Philosophers Stone P

Customer Reviews:

Lovecraft for people who don't like Lovecraft.......2002-11-09

Colin Wilson wrote this book because although he liked the basic ideas behind the "Lovecraftian" genre, he did not like the writing style of H.P. Lovecraft. His goal was to develop a well-written novel using the rules of the genre, such as making everything as real as possible in regards to references, events and places.

This book also deals extensively with the concepts that are more at home in a Frank Herbert novel, such as the limits of what it means to be human and what human beings are capable of. This book is part mystery, part science-fiction, part primer to Wilson's occult philosophy.

A great Lovecraftian suspense!.......1999-07-23

This is one of the best Lovecraft-style stories I have read. The suspense in this book is great. You never know what will be uncovered in the next page. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good suspense story.

this is a companion to Wilson's "Mind Parasites".......1997-12-20

Colin Wilson continues his exploration of "Intentionality" as a key element in his existential philosophy. If you liked The Mind Parasites, then you owe it to yourself to read this book (as well as The Space Vampires). His use of fiction as a vehicle to philosophical discourse is worth the effort to find these books.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chinese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Irish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Japanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Doctors & Medicine | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Lawyers & Criminals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Love, Sex & Marriage | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

French | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Victorian | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

War on Drugs | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Online Research | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Sailor Moon | Popular Characters | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Pilates | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Health Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Romance Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers

Average customer rating:

You've gotta be kidding!
The Story of Philosophy
Not fun to read
Excellent introduction to philosophy
A Reviting History of Philosophy, Essential for Educated Readers

Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers
Will Durant
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0671739166

Amazon.com

Easily the most engaging writer of Western intellectual history in the English language, Will Durant breathes life into philosophers and their ideas. He is colorful, witty, and above all, informative. Beginning with Socrates and ending with American philosopher John Dewey, Durant summarizes the lives and influence of philosophy's greatest thinkers, painting them with humanity and adding a few of his own wise platitudes. Seventy-some years after its first printing, The Story of Philosophy still stands as one of the best of its kind.

Book Description

A brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the great philosophers -- Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer, Nietzsche, Bergson, Croce, Russell, Santayana, James and Dewey -- The Story of Philosophy is one of the great books of our time. Few write for the nonspecialist as well as Will Durant, and this book is a splendid example of his eminently readable scholarship. Durant's insight and wit never cease to dazzle; The Story of Philosophy is a key book for any reader who wishes to survey the history and development of philosophical ideas in the Western world.

Customer Reviews:

You've gotta be kidding!.......2007-10-14

This book is a joke, right? 70-odd customers give it 4 ½ stars - another joke, right? Durant specializes in ridiculously broad generalizations, pompous nonsense, getting facts wrong, skipping over critically important philosophers and material, and suggesting that minor figures are much more important than they are.

Allowing that it's difficult to separate Socrates from Plato, providing Durant with an excuse for not attempting any serious treatment of Socrates, his silly, gushing and gossipy few pages about Socrates make no real attempt to explain Socrates as a philosopher. And it's very difficult to shed much light on Socrates, Plato and Aristotle without providing background in the Pre-Socratics. Apparently Plato popped out of the head of Zeus, or at least of Socrates - no doubt an easier approach than actually explaining the thought of the Milesians, Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Empedocles, Anaxagoras and Protagoras, not to mention the Sophists, but also inexcusable. Socrates and Plato reacted strongly against Parmenides on one hand and the Sophists on the other, and they lived at a time when the focus had shifted from speculation about the physical world to man, and then metaphysics.

This is highly significant, and there were reasons for it, but you wouldn't know it from reading Durant. Plato was influenced by Parmenides and Pythagoras; one would expect historical context about one of the greatest philosophers in a history of philosophy, but it's not here. There's more context missing - intellectual and religious background, the shocking novelty of sustained, abstract thinking, great intellectual advances remaining mixed with superstition, concepts we take for granted not yet existing, the great differences between English words used to translate Greek terms and the actual Greek concepts - but there's little attempt to explain any of this.

Oh well, perhaps the decision to skip over the Pre-Socratics and omit context was made to provide more space for the Hellenistic philosophers - Stoics, Epicureans, Pyrrho and the Sceptics - but they're not here! Wait, Zeno is mentioned in passing, but Durant says he's a Phonecian! - bringing Oriental gloom into the Greek mind. Zeno was a Greek from Cyprus, and he'd studied under Crates of Thebes. Don't even bother looking for Plotinus or any other Roman-era philosophers, except in a tangent in the chapter on Francis Bacon.

Speaking of Bacon, we skip directly from Aristotle to him - we don't even meet Augustine or Aquinas in this book! How anyone could pretend to sketch a history of Western philosophy without them is a mystery. Durant gives Aquinas a passing, dismissive, sentence, as he assists in the abuse of Aristotle while Europe waits for the darkness to pass. From Aristotle we skip completely over Augustine, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Reformation.

Okay, this time the omissions must be to make room for something really important. After Bacon and Spinoza we meet - Voltaire! A philosophe, not a philosopher. But we get to see brief cameos by Descartes, often called the father of modern philosphy, in the full chapter on Voltaire. Something's really wrong with this picture. No Hobbes, no Leibnitz, no Locke, Berkeley or Hume - at least nothing of substance. But we do get a bit of substance on Rousseau, another philosophe. Durant finally introduces us to Kant, an actual philosopher, then provides us with a mere note on Hegel, another philosopher, before treating us to an entire chapter on Schopenhauer, about whom Bertrand Russell tells us his philosophy is inconsistent, has a certain shallowness, and always had more appeal to artists than philosophers, but nonetheless has historical significance.

Then there's a full chapter on Herbert Spencer? Why? Because there's none on Descartes or Locke? Or because the note on Hegel provided space that needed to be used up? This is getting weirder and weirder. Finally we get to Nietzsche and some characters we'd expect to see. There are some late 19th and early 20th century philosophers who should be here, but Durant can be excused for not being able to detect important things unfolding before him. He can't be excused for the many other gross failures of this book. It's incredibly imbalanced in selection of its subjects and attention given relative to importance, and it's full of bombast and overreaching literary aspirations while utterly lacking in insight and the depth of understanding required of the subject.

The Story of Philosophy.......2007-08-05

This is a compact little book with a comprehensive look at philosophy.I like the author's writing style. Thus far the book has been easy reading.

Not fun to read.......2007-08-03

I realize that this comment is not directed to the actual book content. But,----the font size/type is so small and somewhat smudgy that the book is just not fun to read.....Which was the reason that I bought it. Also, I have no visual problems, or problem reading small type, so that isn't the source of my complaint. Had I found this book in a bookstore, and seen the typeface before purchasing, I never would have bought it.

Excellent introduction to philosophy.......2007-06-22

[I have a different, older edition of this book, so I can't comment on this particular publishing.]

The Story of Philosophy is excellent. Durant provides pretty thorough and surprisingly interesting overviews (anybody who has read academic philosophy knows how boring and difficult it can sometimes be -- just try reading a few pages of Kant-- this is not so in Durant!) of many of the greatest philosophers, aptly tying them together and analyzing each. Read this along with Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosopher (broader, but less in-depth) and you will have a pretty damn good introduction to philosophy!

There are some odd omissions, like David Hume or John Locke, but this is the only problem I can find in The Story of Philosophy. To contrast this, he includes some philosophers on whom you are less likely to find information, like Santayana (one of my favourites, though strangely unheard of in much of academic philosophy!) or Croce.

A Reviting History of Philosophy, Essential for Educated Readers.......2007-06-10

Will Durrant's writing is brilliant. Here is what he wrote about Spinoza's openmindedness in seeking the truth:

"He read in Maimonides a half-favorable discussion of the doctrine of Averroes,that immortality is impersonal; but he found in the 'Guide to the Perplexed' more perplexities than guidance. For the great Rabbi propounded more questions than he answered; and Spinoza found the contradictions and improbabilities of the Old Testament lingering in his thought long after the solutions of Maimonides had dissolved into forgetfulness."

Here is another classic line by Will Durant: "The greatest defenders of a faith are its greatest enemies, for their subtlties engender doubt and stimulate the mind."

And of Spinoza's excommunication from the Amsterdam synagogue,Durrant wrote that it was nothing for: "Fate had written that Spinoza should belong to the world."

There Is a River: The Story of Edgar Cayce

Average customer rating:

wonderful!
More like a novel
A decent book about an interesting man
The Story of Edgar Cayce: There Is A River
An eye-opener

There Is a River: The Story of Edgar Cayce
Thomas Sugrue
Manufacturer: A.R.E. Press (Association of Research & Enlig
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

New Age | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Philosophers | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0876044488

Book Description

This is the complete, original biography of the best-documented psychic in America. It tells the story of how Edgar Cayce discovered his astounding psychic gifts and what led him to a life dedicated to helping others. Cayce's "readings," given in a trancelike state, ranged from phenomenal medical cures to advice on spiritual growth, psychology, and the prophesy of world events. A philosophy section outlines Cayce's revelations about our origin, purpose, and destinies on the earth, making this book a valuable resource. This book contains many photos of Edgar Cayce, his family, and close friends.

This special edition features Auras, the only book written by Edgar Cayce himself.

Customer Reviews:

wonderful!.......2007-04-13

If you've ever wondered "Who is Edgar Cayce?", then I suggest in reading this book! It is the story of Edgars' life from his beginings. I learned so much, infact he is the real deal. Edgar was leery of his ability to "see into the unseen" and worried if possibly his gift was not a gift at all but a tool of the devil ment for evil purposes. It wasn't till he knew for a fact that his "gift" was helping people all over the world that he felt comfortable and ready to give with out reservations.
Also it's easy reading except I had a hard time understanding the "readings" and would have to re read them. Other wise, Easy enjoyable reading.

More like a novel.......2006-12-20

It would be wonderful, if what Mr. Cayce realized, were the truth. As to the book, it isn't bad. It reads more like a novel, than like a biography. A little slow of a read but then most biographies are. I like the fact it did not embellish the character. It seemed to tell the facts the way they were. Probably not the end all of Mr. Cayce resources, but overall a good book.

A decent book about an interesting man.......2006-04-07

I had heard of Edgar Cayce before, mainly because I shelved so many books by or about him in my years as a bookseller. It was only recently, though, as I was browsing through one of the Stranger than... books by the late Frank Edwards that I came across a brief biography of Edgar Cayce and learned more about his mysterious diagnoses given while unconscious. I remembered that I had this book, one of the Time-Life Collector's Library of the Unknown reprints, on my shelf and so I dug in.

For the most part, the prose was easy to read and written in a straightforward, familiar style, so that I felt like I was seeing the events of Cayce's life as they happened. The book begins like a normal biography, discussing early romances, jobs, family incidents, etc., with very little to indicate how strange Mr. Cayce's life would become. Around 1/3 of the way through the book, we discover, along with young Edgar, that he can memorize written materials just by sleeping on them. He also discovers that he has miraculous powers to diagnose illnesses and prescribe cures for people he has never met, all while unconscious. (In his waking life, Mr. Cayce was very modestly educated, and was as surprised as anyone at the ideas and language that came from his unconscious form.) The way that this section of the book reads, you would imagine that Cayce's cures were always successful and that skeptics were fools.

The book begins to drag after the second half, though, for a variety of reasons. First, Cayce could never actually put his powers to any real end. Every attempt to establish a multidisciplinary hospital to implement and research his unconscious revelations, as was his dream, came to an unsuccessful conclusion. This is fairly anticlimactic and does not make for a very "heroic" story. Second, one of his benefactors, a man quite interested in matters occult, began to ask Cayce more arcane questions, and so the revelations began to drift into, to me, less interesting areas-the typical new age stuff about Atlantis, reincarnation, soul mates, etc. Finally, it became more apparent to me, based on the later, more thoroughly documented cases, that Cayce's "miraculous" cures might not have been as amazing as they seemed in the earlier chapters; the earlier cures seemed more amazing simply because the way in which they were recorded and related was more "oh gosh" and less stringent. (In other words, as he gets older and more jaded, even his cures seem less special and miraculous. Maybe this was the writer's intention.)

The conclusion of the book was, for me, the worst part. It is divided into two appendix-like sections. In the first section, the author tries to systematically describe Cayce's philosophy. Boring. Too much like the Ascended Master stuff that I find hard to swallow. Maybe it is true. Maybe not. Whenever I read this stuff, I just get the feeling that I am listening to some pedantic, New England minister lecturing on matters that were expressed much more interestingly 2,000 years ago by Hindus and Buddhists. The second section in the conclusion recounts six case studies from the Cayce files, and these are interesting only for those who want to see how difficult to understand Cayce's medical diagnoses could be, due to the odd structure of his language and the outdated medical terminology.

It was a quick read, except for those two concluding sections, so if you are at all interested, I highly recommend reading it. As for what it means, though, I really have no clue. And I don't plan on re-reading it to find out, though the pretty Time-Life book will remain on my shelf as decoration.

The Story of Edgar Cayce: There Is A River.......2005-09-30

This book adds to the wonders that can be achieved with dedication
to the life's guide lines laid down in the Bible and survival after death studies

An eye-opener.......2005-07-23

For those with strong religious faith, but no sort of flexibility, don't buy this book. However, if you are open to suggestion and the possibility that you don't have all the answers, then this is a must read.

A devoted Christian his entire life, Edgar Cayce's life story challenges what many claim to be the "truth" or the "meaning". Cayce's faith was never in question - he read the Bible one time for each year of his life by the time he was 13. His readings on the other hand, challenged even his convictions, forcing him to open his mind, body, and soul to the possibilities that he once thought foreign and possibly blasphemous.

While many of his stories about growing up are on the boring side, and very slow reading, the information sprinkled in his biography about where his talent comes from is interesting. His talents produced results that many attempted to disprove, but the facts always sided with Cayce.

If you believe that humankind is capable of more than the simplicity of thought that we consider intelligent by today's standards, read Cayce's story.

If you believe that there are many unanswered questions that science can't necessarily answer, read the book.

The book is easily worth the price and the read for the end alone. After the biography there is a brief section that deals with the aspect many are amazed by: the supernatural. The tidbits of his thoughts and readings in relation to after-life, the beginning of time, religion, and various other deeply philosophical questions...are words I will never forget.

Rousseau and Revolution (Story of Civilization)

Average customer rating:

Lush, remarkable Pulitzer prize-winning volume...
The Tenth Volume in The Story of Civilization!
Lush, remarkable Pulitzer prize-winning volume...

Rousseau and Revolution (Story of Civilization)
Will Durant , and Ariel Durant
Manufacturer: Books on Tape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

Philosophers | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0736655484

Customer Reviews:

Lush, remarkable Pulitzer prize-winning volume..........2005-03-08

...continues the excellence of the series. Originally intended as the final book of the series, "The Story of Civilization", in ended up being the penultimate volume.

The Durants lucidly and eloquently summarize the philosophy, life and influence that Rousseau had on the 18th century and, indeed, continues to have to this very day. Rousseau may be regarded as the creator of the Left-wing sensibility. This may seem anachronistic and, in a sense, it is. Rousseau died before the French Revolution, which created the modern political division of Right and Left. Nevertheless, it is accurate to see him as the Fountainhead for relativism, communism, and the worship of feeling as opposed to reason (debased and emptied of all intellectual content this is now called building "self-esteem" by the modern leftist).

Rousseau created most of the modern ills of political fanaticism and airy, absurd idealism as the Durants so ably note.

The rest of the period is not neglected and vivid portraits are made of Frederick the Great, Catherine the Great, the Elder Pitt, Diderot, D'Holbach, Samuel Johnson and many, many others help this book to shine.

Awarded the Pulitzer Prize--which should have gone to the entire series as opposed to just this volume--this book gives the reader a complete (if necessarily synopsized) account of the End and Failure of the Enlightenment and how what Rousseau and Voltaire intended in their attacks on the social structure (Rousseau) and religion (Voltaire) lead to disastrous consequences in the French Revolution.

The writing sparkles with vivid wit, pith and lucid beauty. It is a book to be read for a lifetime and bequeathed to children. In an age where smarmy, intellectually empty, political fanaticism is attempting to erase the past in favor of the PC fantasies of the moment, the Durants offer a vivid account of the Truth. European civilization is presented here in all its glory and with all its warts. Slavery, religious fanaticism, exploitation and the horrors of the penal system and warfare are all presented here, in their proper place and in context. The modern academic community has attempted to destroy the ideal of context and balance. As long as these books are around, REAL history and historiography are available to anyone who simply opens a copy and reads it.

Was this review helpful to you?

The Tenth Volume in The Story of Civilization!.......2004-09-02

In this, the tenth volume in the critically acclaimed series "The Story of Civilization," Dr. will & Ariel Durant have compiled a masterful dramatic exploration of the European climate and the events which paved the way for the French Revolution.

The reader will be exposed to a vivid recount of the acts of: Rousseau, who confessed his most embarassing sexual and emotional episodes. England and the rise of her overseas empire. Catherine The Great of Russia. Frederick The Great of Prussia. The German Enlightenment. Marie Antoinette. France's impotent and frustrated King Louis XVI. And much, much more including plates and maps.

Written to stand alone or within the series, the Durants have composed an unparalleled historical prose in smooth flowing narrative that is easy to read and understand by both professional and layperson alike. In short, this book is for everyone. I rate it as five stars. Bravo!

Lush, remarkable Pulitzer prize-winning volume..........2002-01-29

...continues the excellence of the series. Originally intended as the final book of the series, "The Story of Civilization", in ended up being the penultimate volume.

The Durants lucidly and eloquently summarize the philosophy, life and influence that Rousseau had on the 18th century and, indeed, continues to have to this very day. Rousseau may be regarded as the creator of the Left-wing sensibility. This may seem anachronistic and, in a sense, it is. Rousseau died before the French Revolution, which created the modern political division of Right and Left. Nevertheless, it is accurate to see him as the Fountainhead for relativism, communism, and the worship of feeling as opposed to reason (debased and emptied of all intellectual content this is now called building "self-esteem" by the modern leftist).

Rousseau created most of the modern ills of political fanaticism and airy, absurd idealism as the Durants so ably note.

The rest of the period is not neglected and vivid portraits are made of Frederick the Great, Catherine the Great, the Elder Pitt, Diderot, D'Holbach, Samuel Johnson and many, many others help this book to shine.

Awarded the Pulitzer Prize--which should have gone to the entire series as opposed to just this volume--this book gives the reader a complete (if necessarily synopsized) account of the End and Failure of the Enlightenment and how what Rousseau and Voltaire intended in their attacks on the social structure (Rousseau) and religion (Voltaire) lead to disastrous consequences in the French Revolution.

The writing sparkles with vivid wit, pith and lucid beauty. It is a book to be read for a lifetime and bequeathed to children. In an age where smarmy, intellectually empty, political fanaticism is attempting to erase the past in favor of the PC fantasies of the moment, the Durants offer a vivid account of the Truth. European civilization is presented here in all its glory and with all its warts. Slavery, religious fanaticism, exploitation and the horrors of the penal system and warfare are all presented here, in their proper place and in context. The modern academic community has attempted to destroy the ideal of context and balance. As long as these books are around, REAL history and historiography are available to anyone who simply opens a copy and reads it.

Average customer rating:

Character studies, and the biography of an era

Sturm und Drang

Excellent piece of research

MORAL RULE: Thou shall not threaten visiting lecturers with fireplace pokers

Decent biographical coverage but very inadequete handling of the underlying philosophy

Wittgenstein's Poker: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers
David Edmonds , and John Eidinow
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

History | Subjects | Books | Africa | Americas | Ancient | Arctic & Antarctica | Asia | Audiobooks | Australia & Oceania | Europe | Gay & Lesbian | Historical Study | Large Print | Middle East | Military | Military Science | Russia | United States | World
General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Modern | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
History & Nonfiction | Book Clubs | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Rousseau's Dog: Two Great Thinkers at War in the Age of Enlightenment

The Courtier and the Heretic: Leibniz, Spinoza, and the Fate of God in the Modern World

Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius

On Certainty

The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America

ASIN: 0060936649
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Book Description

On October 25, 1946, in a crowded room in Cambridge, England, the great twentieth-century philosophers Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper came face to face for the first and only time. The meeting -- which lasted ten minutes -- did not go well. Their loud and aggressive confrontation became the stuff of instant legend, but precisely what happened during that brief confrontation remained for decades the subject of intense disagreement.

An engaging mix of philosophy, history, biography, and literary detection, Wittgenstein's Poker explores, through the Popper/Wittgenstein confrontation, the history of philosophy in the twentieth century. It evokes the tumult of fin-de-siécle Vienna, Wittgentein's and Popper's birthplace; the tragedy of the Nazi takeover of Austria; and postwar Cambridge University, with its eccentric set of philosophy dons, including Bertrand Russell. At the center of the story stand the two giants of philosophy themselves -- proud, irascible, larger than life -- and spoiling for a fight.

Customer Reviews:

Character studies, and the biography of an era.......2007-10-10

Ludgwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper are two of the most interesting figures in 20th century philosophy. Edmonds and Eidinow use a 1946 encounter as a launching point for profiles of the two and their philosophies. It is, of necessity in a book of this length, philosophy lite. What really happened in the encounter is portrayed as a minor mystery, but in the end the differing versions tell us enough about the participants to make the truth merely incidental. Highly recommended as an introduction to both philosophers (and their era).

Sturm und Drang.......2007-08-17

In the fall of 1946, the philosophers Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper had their only face-to-face encounter during an argument over the nature of the work of philosophers; the splenetic Wittgenstein used a poker from the fireplace to emphasize a point, left the room, and Popper made a sarcastic triumphal comment after he left about not waving pokers in the face of guests. This silly but revealing little contretemps is the basis for this little study of what led up to this encounter both in terms of the two famous men's remarkably similar backgrounds (they were both displaced Christianized Jews from Vienna working in England, and both were mentored by Bertrand Russell, who was also in the room) and in terms of currents in philosophy in the early twentieth century.

The book is ingeniously worked out, and you do come away from it knowing some basic ideas about what both Popper and Wittgenstein represented to European philosophy and how they both ran up against Hitler's Anschluss. The downside of the text is that it forefronts the more gossipy side of this encounter and then only towards the end getting to the content of their ideas, so that if you don't much about Anglo-Austrian philosophy you're left a bit puzzled as to why this meeting mattered until the book ends. But it's short enough a read that that doesn't present too much of a problem. This is a lightweight book, but still stimulating and worth reading.

Excellent piece of research.......2007-08-12

Having read some of the reviewers before me, I ought to warn the reader the book is more about a research of the surrounding facts of the Popper/Wittgenstein confrontation than, as some of the naive reviewers seem to have expected, an in-depth account or opinion of the philosophy of both.
The book is true to its nature and in that sense it is outstanding indeed. Seldom will anyone obtain, in one piece, such a detailed portrait of two of the most outstanding intellectuals of the XX th Century. It may be curious to ascertain that these men, despite being born and educated in Austria, came to expose their differences before the english speaking world, where political tolerance has been rooted for centuries.
It is a gripping read and one that will make you re-live with passion the beautiful tradition of philosophical awe, love for logic and the un-ending quest in search for the truth.

MORAL RULE: Thou shall not threaten visiting lecturers with fireplace pokers.......2007-05-20

XXXXX

"Take a dispute fundamental to philosophy, for whose future both [exceptional] men felt personal responsibility; take the cultural, social, and political differences between [these two men]; take the obsession of one with the other, who is in turn totally self-absorbed; take their no-holds-barred style of communication; take their complex relationship with their father figure, Russell--throw all these into the caldron that was H3 and a major explosion seems to have been inevitable. The poker becomes only a fuse."

The above is found near the end of this fascinating book authored by award-winning BBC journalists David Edmonds and John Eidinow. This book has been published in over a dozen languages.

This book hinges on one small ambiguous bite-sized brouhaha that occurred in October 1946 in room H3 located in King's College (a part of Cambridge University in England). Two prominent names of 20TH century philosophy, Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 to 1951) and Karl Popper (1902 to 1994) debated one another for the first and only time. (The debate was mediated by yet another prominent name in philosophy, Bertrand Russell {1872 to 1970}.) Their encounter lasted only ten minutes and, as you can surmise from the above quotation, did not go so well. Almost immediately, rumors began to spread globally and one version of the story suggested that these two had come to blows, armed with red-hot fireplace pokers.

Be aware that this is not a philosophy book even though it does contain some philosophy. The poker incident is used as a starting point or "springboard" for investigating all of the important historical events particularly in Vienna and Cambridge that shaped this incident. In other words, this story is presented in a very roundabout way, circling back to the poker incident while examining all that needs to be taken into account in fully understanding what transpired. (Some readers may not like this roundabout approach.)

As well, there is good and significant biographical detail given of Wittgenstein and Popper. One chapter is devoted to discussing Russell, "the third man" in this story.

This is a well-written book that's engaging and accessible with some humorous spots---a delight to read even if you're a non-philosopher. I found that I learned a lot, painlessly, without even noticing.

This is a surprisingly well-researched book. Information was gathered not just from books but from interviews & correspondence including eyewitnesses and those who knew one or both of these two philosophers. These people "gave their time to search their memories, offer their recollections and furnish us [the authors] with background information" and "invaluable help."

Finally, there are more than twenty illustrations in the middle of this book in the form of black and white photographs or "plates." I found that these enhanced the book's readability and enjoyment.

In conclusion, the authors of this book "make the meeting of Popper and Wittgenstein seem as fateful as that between the iceberg and the Titanic." An interesting and enjoyable read!!

(first published 2001; 23 chapters; main narrative 295 pages; Appendices: (1) chronology (of the lives of Wittgenstein and Popper) (2) "Times" literary supplement letters (where several witnesses address the poker incident); acknowledgments; sources; index)

XXXXX

Decent biographical coverage but very inadequete handling of the underlying philosophy.......2007-01-04

Nearly no insight into the actual philosophical differences that the two protagonists had. Tries to be biographical and the authors try to make feeble attempts at trying to convince that all they had were historical differences. Shows clearly that the writers are journalists and their hold over the philosophical underpinnings is negligible. A waste of time if you are looking for philosophical insights. If you are looking for a semi-biographical account of the lives of these two great philosophers, there are other books out there which serve the purpose better. In the end, it is an attempt to sensationalize what in my opinion was a minor event and comes across as quite contrived.

The Story of Two Souls: The Correspondence of Jacques Maritain and Julien Green

Average customer rating:

The Story of Two Souls: The Correspondence of Jacques Maritain and Julien Green

Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

French | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

French | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Modern | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

French | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Nonfiction | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0823211908

Edith Stein: A Biography/the Untold Story of the Philosopher and Mystic Who Lost Her Life in the Death Camps of Auschwitz

Average customer rating:

A great bioagraphy
POWERFUL, ENTHRALLING WORK
Excellent Book

Edith Stein: A Biography/the Untold Story of the Philosopher and Mystic Who Lost Her Life in the Death Camps of Auschwitz
Waltraud Herbstrith
Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0898704103

Customer Reviews:

A great bioagraphy.......2001-07-19

Edith Stien was a Jew who in the 1920's of Germany converted to Catholicism and then became a nun much to the dismay of her orthodox mother. Those who are have heard of Edith Stien know that ultimately she was martyred in Auschwitz because of her outspokenness against the Nazi's as well as the fact that the Catholic Church in occupied Holland was the only large church organization willing to preach against the nazi regeim.

What must people don't know about Edith Stien was what an incredibly couragous and brillant woman she was even long before she was martyred. As this book tells the story , often in her own words and in the words of those that were close to her, she was a college professer, philosopher, and political activist at a time when a professional woman was at best a grade school teacher or nurse. Even as a nun she worked on her philosophy and her writing.

Waltraud Herbstrith does an excellent job portraying the complete Edith Stien, Her faith Her family and her intellect. An excellent book.

POWERFUL, ENTHRALLING WORK.......2000-01-28

I consider this a "must read" for anyone interested in great women in history. The spiritual insights, life story, and heroic sacrifices of this brilliant woman, who was both a Jew and a Carmellite nun are amazing. Look closely at the cover art, as my interpretation was that Edith Stein possessed the "ear of God." The only complaint I have is the print was far too small. If it comes in a large print edition, you might be wise to order it. My eyesight is fairly normal.

Excellent Book.......1999-12-11

This book is an excellent introduction to the life and thought of Edith Stein (St. Theresa Benedicta). Waltraud Herbstrith presents a biography that encompases the philosophical, spiritual, and personal aspects of her subject with great care. I came away from this book with a true appreciation for Edith Stein, in particular her writings on women and her deep love of God.

The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers

Average customer rating:

The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers

Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers

ASIN: B000C6YTUE

F. Scott Fitzgerald: Novels and Stories 1920-1922: This Side of Paradise / Flappers and Philosophers / The Beautiful and the Damned / Tales of the Jazz Age (Library of America)

Average customer rating:

The Polly Parker Stories
Short Stories
Good Collection of Pre-Gatsby Work

F. Scott Fitzgerald: Novels and Stories 1920-1922: This Side of Paradise / Flappers and Philosophers / The Beautiful and the Damned / Tales of the Jazz Age (Library of America)

Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1883011841
Release Date: 2000-08-24

Customer Reviews:

The Polly Parker Stories.......2005-12-27

I am really shocked that this first rate Fitzgerald collection does not have the "Polly Parker" stories that originally were printed serially in THE SATURDAY EVENING POST in 1922. Apparently these uncollected stories remain unavailable anywhere in book form.

Polly Parker was a typical Fitzgerald heroine -- a blue-eyed flapper with a pert nose and golden hair bobbed very short. The reason her stories are omitted, I gather, is that they were slightly more sexual in tone and also addressed taboo subjects such as alcoholism, racial violence, incest, and insanity.

"GRANDPA'S GOLD" the first Polly story, deals with lasting echoes of the Civil War. Spoiled Polly goes to Vermont for the summer to stay with her aging grandfather -- the last remaining Union army veteran in Vermont. Ultimately she robs him of a small fortune in gold coins which he had originally intended to donate to a Negro orphanage. This story highlights Fitzgerald's ambivalence towards the young women of the day -- Polly is cruel and selfish, but also winningly spontaneous, free and independent. Fitzgerald's racism is in full flower here as well. The fact that she is "only" robbing colored people seems to make her crime an amusing prank rather than a vicious crime.

"ALLIGATOR QUEEN" is both darker and more sophisticated. Polly is a houseguest in Georgia, where she meets Eleanor Hiss, a jazz age siren who may or may not have negro blood. The two girls deliberately lead a young Harvard man out into quicksand, then go joy riding in his car while he slowly drowns. Fitzgerald later wrote that Eleanor seduced Polly in an early draft -- but in 1922 the SATURDAY EVENING POST would never have carried a story with an explicit lesbian seduction.

"HOLY MATRIMONY" is the ironic finale to the Polly Parker stories. Invited on a weekend yachting party, Polly is compromised by an Eastern Prince and forced to marry silent movie star Reginald Dashwood. Dashwood is a homosexual who needs "discreet companionship." Polly marries him, assuming he is a pushover, but instead he is cruel, domineering and controlling -- and aided by an iron-willed mother who treats Polly like a servant. Polly's "punishment" is ironic, since she now has unlimited wealth and a dazzling husband -- but no freedom and no hope of either sexual or spiritual release.

Taken together, these three stories represent Fitzgerald's darkest early work -- and they should be included in any "definitive" collection.

Short Stories.......2002-09-12

I bought this book for the short stories. They are like small diamonds on a necklace, sparkling in a row, each one a wonder. Fitzgerald's short stories are like that.

"The Off Shore Pirate" is hilarious. The "Ice Palace" is strange and beautiful. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is about a baby born very old who gets younger every year.

"The Diamond As Big As The Ritz" is classic Fitzgerald, about the rich.

The story that is missing is "The Rich Boy." This is the story that started the famous spat between Hemingway and Fitzgerald.

In this short story, Fitzgerald writes: "The rich are very different from you and me." Hemingway responds in his short story, "The Snows Of Kilimanjaro:" "Yes, they have more money."

But you will not find "The Rich Boy" in this book. Too bad.

Included with the short stories are two novels:: This Side Of Paradise and The Beautiful And Damned. They are very adolescent novels. High school students might enjoy them.

Maybe not.

The short stories do more to describe the Jazz Age than his novels.

If you are serious about this author, his greatest novel is The Great Gatsby. His next best novel is Tender Is The Night. "The Rich Boy" is his best short story.

Good Collection of Pre-Gatsby Work.......2000-11-13

This is a very attractive packaged, comprehensive collection of Fitzgerald's early work, containing his first two novels (This Side of Paradise and The Beautiful & Damned) and his first two short story collections. Included are some classic short stories such as May Day and The Diamond As Big As The Ritz. Some of the other stories are less than classic, but all are enjoyable. As is the case with all Library of America volumes, the book is very easy to handle and read. There is a useful set of notes and chronology of Fitzergald's life in the back. All in all, this is well worth the price.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books