Philosophy Books

Ayn Rand presents her philosophy as an alternative to the two philosophical cul-de-sacs, which have dominated the field and every other branch of knowledge in modern times. This book opens with a fifty-page essay, which delineates the two most prevalent approaches in the history of western philosophical thought to the nature of man (ethics) and social organization (political philosophy).

These old approaches can ultimately be traced back to the dual leadership roles of the warrior chieftain and the witch doctor in pre-historic tribal times. Recently, they have taken on new clothing, but remain essentially the same.

In modern times, these approaches divide along the mind/body dichotomy initiated by Descartes. As in tribal eras, however, both approaches are still steeped in collectivism. Indeed, they are two sides of the same counterfeit coin.

Ayn Rand shows how these two approaches with their corresponding epistemologies are rooted in a philosophical archetype, which predates the forking point in Descartes. Indeed, even the severing of the forms from the sensible world in Plato is in full concert with this bifurcation.

Ayn Rand aptly names these archetypes the Witch Doctor and Attila, thus illuminating their essential qualities. The Witch Doctor communes with alleged forces beyond this world. Attila relies on brute force to control men and society. Both are united against their common nemesis--the producer.

The producer recognizes the inviolability of nature and reality and seeks to understand both through reason. It is on the producers that the Attilas and the Witch Doctors depend and against whom both unite in envy and hatred and their desire to rule.

The remainder of the book contains excerpted (philosophically relevant) passages from her novels.

As introductions go, this was fair. The book is a compilation of an essay and excerpts from Rand's fiction. Her philosophy of Objectivism, developed somewhat in her fiction, is obviously in its infancy in this essay. But the pure nature of it is visible.

If you are unsure about Rand and picked up one of her books and were a bit overwhelmed at its depth, this is a good place to skim the surface and get a sampling of her fiction and her non-fiction work that followed.

In 1957 Ayn Rand published ATLAS SHRUGGED, her epic novel of individual freedom versus the mass state. ATLAS SHRUGGED contained "Galt Speaks," a lengthy speech in which John Galt (the protagonist of the novel) sets forth the basics of Rand's philosophy, known as Objectivism. FOR THE NEW INTELLECTUAL (FTNI) contains "Galt Speaks" and philosophical portions from her fiction. It also includes a lengthy essay explaining Rand's philosophy of history, which will be the focus of my review.

Rand starts FTNI with two characters she believes define most of history: the Witch Doctor and Attila. Attila rules by force and the Witch Doctor is his "ideas man." History is largely the influence of the Witch Doctor on Attila. The supreme Witch Doctor of the ancient world was Plato; the chief Witch Doctor of the modern era was Immanuel Kant. Their antipode is Aristotle, the philosopher of reason and the real world, whose philosophy unfortunately contained elements of Plato's otherworldliness. Through most of history the Witch Doctor has been calling the shots. However, Aristotle's philosophy hasn't been completely forgotten and emerged, due to Thomas Aquinas, in the Renaissance and in the founding of the United States. Ayn Rand purged Aristotle's thought from its remnants of Platonism. With the publication of ATLAS SHRUGGED a core of new intellectuals is being formed, ready to save the world from irrationalism. "Aristotle, Aquinas and Ayn" as Rand once put it. Or, as one Objectivist thinker said: "The big three [Plato, Aristotle and Kant] are now the big four" adding, you guessed it, Ayn Rand to the list.

FTNI follows the Attila/Witch Doctor description with an analysis of the history of philosophy. Rand critiques numerous philosophers and their influence on history: Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Comte, Spencer and others. She gives little evidence that she has read any of these thinkers, much less understood them. For example, she says of Kant: "An action is moral, for Kant, only if one has no desire to perform it . . . (p. 32)." Where, Miss Rand, does Kant say this? Or, "[t]he prelude to the Renaissance was the return of Aristotle via Thomas Aquinas (p. 23)." Doesn't she know of Aristotle's influence on theologians who influenced Aquinas, such as Albertus Magnus? Moreover, in her praise of the Renaissance (which she claims was essentially Aristotelian) she is oblivious to the fact that the many important Renaissance thinkers were Platonists.

There isn't much good I can say about FNTI. While reading it may encourage you to take an interest in philosophy, the hatchet job she does on individual philosophers, schools of philosophy, and their influence on history is likely to set your study of philosophy back by years. Sure it's exciting to think you know something about history that hardly anyone else has knows, even those with doctorates in philosophy. That's probably why FTNI and ATLAS SHRUGGED were the most exciting things I read in high school (with the possible exception of WORLDS IN COLLISION, where I learned that Earth almost collided with Mars and that Venus was a comet shot out from Jupiter).

The problem with Objectivism is that Ayn Rand used fiction as a vehicle for its presentation.

The result of this (The Fountainhead) is artistically bankrupt and incredibly frustrating to read. Her two-dimensional characters are nothing but mouthpieces for her moralizing vitriol or crude strawmen of her opponents, and lengthy author-talking speeches like John Galt's in Atlas Shrugged are mockeries towards real creative writers.

Fortunately, FTNI excises the polemic passages from her fiction writings, meaning that the reader gets the gist of Objectivist beliefs without having to labor through thousands of pages of terrible storytelling.

While it's by no means an exhaustive system, Objectivism is good for getting oneself motivated and maintaining a feeling of superiority towards everyone else.

It's definitely worth spending a day or two reading, but probably not going back for seconds.

This was Rand's first work of nonfiction, and it is supposed to be an introduction to her philosophy of Objectivism. But it is certainly not the best place to start. The book consists of one rather lengthy essay, followed by excerpts from her four novels. As expected, more pages are devoted to excerpts from Atlas Shrugged than to any of the other novels - in fact, than to all of the others put together. Galt's seventy-plus page speech is included in its entirety.

Unfortunately, the excerpts aren't as interesting outside the context of the novels. Even worse, the title essay is probably the weakest Rand ever wrote. In it, Rand attempts to explain all of history in terms of the two types of men who have dominated it, Attila and the Witch Doctor. Attila represents those who have ruled men by force, whereas the Witch Doctor represents the irrational mystics who have controlled men's minds. The whole thing is just plain ridiculous.

If you want to know what Rand thought, you'd be better off starting with The Virtue of Selfishness, followed by Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal.

While studying philosophy at university, I was fortunate enough to have read this book. Some years hence, I am now middle management at a Fortune 500 company (it's very strange to me), and have just recently re-read it. The ideas about egalitarian models of leadership in this book are almost solely responsible for allowing me to remain a fundamentally good person. Without this book, I know there would have been instances where I would have done things unthinkingly and in error.

Why am I giving this book a five star rating? Because this work is an effort at a new theory that is systematic and terminologically consistent and must have been a torture for the writers to conjure up in their head.

It certainly is a torture to read this work. Not because I can't understand hard-core philosophy - I have read, understood and liked Hegel, Heidegger, Sartre and Derrida, considered amongst the most abstruse stylists - but because it is difficult to empathize with writers who characterize themselves and their readers as 'desiring machines' rather than as subjects with consciousness and will.

Is desire the only thing that defines human beings - what about will, thinking, compassion, judgment? And further why am I supposed to be a machine and in what sense? These are the questions that came to my mind. The authors never explain. The question of the subject is dismissed in one sentence.

It is also difficult to agree with writers who dismiss all seeking of power and all active resistance by implication as fascism and preach escape/flight as the most radical ideology of resistance and hope.

And it is difficult to find hope in the vain jargon of molecular vs. molar, in the lines of escape or flight, or in a schizoid approach to life (a schizophrenic has no control over himself - is a machine and hence is the authors' favorite).

The authors fail in their synthesis of Marx and Freud although they come close and fail to understand Nietzsche, one of their favorite philosophers. Marx, Freud and Nietzsche would turn violently in their graves, if they ever know what Deleuze/Guattari did to their philosophies. They speculations on incest, kinship etc., are just too weak, sketchy and merely assertoric to be taken seriously.

I do not endorse the philosophy of Deleuze/Guattari. To be sure they offer brilliant insights but their line of argument has as many holes as Swiss cheese.

Yet there are a few things that are brilliant in the work and it certainly remains an original and challenging work. Having, stated my disappointment with the work, now let me also state the better aspects of this work. This work has a very well argued theory of control mechanisms in primitive, barbarian and capitalist societies.

The authors rightly point out that capitalism governs well because it always generates new rules to survive (new axiomatic) and controls because all social codes are 'decoded' (de-codified) into flows (loose, lawlike systems of control) and de-territorialized. (Other writers have explained the same things in simpler jargon, but Deleuze-Guattari need to be given due credit for the brilliance of their analysis of capitalism, although their libidnalization of economics doesn't add anything valueable to the analysis of either libido or economics and seems forced).

The other hallmark of this work is that it offers one of the more interesting critiques of Freud's Oedipal complex, psychotherapy and its role in making humans conformist. They demolish the Daddy-Mommy-Me triangle and its implications in making us conformists quite effectively.

However, it may be borne in mind that there have been better criticisms of Freud's theories and Deleuze/Guattari are in some respects more Freudian than Freud with their libidinal interpretations of human beings as desiring machines and of economy as investment of desire (libidnal economy).

To sum up, this work is worth reading for its analysis of capitalism, and to some extent for its critique of psychoanalysis. However this is not a work that offers hope for the oppressed or an agenda for political action although followers of Deleuze/Guattari like Antonio Negri and Alain Badiou take their philosophy in a more positive direction. The best portion is the third section, followed by second. The least satisfactory portions and the last and the first, although they are essential to read in order to understand the relevant middle portion of the work.

And of course human beings are not desiring machines no matter what Deleuze/Guattari say. Beyond a metaphor, machinism is delusory. We are what we are. Happy to be human and animal rather than machines. Much as post-structuralist and post-modernists dismiss the question of the subject, the question remains - alive and active and kicking.

What a dialectical post-modern absurdity that is the meaning of the life of some random people, clumped together in a multiplicity of neo-Neitzschean thought-waves.

Get what you will from this book, it is wordy--on purpose--and was written to try to piss you off. You may or may not get pissed off, but you will certainly take away something from this book: either a) it is stupid and so is D+G, or b) it is a solid critique of Freud and all those globe-controlling institutions that subliminally followed in his footsteps.

This one is classic. I read it first, a long time ago, before I read A Thousand Plateaus. ATP is a lot more accessible. I recommend that you read Eugene Holland's commentary on Anti-Oedipus while you read D&G. And, by the way, there is a new Deleuze Dictionary out that is very useful. On the other hand, it is fun to read D&G when you have no idea what the hell they are going on about. If you do then you have to work hard and be more creative, really making the book your own. I think that was D&G's intention. They make themselves almost impossible to use (in a name-dropping way) superficially. If one does that, then one just ends up sounding like an idiot.

Although Deleuze and Guattari are usually invoked as part of a "postmodernist" litany, this work is refreshingly different from most postwar French theory. Derrida and Foucault, for all their revolutionary ambitions, are fairly traditional *maitre-penseurs*: the expectation is that you have a tip-top understanding of Hegel and other historical heavyweights, the better to appreciate their reversal. By contrast, *Anti-Oedipus* resembles nothing so much as the "philosophical" part of a work of hip science fiction: the line of argument is neither dialectically nor formally elaborated, but asserts only its plausibility in the context of the world being evoked.

I say this as a form of praise: in fact, unless you are (somewhat foolishly) expecting that an "intimate" knowledge of this book will advance your academic fortunes, your reading doesn't have to be especially careful to get something useful out of the book. As for its relation to thinkers who are properly venerated in the academy, it is (for all its contrariness) more accepting of Freud and Marx than most contemporary discourse is, so it actually isn't all that devastating a critique of them. But the enthusiasm they display for new hypotheses about these two is infectious: this is a book that makes you want to read *more* economics and psychology, not slam your head against the wall in protest against the impossibility of all understanding.

In the theory of schizophrenia advanced here, the "clinical" schizophrenic is carefully marked off from their treatment of schizophrenia as a process, so the anti-psychiatric implications of the book are only of the most general kind. Furthermore, a great deal of this process is elaborated with respect to imaginative literature by eccentric writers, not case studies of the clinically ill. But this means the results are not fundamentally incompatible with a contemporary understanding of psychotic illnesses: what opposes their resituation of schizoid desire as located at the most basic levels of work and social interaction are the normative intentions of those who study and control (or simply detest) the mentally ill, not scientific findings per se.

A thought-provoking book requiring no "theory" masochism to enjoy.

This book, Being Consumed, deserves to be a must-read for all members of the Christian Community. Additionally, it is also a helpful adjunct to the systems theory that is being used so widely by many mainline denominations as they seek to renew their communities of faith. We are all interconnected, what affects one affects all. This appeal, found so present in the work of Hans urs Von Balthasar with the cosmic and local Christ, makes this author's message a timely one.

Why so important? To put it simply, the essence is found in the Latin title of my review, Libido Dominandi. Translated roughly, it means power over life. The author makes an entirely plausable argument for a reality of market-driven non-freedom in the economic world, a world inhabited by Christian and non-Christian alike.

His means of modifying this lack of freedom would seem rather controverisal in the mundane world, where everything occurs on time and by habit, hence the appeal to the systems approach to ministry. However, if your interests lie in the area of seeing the root causes of poverty in even the United States, this book will appeal to you.

If you are at all concerned about the economy or questions of how consumption relates to happiness, or how Christians should think about economic issues, this is the book for you. In four clearly-written, profoundly insightful chapters William Cavanaugh analyzes some of the most important issues facing economic thinkers today, including free markets, consumerism, pluralism and scarce resources, from a deeply faithful Christian perspective (although the author is Catholic and draws mainly on Catholic thinkers, his theology is strongly ecumenical) and provides sound, practical advice for how Christians can live in a world of scarce resources, rampant consumerism and meaningless relativism.

Modern economics is based on the assumption that human wants are infinite whereas resources to satisfy them are limited. The scarcity of resources creates an over-riding imperative to use resources efficiently (including human beings) and leads to conflict, whether military or monetary, over the rights to those resources. But Cavanaugh wants to tell a different story about consumption, one in which human desires can be directed towards a common end, the vision of God in community with other human beings and the natural world. Instead of people being impelled to constantly consume more and more things (where satisfaction is derived more from the pursuit of material goods than in their acquisition), they can attain a way of life in which desires are rightly ordered and where true happiness can be had in service to others in the body of Christ. The story of Christian economics is a story of abundance, because Christians become transformed to view service to others as their primary obligation, and not simply a 'charity' done during one's free time.

Cavanaugh reveals some truly disturbing facts about supply chains ranging from food to clothes and other consumer goods. We rarely question where the items on supermarket shelves come from. In fact, clothes for designer labels are often manufactured by workers earning 30 cents an hour in dismal conditions and the majority of mass-produced beef comes from calves which are artificially and horrendously fattened to reach 'maturity' in much less time than is natural, wallowing in their own feces and barely able to stand upright because of their weight. If that doesn't disturb you, it should. One way to make economics more human is to increase transparency about our supply chains and insist only on buying products made in accordance with good environmental and health standards, for both human workers and animals.

This book is simply packed with disturbing, challenging insights as well as suggestions for how we can create spaces in which human beings can flourish in their work and consumption. Though it is aimed primarily at Christians, anyone who is dissatisfied with current practices of consumption or economic justice will profit from reading it. It will also resonate with environmentalists (another book I recommend from a more secular perspective is Bill McKibben's Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future) and anyone else looking for alternative ways of living that emphasize human well-being rather than mindless consumption. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I Highly recommend the The Game of Life UNABRIDGED MP3 AUDIO Game of life and how to play it Game of life and how to play it

The book offers clear and high spirited answers to life problems.Despite dealing with fundamental issues,it is written in a no nonsence,easily undestood manner,leaving the reader inspired to reach for his/her highest potential.An absolute MUST read material!

I first read Florence's book "The Game of Life" many years ago and fell in love with her timeless philosophy and outlook on life. Since that time I have purchased numerous copies as gifts for friends & family.

I was first informed of the works of 19th Century writer/teacher,Florence Scovel Shinn in 2007 and had planned to read The Florence Scovel Shinn Reader immediately. However,overwhelmed with the incidentals of writing, I again put off study time needed to devote to another metaphysical text. What a mistake! What a rewarding book!!

As an author, I am aware of the arduous task of demystifying New Age Thought. What an artist. Ms.Shinn is indeed a skilled and creative instructor of universal laws. This book is a valuable guide for raising the consciousness of all who wish to learn how to change their life and affairs in a positive life affirming manner.

Ms. Shinn makes it easy for the novice to move toward empowerment by recounting numerous life altering manifestations experienced by both her clients and students. The Shinn reader is an excellent transformational key. Doors are truly unlocked and many spiritual truths are revealed. The Florence Scovel Shinn Reader is a informal treasury of metaphysical teachings that has stood the test of time. As a student and teacher of positive thought, I highly recommend The Florence Scovel Shinn Reader.

C. A. Lofton, author
African-American Guide to Prosperity

I first read this book (The Game of Life and How To Play It) over 20 years ago. I have purchased more than a dozen copies of the book and given them to friends. I have returned to the simplicity of her writings on so many occasions. Mrs Shinn was a metaphysical teacher in the 20's. Her metaphysical Christian approach (my words, not hers) opened my eyes to greater metaphors within the Bible; teachings that I never learned in Sunday School.

Don't let her simple approach to spiritual living or her 'easy to read' writing style fool you. She speaks to 'truths' that are at work in our lives, and 'how to' align yourself with those principles.

In all, she wrote 4 books on spiritual living. The Florence Scovel Shinn Reader contains all her works in one place for easy reference.

This is an easily read book which you will enjoy over and over again.

It is not easy to understand the origins and structure and background of something. Here you have a helpful tool

This is by far the most comprehensive overview of the Yoga tradition available. Clearly the fruit of a lifetime of dedicated labor!

When this book came in the mail and I started looking through it I was absolutely thrilled. It provides a great overview of the yoga tradition by a scholar-practioner with over 30 years experience studying and practicing. I have similar books that cost much more than this and they are good, but not necessarily as readable as this volume.

In brief, this book covers the scope of yoga and lays a foundation for an overview of the various branches of yoga. In talks about the history of the yoga tradition and does so in an engaging way, even if you aren't a big history buff. In my opinion, it provides just the right amount of detail.

This title also looks at the yoga tradition within Buddhism and the relationship between Buddhism and Hinduism. It also helps the reader to sort out all the various sacred texts, how they are related to each other and even provides sample readings.

The treatment of the classic yoga, the post-classical period and the flowering of the tradition is interesting and informative. It also talks about tantric traditions and modern movements and scholars such as Sri Aurobindo. The author also provides a great framework and organizes all of this information in an easy and enjoyable read.

If you have ever been confused over the historical details of the various yoga traditions, the overlap or relationships between them, this text will set you on the right path. It also has an excellent glossary, comprehensive index and an above average bibilography. For about $20.00 this book delivers a lot of value. I recommend it without reservation to anyone interested in the evolution of yoga at any level of practice.

While doing my undergraduate and graduate work I referred to this text quite often. It was the only comprehensive, modern, accessible text on yoga that I could find as a suitable basis to my research. Unlike most other texts that I've come across, this one addresses the current state of yoga in the West. This text intellectual, yet Feuerstein has been a practitioner of yoga for some time therefore his writing reflects a bit of experiential insight. The text is well organized and covers all the fundamentals. As I continue to go deeper into this vast subject, it is clear to me that a single thorough rendering of the history of yoga would be an impossible task for one person.
The text begins with a definition of yoga, then moves into the six schools of yoga, then a brief history of yoga, and then on to all of the various yoga traditions, including Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and Sikh traditions as well as many of the sectarian movements. Many Americans seem particularly fond of Patanjali's yoga. So, these readers may be pleased to find that chapter nine is devoted entirely to Patanjali.
When I began working with this text, I had already been involved in a yoga tradition for sometime and was learning about the philosophy and practice via this tradition alone. While my teacher is Indian and my practices are rooted in the ancient traditions of India, the yoga tradition I am connected to is Westernized in some ways and my practices are a Westernized version of yoga. What this text did for me was introduce me to a broader intellectual viewpoint of traditional yoga history and philosophy. Since then I've explored the works of other authors, both yoga adepts and yoga scholars alike. Rare is it to see a combination of both. Feurestein reveals himself as both a scholar and a practitioner though more so a scholar. For those like me who tend to lean toward the first person experiential approach toward yoga, reading the works of Feuerstein and other scholars will provide greater understanding of their modern, perhaps Western, version of yoga practice.

This book reads like a college textbook. It is full of essay-like information, but it is not so engaging. The author, writer of Yoga for Dummies, is a yoga adept in a buddhist tradition, has a phd in Indian theology and sanskrit, he even translates some ancient texts into English for the first time in his books including this one.

The book is seperated into a dozen chapters, each focusing on an aspect of ancient yoga culture, from the teacher-student relationship or one of the last chapter focusing on the rise of tantric yoga from which hatha is spawned. What you won't find here is instruction for yoga practice.

I would say the information book is indispensable for persons with professional reasons.. yoga teacher, or other pedagogic purposes. But it is mostly dry... It is not an inspiring book.. Those just getting started in the history of yoga might benefit from lighter reading elsewhere.

This book happily holds the title of my favorite book of all time. I first read it 15 years ago, and it's still held strong as the best. It's inspirational, adventurous, and deep. It's an easy read, yet you'll never forget it. If you're anything like me, your copy will end up highlighted, bent, wrinkled, broken, and beautiful.

Richard Bach has created an Illusion for all of us to investigate. Is it real or is the Reluctant Messiah our hope? Might we find the meaning of our life and discover that it is all an illusion? The questions are engrossing and the book thought provoking.

For all those beginning this quest, this book is a great place to start. It summarizes well all the salient points in a succinct little package. If you're still feeling adventurous after this book, I recommend The Education Of Oversoul Seven by Jane Roberts.

This is seriously the best book ever written. Even after you've read it and put it on your shelf for a few years and bring it back out, it is like re-discovering an old friend. Awesome...

I have reads parts of the book and know the story. This isn't a review of the book itself, so much as a very abbreviated cautionary tale. At age 19, my old roommate read this book while he was suffering from a newly-developed and undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Read during a prolonged manic stage, he took the book too literally. Suffice it to say that it did not end well. We are not all possible messiahs, and we cannot perform "miracles" to alter the reality around us. If you want to attempt to prove otherwise, do so in a safe place, and with respect for those who care about you.

A good resource and easy read on basics of relationship development all the way to committed partnership.

This book is intended for shy and lonely individuals. It focuses on the psychological background of loneliness, shyness and how to make connections with other people. Other aspects of flirting and dating are mentioned (e.g. how to dress, how to initiate a conversation), but not after the reader is familiar with his often distorted thinking processes.
The message is clear: first, you have to really love and accept yourself. Then, you can proceed to getting to know other people more intimately. The book also deals with the not so pleasant aspects of relationships: rejections and fears. Lots of exercises show the reader how to deal with these and other problems.
By and large, a recommendable book!

I so enjoyed reading this book. Some of the material is a tad bit dated but the crux of the book is still timeless. ESPECIALLY the chapter about being lonely and learning to do things alone. Dr. Burns stated so succintly that if you can learn to be happy alone and not be afraid of being alone, you won't pick the wrong partner.

Lord knows I've stayed in relationships far past their expiration date because of the fear of loneliness. NO MORE. I'm totally OK with being single and I will never settle again. I'm too old to play that game anymore. My own company is darn fine and I'll continue to live a full life with friends and family until I meet the person I want to make a life with.

He also talks in this book about not being desperate and needy, something we can all relate to. By filling up your "spiritual tank" and being totally OK with you, then a partner is just a dessert.

This book really gave me a lot to think about and I've applied some of his tactics with great success. I'm a much happier single than I was a few months ago.

I found the book to be a practical and realistic remedy to the problem of successfully relating to members of the opposite sex and people in general. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has suffered through degrading treatment from those they wished to connect with.

The book focuses on shallow aspects and should be helpful for folks who don't get themselves outside and their face to smile and say "Hello". Following his advice you will learn how to connect to shallow people, who care as much about clothes as you now are told to do. This "Intimate Connections" aren't really intimate at all, so if emotional, psychological or intellectual closeness is what you hope for, it's not in this book. (Again unless your emotion, psychology and intellect follow this book's simple prescription.)

Could have been a "Worth my time" (4 stars) save the subtle and not-so-subtle anti-Christian elements, the more frustrating because the book is in a textbook format targeted at a high-school audience..

Hakim spends (rightly so) most of the book talking about the Greek philosophers and their contributions to the philosophy of science. The contributions of the Greek philosophers are foundational pillars of Western civilization, but they were the mere pinnacles of a society where the great majority of the population lived mean and desperate lives, about which nothing is said.

However, says Hakim, when the Christians arrived, "since most ordinary people were illiterate, they had to believe what others told them"--apparently a symptom of the Dark Ages which the Christians brought with them. But Hakim never talked about "ordinary people" in the Greek and Roman eras, who were also mostly illiterate and "had to" believe what others told them, and Hakim certainly does not show any statistics of the relative literacy rates before and during the Dark Ages.

Says Hakim: "Question asking just for the sake of learning--the Greeks' great gift to all of us--began to seem pointless." But that attitude of questioning is a gift to US from the Greeks THROUGH the prism of Western civilization, founded in part on the Greek philosophers and in part on Christian ideas of the individual worth of man and the mind to "reason out" salvation. It was not a gift to "all of them"--both the great mass of Greek and later "barbarian" or Christian populations living during the Greco-Roman and Dark Ages.

In fact, it is more accurate to say that Christianity is the portal through which the world came to discover the great Greek philosophers, without which they would have been and would even today remain largely unknown and forgotten in a truly Dark Age.

Hakim also misstates Christian theology by saying "Baptism, to a Christian, is the washing away of sins." Neither Jesus nor any other New Testament writer ever makes that claim. She also claims that Christians believed in the "Flat Earth" theory because "the Bible's stories seemed to make it [round Earth] an impossibility." However, she neglects to point out that nearly everyone at the time, Christian and non-Christian, literate or illiterate, believed in the flat earth. Her statement blatantly ignores several scripture references which point to a round earth:

--Job 26:7 explains that the earth is suspended in space, the obvious comparison being with the spherical sun and moon.

--A literal translation of Job 26:10 is "He described a circle upon the face of the waters, until the day and night come to an end."

--A spherical earth is also described in Isaiah 40:21-22 - "the circle of the earth."

But whatever they believed, Hakim places the blame for the Dark Ages squarely on the shoulders of Christians: "Rome had permitted Christianity since 313, and many of the barbarians were now Christians." Every dog in this fight was a Christian, so it must be their fault!

After all this, however, the book is still worthwhile reading because it does stir one to consider the roots of culture, learning, art, and religion that Western civilization is based on, and makes one want to study more. For that, if nothing else, this book is worth reading.

I read several other reviews before buying. Another reviewer who insists book is written for 5th graders must be talking about NYC kids, because with my college and grad studies, I thought text was more challenging. Since I am not in teaching or a book reviewer, can't speak for how it compares with similar texts. I read it front to back, found good subject matter presentation with unsurpassed photographic illustrations. Was so impressed have already purchased other two books in series and will give to grandchildren when I finished them. Recommend as an ideal gift.

I will organize my review into 4 parts: 1. What I was looking for, 2. The ideal audience for this book (just my opinion), 3. Strengths and weaknesses of this book, 4. Who could benefit by owning this book.

1. People of a certain age may remember the Time-Life series of science books. I especially loved the volumes devoted to physical science and math. Those books were written for kids in the upper grades but, in fact, the text was at an adult level. Even today, I enjoy actually reading them, not merely browsing, as the text is sophisticated enough to "pull me in". The photo essays were also magnificent: dramatic, human, entertaining and adult. I was looking for something like those, but of more recent vintage, when I came across "The Story of Science". Did I find it? No, not exactly. But I bought the book anyway. Read on.

2. This book is written for 5th-graders. Period. End of story. I will not negotiate that point. The evidence: words such as "ratio" and "circumnavigate" are defined for the reader. I clearly remember "ratio" being introduced in 5th grade. The other words which are defined are of similar level. Also, the book, while not thin, is built for small hands in terms of height and width. Finally, there is a general lack of sophisticated vocabulary and a peppering of the text with leading questions, meant to induce thinking. These are all hallmarks of a book written for children who are still rather small. The constant interruption of the narrative by questions would be annoying to an older child or adult. If your 7th-grader is still reading this book, you need to push her to move on; she will fall behind in reading skills. Trust me on this; I have taught alot of kids.

3. Weaknesses: None. This book is superb in every way.

Strengths: The text is well-written, lively, questioning, just like the topic it explores.

Words are defined, pronunciation is indicated.

There are numerous side-bars to explain even off-topic issues which have been briefly touched upon.

Example: the King James Bible is quoted at the beginning of chapter 1 (as are other mythological texts; this is not a narrow-minded book). Will a Junior High School student know who King James was? I hope so! An adult? Uh, if you have to ask.... But, normally, a 5th-grader will not. So, Ms. Hakim explains a bit about him in a side-bar. Very nice! It is this, "no stone left unturned" approach that makes this book so excellent.

The graphics are great to look at, informative, and add a delightful dimension. They are sophisticated enough to give this book an adult feel. Only the text, really, clues us in to the target audience.

4. Anyone can benefit by owning this book. I find the text too simple, and too frequently interrupted by simple-minded, kid-type questions, to be really engaging. It doesn't pull me in the way the Time-Life books still can. But, the text is certainly "browsable": read a bit, and then pore over the great, informative graphics and side-bars and, in general, just delight in the lively, colorful presentation of the material.

So, finally, I am still looking for those elusive updated versions of the Time-Life books. But, this book is great on its own level. Give it to a 10- or 11-year old and watch her take off! But, be wise. Unless your kid is remedial, snatch it away when they enter Junior High. Replace it with what? Well, you can always get the Time-Life books at an online auction. They will complete your child's science and literacy development to the intelligent High School level.

I typically don't go around recommending books, even good ones. However, this book is well worth the recommendation. It approaches the subject assuming the reader is interested and gets them even more into the subject. It covers math, technology, philosophy, language arts, and geography. Makes mention of art, poetry, exploration, socialization and other factors that influenced the thinking of the ancient thinkers.

It is recommended for K-8 but I have learned so much just by going through and making a lessonplan based on the book. One little problem, it is so interesting I keep reading and studying and the lessonplan is taking forever. LOL

Hats off to Hakim again,
Maeven6

My daughter is using this book in her 6th grade science class. She complained that it was very confusing and difficult to follow. I began reading the book and absolutley agree! The author weaves and rambles through several different paths before arriving at her point. Along the way there are several side bars, barely related facts, and discussions centered on topics which only minimally correpsond to the material, all which confuse and complicate matters. I have never encountered a more wordy and overwhelming book. Note to Teachers: if you want your students to like and understand science, don't use this book.

This book presents a rather revolutionary case for the American Empire. Not only IS America an empire (albeit a reluctant one), America SHOULD be an empire. COLOSSUS is the only book that I'm aware of that makes this case in such a straight forward and blatant manner. Not shying from the term empire (with all of its negative connotations), Niall Ferguson makes a brilliant and convincing case for the benefits of empire. He believes that benefits not only come to the country at the center of the empire, but every country included in the empire. A challenging and highly-interesting book, this one should be read by any who are interested in current affairs, no matter their political leanings.

The first half of the book makes the case that empires are the norm, they are beneficial, and that America should be considered the largest and most influential empire in history. This part of the book is really nothing more than an extensive history lesson, describing the overall history of empire, its effects on various nations, ect. The successes and failures of both the British Empire and the American Empire are described, with a major point being that those countries in which a British or American empirical presence was enduring tend to be better off now than countries who denied empire or never were a part of one. His argument swings primarily on the stabilizing influence of a powerful empire on countries where they can increase confidence in the rule of law and encourage international investment.

In the second half, this book talks about the seemingly imminent collapse of the American Empire. Money, men, and motivation are the three essential ingredients that America is missing if it wants to be successful in its attempts to reshape the world (especially the Middle East) in its image. Money is in short supply for the American Empire because of irresponsible government spending and social commitments that cannot realistically be met (primarily Medicare). Manpower also presents a serious limitation, as America just doesn't have enough intelligent people willing to live a large part of their lives overseas to manage other lands. Finally, the American public does not have the will required for extended overseas commitments and prolonged military deployments. Together, these three deficits most likely mean that America will fail in its attempts to remodel the Middle East and any other area of the world it focuses its attention on.

There is really way too much information and too many interesting ideas expressed in this book for an adequate review, but jut know that this book will provide new insights into the world than you had, and will really make you think about what America's role should be. Extremely well-written and unquestionably intellectually challenging, COLOSSUS is a powerful book that presents a radical-seeming message with clarity and purpose. Highly recommended.

I am becoming more impressed with Niall Ferguson the more I read his work. It is refreshing to see someone with such a strong historical perspective review our country and it's foreign policy issues. I became familiar with Ferguson first after seeing him in documentaries on the BBC. His insight was always clear, informative, and challenging, and that's why I started reading his books.

This is one of his best (if not THE best) book of his so far, and like his others it is challenging and very educational - all the while being very entertaining. I feel he sometimes analyzes America's international/imperial role better than I have, even as I am an American citizen with a love of history. I also appreciate the way he takes to task our modern politically correct aversion to what an empire is, could be, and should be. The word empire has become synonymous with evil in many modern liberal discussions, but isolationism can be just as uncaring, especially when millions are dying needlessly in genocides around the world.

I am not going to go into a whole recap of the book, because that has been done pretty well by the first reviewer at the top of the reviewing page. If you want to see more of Niall Ferguson in documentaries, the first American released documentary featuring him is now out, and i just watched it recently, it's called The World Without US, and it is also informative, challenging, and features Mr Ferguson quite well.The World Without US - With Niall Ferguson

Another mighty tour de force from Ferguson, aided by some super smart research helpers at Oxford and Harvard. Following on from his earlier 'Empire', which redressed the balance towards the plus side of the British empire after so much liberal bashing, Ferguson argues that imperial power is not necessarily a bad thing. In particular, a powerful hegemonic power might well be better than no hegemon at all, with global disorder.

Trouble is, America is a self-denying Empire. Even when attacking other sovereign states, its leaders are at pains to stress that this is not old
fashioned imperial warmongering, but a new democratic humanitarian aim.

Thickly slathered with literature (Melville, Kipling, Greene and a host of others) and popular culture (Vietnam war movies and even a reference to the Terminator) Ferguson covers a huge swathe of ground. He traces the origins of America's imperial behaviour, from the purchase of Louisiana to the two Iraq wars, the foreign policy failures, times where they succeeded (post WW2 Japan and Germany) and instances where he believes they lost out due to excess caution (Korea, where the bellicose McCarthur was sidelined).

Ferguson wants the USA to flex its muscle more and act as a full manifestation of Truman's global policeman. Trouble is, appetite for US forces fighting in bloody battles in hell holes of the world is at an all time low amongst the US public. As Ferguson admits, bright graduates of Harvard and Yale want to manage hedge funds and MTV, not dusty dirt tracks in the Middle East. In November the US will have a new president, who will find it harder than ever to promote US hard power worldwide against increasing threats from other countries, democratic and non-democratic alike. He warns, like Gibbon's Rome, of imperial decline and decay. Paints a portrait of a slack, obese nation more concerned with petty consumer concerns than defending Enlightenmnent values of humanity.

Ferguson's thesis is well argued and coherent, but modern day Empire runners are few and far between (there is a chap in Afghanistan called Rory Stewart, an Eton educated Scot who is doing well, but he is an exception). Also, American wealth is declining compared with the rest of the world. In the 1970s, it held almost half of the world's GDP, now the figure is under 30%.

I've been a fan of Professor Ferguson for years now and this book was no disappointment. He's got that clear, accessible way to make history fun and engaging. I also loved the book for being written very logically with a strong sense of cause and effect that creates a digestible story. As a fan of history and geo-politics I have been put to sleep many times by experts that had the facts down, but no sense of story telling. Well, that is not the case here. I also liked the way he substantiated every point he's making about the US involvement.
While looking for his other titles I stumbled on "The World Without US" - a documentary where he appears as the main expert. After checking out the trailer at the film website, I got the DVD and it was quite good. It takes the premise of this book a step farther by asking, what would happen should the US withdraw its military completely from the world? I was eager to see Ferguson for the first time, and to my admiration, his screen presence is as much fun as his writing.
The World Without US - With Niall Ferguson

I learned more about my own country (USA) in this book than I did at University. Dr. Ferguson is a great writer. The book is well-researched, with lots of new facts that I'd never known.