous character though: His arrogant personality and lifelong prone to vanity stands in sharp contrast with the gentleness those close to him came to know. He had always been very quick in expression of self-defence and very sensitive to criticism, easily accusing anyone who did not agree with him as personally hostile to him. On the other hand, he was an excellent lecturer and companion. On the one hand, he displayed an unconscious egocentricity which had always been typical of him. On the other hand, he showed himself to be extremely generous. Heywood Thomas contextualizes this complex character in the world of German (and later American) university life, showing that Tillich was many things, a man as complex as his work. I found this first chapter invaluable, not because of a biographical sketch one can read elsewhere, but because Heywood Thomas delicately links up the man with his surroundings and the texts that influenced him so deeply. In chapter 2 (p.28) Heywood Thomas discusses the interconnection of theology, revolution and culture in Tillich's work. It is tempting to begin characterizing Tillich's theology by describing it as a theology of culture, to be distinguished as such from the theology of his contemporary, friend and colleague Karl Barth. Heywood Thomas shows that this contra-Barthian depiction of Tillich's theology has been his fate as a theologian and that this fundamental contrast has lead to a misinterpretation of both theologies. This simple opposition of the two theologies has been an unfortunate misinterpretation of both - Barth's as much as Tillich's. Barth's protest was not against culture but against a simplistic correlation of Christianity and culture. Likewise Tillich was as concerned to spell out a theological critique of culture as he was to rediscover the vitality of theology in an engagement with culture. Heywood Thomas looks carefully at Tillich's argument and represents it with eloquence and style. Being educated in the Barthian tradition myself, at least to a very large extent, I found this chapter to be the most informative in terms of understanding the idiosyncrasies in Tillich's thought; especially with regards to the way in which he seems to re-implement philosophical concepts directly into archaic theological categories. This is compulsory reading for those who still understand Tillich and Barth as being in direct opposition to each other. The situation is much more complex and nuanced than we are led to believe by some Barthians in particular. ... ... Read more

Book Description

H.L.A. Hart was the pre-eminent legal philosopher of the twentieth century. As a scholar he single-handedly reinvented the philosophy of law and revolutionized our understanding of law as a social institution. Hart's approach to legal philosophy was at once disarmingly simple and breathtakingly ambitious, combining the insights of the Utilitarian tradition and the new linguistic philosophy of J.L. Austin and Ludwig Wittgenstein. He sought to elucidate a concept of law that would be of relevance to all forms of law, wherever or whenever they arose. This book is both an intellectual and a psychological biography, following his life from modest origins as the son of Jewish tailor parents in Yorkshire to worldwide fame as the most influential English-speaking legal theorist of the post-War era. It traces his successive metamorphoses; from Yorkshire schoolboy to Oxford scholar, successful barrister, intelligence officer, philosopher, and, finally, Professor of Jurisprudence at Oxford. Nicola Lacey draws upon Hart's previously unpublished diaries and letters to reveal a complex interior life. Outwardly successful, Hart was in fact tormented by doubts about his intellectual abilities, his sexual identity and his capacity to form close relationships. Her biography also sheds fascinating light on the origins of his ideas, and assesses his overall contribution to the philosophy of law. Above all, it is a chronicle of a life which made an impact far greater than many of us realize. ... Read more

Book Description

Michael Polanyi was one of the great figures of European intellectual life in the 20th century. A highly acclaimed physical chemist in the first period of his career who became a celebrated philosopher after World War II, Polanyi taught in Germany, England, and the United States and associated with many of the leading intellects of his time. His biography has remained unwritten partly because his many and scattered interests in a wide variety of fields, including six subfields of physical chemistry, epistemology, economics, patent law, social and political theory, aesthetics, and theology. This long-awaited volume will be the definitive resource on Polanyi and his work. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Orestes Brownson: Sign of Contradiction
This little book has the same problem as much of the materialcoming out of academia these days. All complexity and jargon, and noability to tell a story or relate the insights to the broader, contemporary flow of ideas at the time our subject lived. Where a simple word would suffice, Herrera uses arcane words that often leave you grabbing for a dictionary. More importantly, however, we get mostly opinions from the author, and after having slogged through 200 pages, know very little about Orestes Brownson, and his times. I learned more about Brownson's thinking from two short extracts of his writings from a primary source book on religion in America, then I did in this entire work. Instead of decent quotes from his writings, and other primary sources, we unfortunately are fed repetitive blather, and sketchy analysis about Orestes' often changed views, his contradictions (to wit the title), and the usual overly critical analysis from today's modern scholars. My copy of this rather expensive little book... is now being contributed to my local library. Otherwise, it would have ended up in the wastepaper basket. A much wiser investment would be to obtain a synopsis of Brownson's actual writings even if the cost was more than this overpraised book as contained in the other reviews.

A Charming Look at a True American Eccentric
Orestes Brownson was a writer, philosopher,and cultural critic. He was also an Catholic during a period in this country when it was not publically orthodox to be a Catholic. Never more than an intellectual gadfly to begin with, Brownson's intellectual star faded soon after his death and heentered a sort of intellectual purgatory, becoming the subject for obscurePh.D theses and academic biographers in search of a subject no one else hadtackled. Now Brownson is brought back to life in a rather charming portraitby, all of people, a fellow teaching alumni. Orestes Brownson had taught atSeton Hall University, in New Jersey, for a brief period of his life, asdid his current biographer, Robert Herrera. Perhaps it's the Seton Hallconnection that's responsible, but Herrera does a nice job of breathinglife back into the old boy and letting us see him warts and all. Instead ofconforming Brownson to his image, Herrera instread conforms to Brownson'simage and what emerges is a full, rich portrait of both the man and histimes, of the critic and the subject of his criticism. Another sellingpoint for this book, besides its brevity (Why do academics feel they haveto give us every nugget of their subject's life?), is its refusal to bendto the politically correct winds that currently constitue the PublicOrthodoxy of our squalid intellectual times. If you love Americanintellectual history (and, no, that is not an oxymoron), you will love thischarming little tome.

An Insightful Look at an Unjustly Neglected Philosopher
Orestes Brownson was one of the most original, and eccentric, American philosophers of the 19th century. It has been his unfortunate fate to slide into obscurity in the 20th century. Now he has been brought to vibrant lifein sn excellent new study of his life and works by R.A. Herrera. Thestrength of this book lies in its interweaving of Brownson's life andthought, taking care not to tip the scales in favor of either. Theimportance of this method cannot be stressed enough because of theobscurity into which Brownson has fallen. Herrera is not out torehabilitate Brownson; far from it. But he does provide an insightful newlook at this iconoclastic thinker who was always swimming against theintellectual tides of his times. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Terrific insight into the man behind the philosophy
This book contains a great deal of information on the life of a sadly-neglected philosopher; one of the most brilliant Americans of the 19th century. Dr. Brent has a wonderful, at times even poetic, writing style, and he has "lived" with Peirce so long that he has excellent insight into the man behind the philosophy. Struggling through Peirce in a class? This book may not make his philosophy "easy"--but it will make him more human.

Excellent
This is a very good biography of an overlooked great American thinker. Mr. Brent does a good job of recounting the life of Peirce without getting bogged down in the details of Peirce's philosophy which is well documented in several other books. The book also attempts to analyze Peirce's behavoir and why he failed as an academic, something that desperately needed to be done. As Peirce's reputation inevitatably increases, this biography will become a classic reference to this very interesting American. ... Read more

Book Description

Twenty-five years after her death, we are still coming to terms with the controversial figure of Hannah Arendt. Interlacing the life and work of this seminal twentieth-century philosopher, Julia Kristeva provides us with an elegant, sophisticated biography brimming with historical and philosophical insight. Centering on the theme of female genius,emphasizes three features of the philosopher's work. First, by exploring Arendt's critique of Saint Augustine and her biographical essay on Rahel Varnhagen, Kristeva accentuates Arendt's commitment to recounting lives and narration. Second, Kristeva reflects on Arendt's perspective on Judaism, anti-Semitism, and the "banality of evil." Finally, the biography assesses Arendt's intellectual journey, placing her enthusiasm for observing both social phenomena and political events in the context of her personal life. Drawing on fragments of Arendt's most intimate correspondence with her longtime lover Martin Heidegger and her husband Heinrich Blucher, excerpts from her mother's "Unser Kind" (a diary tracking Hannah's formative years), and passages from Arendt's philosophical writings, Kristeva presents a luminous story. With a thorough thematic index and bibliographical references,is a major breakthrough in the understanding of an essential thinker. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The intellectual overview of a political science genius
It has been a long time since I went to a baseball game, but trying to keep track of the intellectual action in the biography of Hannah Arendt by Julia Kristeva reminded me of the game. Eventually, I even thought of a song, "Catfish" by Bob Dylan (Words by Bob Dylan and Jacques Levy) recorded on July 28, 1975, an outtake from the album "Desire" that was finally released in a three-CD package called "The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 [rare and unreleased] 1961-1991." There was once a pitcher called Catfish Hunter, million dollar man, and Dylan's chorus said, "Nobody can throw the ball Like Catfish can." I have had the words since "The Songs of Bob Dylan" was released in 1976, but I didn't hear the song until 1991. Having an English translation from 2001 of a feminist biography of a political scientist of the mid-twentieth century captures the intellection activity that interests me about as well as "Catfish" captures the action of a baseball game.

Lazy stadium night, Catfish on the mound,
"Strike three" the umpire said,
Batter have to go back and sit down.

There are three chapters in HANNAH ARENDT, and the third has 219 notes. Basic statistics on how much Julia Kristeva is merely educating herself in public by providing a reading from Arendt's books might be obtained by counting the Ibid.s. Counting backwards, I found 133 Ibid.s in the notes for Chapter 3, including my favorite note:

"99. "Letter to the Romans 7:21, drafted between 54 and 58 a.d., cited in ibid., p. 64." (p. 268).

A lot of the books I read lately keep trying to tell me when the Bible was written, but I never noticed it in a note before. Usually my favorite notes are about Nietzsche, like:

"123. Ibid., p. 165, citing Nietzsche, THE GAY SCIENCE, no. 310"

"126. Concerning the `forgetting' that Nietzsche revives see p. 237; and Paul Ricoeur, paper presented at the Hannah Arendt Conference at the Grande Bibliotheque de France, December 6, 1997."

"128. Ibid., pp. 169-70, citing Nietzsche, THE WILL TO POWER, no. 585 A, pp. 316-19."

`131. LM, "Willing," p. 172, citing Nietzsche, THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA, pt. 3, "Before Sunrise." '

`187. Ibid., citing Nietzsche, "The Use and Abuse of History," pp. 6, 7.'

"189. Ibid., citing Nietzsche, THE GENEALOGY OF MORALS, p. 61"

`192. Ibid., pp. 63, 72-73 ("even in old Kant: the categorical imperative reeks of cruelty").'

Nietzsche wrote such things about Kant, and it is a bit difficult to imagine that Kristeva and Arendt would associate such ideas with the great weight of the past if Nietzsche hadn't made this connection first. Understanding philosophy is a process that can be compared to intellectually building a rehash of old, familiar plays, as if it is about something like a baseball game, which has an umpire who gets to decide when an easy pop fly is an infield fly rule call that makes the batter out, but the umpire does not have time to say anything until after it is all over when a triple play picks off the runners before they have a chance to tag up if the pitcher ducks under a line drive that gets caught right on second base before anyone has time to react, but a quick shortstop snagged the ball out of the air and flipped it to first in the only instant in which that could happen. Kristeva is capable of interpreting political science as an activity best understood in terms of the philosophy of Nietzsche:

"To the `identical will' that forges the solidarity of a group, Arendt contrasts the way men who are connected to one another through a mutual promise `act in concert.' These men dispose of the future as though it were the present, and they live together in the miraculous enlargement of what Nietzsche called the `memory of the Will,' which is what distinguishes human life from animal life. As Arendt evokes Nietzsche's concept, she hears only the joyful touches of the superman and denotes not a trace of Nietzsche's disdainful tone." (p. 236).

Still counting backward, I find 102 Ibid.s in the notes for Chapter 2 and only 52 Ibid.s in the notes for Chapter 1. The Introduction only had two notes, on a wide variety of topics, but both related to the nature of "genius." When political opinion surveys offer a few sample views to encompass the political orientation of the great mass of the population, only a genius could be expected to have a ready answer to questions like "Will mothers become our only safeguard against the wholesale automation of human beings?" (p. xiii). The Introduction actually seems more suited for a triple biography, as "The three women who are the subject of this work" on page xv includes two women who are hardly mentioned in the three main chapters of HANNAH ARENDT. It does not add much to understanding this book to also learn "that Melanie Klein devoted herself to studying decompensation." (p. xvii). But in considering who else has been brilliant, it pays to have some comic relief. Among the French, who must understand comedy as well as any people anywhere, it might even be popular to declare:

"Colette's only real rival would prove to be Proust, whose narrative search has a social and metaphysical complexity that goes well beyond the adventures of Claudine and her counterparts. And yet Colette far surpasses Proust in the art of capturing pleasures that have never been lost." (pp. xviii-xix). ... Read more

Book Description

Designated One of the 100 Most Important Spiritual Books of the 20th century, here is a verbatim reprinting of the 1946 first edition, with all its inherent power intact.Read about real-life saints and masters, how yogis perform miracles, the science of kriya yoga, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (185)

Life 101
I hope the title says it all. If you are reading this review, it is likely that this book has been recommended to you by someone. I suggest you believe the recommendation.

Yogananda is different ... as an author, he does not attempt to create a plot, he does not exaggerate, coax or shock. His tone is mellow, and his compassion is true ... and lastly, he is enlightened.

As for those in the Western world, who are sceptical of miracle stories, and maybe rightly so, it may be worth the while to note that the state of perfect preservation of Yogananda's body even 30 days after his death was ascertained by the Western world.

Highly recommended. Also, please read 'Man's eternal quest' by the same author, which true to its title answers most questions ever posed to those philosophically inclined.

Pathbreaking
Easily one of my favorite books, and likely my all-time favorite.

Yogananda writes intimately and vividly and makes the reader want to enter in and partake of his world. The book can completely take over the imagination like few others. The spiritually or mystically inclined, especially, will be both enraptured by it and derive benefit from it.

While it is difficult to believe the hordes of implausible-seeming miracles that populate the book, it is equally difficult to distrust Yogananda. His humanity and compassion show throughout the pages.

Miracles and higher states of consciousness notwithstanding, at the very least this book serves as a fantastic flight of fancy and a fascinating escape into a world, imaginary or not, that is much more exciting than the one most of us are familiar with.Besides, there is a lot of practically-applicable wisdom in the book.

Gripping, awe-inspiring, and fancy-inducing like no other.

Inspiring but skimps on the hardship of spiritual austerity.
As a member of SRF and a disiple of Yogananda I wish to state that my Guru failed to pinpoint the hardships of leading a saintly life for the average man in his utopian autobiography. That is why I feel that this book deserves a 4 star rating, not a 5.

However I would recommend this book to all the atheists and orthodox Christians. Yogananda proves very clearly that God has no religion and the basic purpose of all creation is to achieve complete consciouseness of God. The part I love about this book is about the resurrection of my paramguru Sri Yukteswar. Sri Yukteswar revealed the complete mysteries of life after death to the author. This is one of the most inspiring chapters of this book as it basically explains the seemingly ''unfairness'' of the lives of men.This shows that life is not of random chance but that one is soley responsible for his own future and evolution.

Yoganander also tells us about the lives of other saints he had met during his earthly incarnation. However there is a minor oversight in his meetings and experiences with saints. My Guruji failed to emphasis on the hardships of them living a spiritual life. His descriptions of bliss and joy in the spiritual path is authentic. But he did not describe in great detail the sacrifices needed for the devotee to overcome temptation and attain Nirvana. He also has a negative view on sex( a common view shared by most eastern saints )

I feel that Yogananda himself did not suffer much in his last incarnation because he was alreay a yogi in his previous birth. In that life he had already attained a high spiritual state. But for the comman man, I wished that he had provided in greater detail on HOW one has to face many obstacles on the path of spiritual existence. Perhaps he did not want to discourage the westerner on living a Christlike life. I would also recommend other books such as "How I became a disciple of Babaji" by M. Govindanand "Meditation and Spiritual Life" by Swami Yatiswarananda.A spiritual existence is not for weaklings and real religion is NO JOKE! The sacrifices and many heatbreaks of this world will be experienced by all sincere seekers of Trut Yogananda also shows us that the path of a Truth seeker has ample rewards. When the goal of life is reached the soul will never have to experience the hell of being separated from God.

However, in the "Conversations with god" series by Walsch, God states that it is up to the 'perfected' soul to be separated from Her temporarily again; once that soul reahes Nirvana. He states that the attainement of liberarion is just only the beginning of an infinite possibilities for growth. Thus, the process to perfection is never complete but an unending journey to bliss and wisdom. One can only wonder; is it possible to enter into a state BEYOUND perfection? A state BEYOUND Nirvana? A state BEYOUND liberation? The thought of it is simply unbeliveable!

In short, this book is highly recommended to every Truth seeker; not just to atheists and orthodox Christians.Although it fails to give a complete picture on what is needed to attain enlightenment, this is a book which brings out the optimistic nature in myself and suppresses the pessimistic ego. A deeply inspiring and wonderful book which will stand in the test of Time.

IN A CLASS BY ITSELF
Noted Orientalist W. Y. Evans-Wentz called this autobiography "a book for the ages."I think Yogananda's life story will be around for another thousand years.Cannot think of a tribute worthy enough of it....

The Autobiography Of A Christ
Imagine if Christ wrote an autobiography!! Mind-boggling, huh? Well folks, that's exactly what we have in this spiritual epic that will become a bible for spiritual seekers on the path for countless ages to come!!

This work is imbued with God!! Read, absorb, feel!!! In every story there is a lesson, in every page wisdom that will lead you on and in the blissful realms of the Infinite Spirit.

When I first saw the cover of this book and gazed at his eyes, I KNEW I FOUND ONE WHO KNOWS GOD - an old familiar friend and teacher. From that moment on my life changed!!! And with each perusal I gained deeper insight and greater love for my beloved God than ever before!

Dear ones, read not only with your minds, clogged with undigested spiritual 'knowledge/information', but read with your entire soul and let it wash away the centuries of dark delusion until that oh so familiar Light begins to shine once more from within.

May God Bless you all. ... Read more

Book Description

Josephus, author of the "Jewish War" and the "Jewish Antiquities," belongs equally to Jewish and to Greco-Roman history. A well-to-do priest and Pharisee at Jerusalem, he was a contemporary and chronicler of the great changes which took place in the Roman Empire in the first century A.D. and a controversial general in the great Jewish revolt of 66-73 against Rome.

Tessa Rajak, an ancient historian versed in both Greek and Hebrew, assesses the varied source material to produce a sociological account of the Jewish revolt which casts fresh light on Josephus’ attitudes, placing his achievement in the context of both Jewish values and the Greek historical tradition. This second edition includes a substantial new Introduction and Bibliography. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A excellent commentary on a true classic of history
Now in it's second edition featuring a new Introduction and additional Bibliography, Josephus: The Historian And His Societyis a excellent commentary on a true classic of history by Tessa Rajak (Reader in Classics at the University of Reading). A Jerusalem upperclass priest and Pharisee, and a controversial Jewish general in the great and doomed revolt against their Roman occupiers by the Jewish populace in 66-73 CE, Josephus was the author of two ancient history texts: "Jewish Wars" and "Jewish Antiquities" which became seminal works of importance to both Jewish and Greco-Roman history. These works were combined under one cover and became known to academia as an indispensable reference resource for scholars and non-specialist general readers with an interest in ancient history. Well versed in both Greek and Hebrew, Tessa Rajak is particularly positioned to assess diverse source materials and provide contemporary readers with a sociological account of the Jewish revolt and its cultural context, as well as the role of Josephus himself in the events in which he participated and/or personally observed, as well as his chronicled accounts of Jewish and Roman personalities and politics.
... Read more

Book Description

Ernest Hemingway's life was as romantic and exciting as anything in his novels and stories, and this magnificently illustrated large-format volume captures many of his best years. The text, recounting Hemingway's life and times between 1939 and 1960, is a remembrance by Norberto Fuentes, who was Hemingway's good friend during that period. In the book's vivid photographs, we see Hemingway on African safaris, in Venice with his wife Mary Welsh, fishing for marlin in the Gulf Stream, socializing at his favorite cafes, and relaxing at his homes in Cuba, Key West, and Idaho. Still other dramatic candid shots show Hemingway on movie sets with Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper, and Ingrid Bergman. The more than 150 candid black-and-white photos of Hemingway and friends at work and at play, were taken by his friend and associate, Roberto Herrera Sotolongo, and had never appeared anywhere until the publication of this book. Another 50 full-color photos taken more recently capture the different atmospheres of the writer's several homes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Photo-Bio of Papa's Later Years
This coffee table book utilizes wonderful pictures of Ernest Hemingway to show "Papa" is numerous lights. Most pictures center around Hemingway in his years at the Finca Vigia. We see candids of Hemingway aboard the Pilar, or at work in his standing position in his Finca's tower. There are a few questionable facts.(They said that Hemingway's pet "Blackdog" was found around the Finca, when most scholars say he was rescued in Idaho). Still, this book is a must simply for the pictures alone. Out of numerous biographies about Hemingway, Fuentes chooses woderful candids I had never seen, plus wonderful photos of Hemingway's personal possesions, and the Finca as it is today. A must for Hemingway buffs. ... Read more

Book Description

The Making of a Philosopher follows Colin McGinn from his early years in England, reading Descartes and Anselm, to his years in the States, first in Los Angeles, then New York. McGinn presents a contemporary academic take on the great philosophical figures of the twentieth century -- including Bertrand Russell, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Noam Chomsky -- alongside stories of the teachers who informed his ideas and often became friends and mentors, especially the colorful A. J. Ayer at Oxford.

Always elegant and probing, The Making of a Philosopher is for the student of contemporary philosophy as well as the general reader. Both will absorb every page.

Reviews (6)

Worth a Look
This book is both a memoir and yet another introduction to philosophy. McGinn tries to come at introducing philosophy in a different way: through his autobiography and through the issues that prompted his interests in philosophy, the ideas he found interesting as a young man studying phil