History of ideas Books

Book SynopsisIs the earth, which is a fit environment for man and other organic life, a purposefully made creation? Have its climates, its relief, the configuration of its continents influenced the moral and social nature of individuals, and have they had an influence in molding the character and nature of human culture? This title explores this questions.Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Abbreviations PART ONE: THE ANCIENT WORLD 1. Order and Purpose in the Cosmos and on the Earth 2. Airs, Waters, Places 3. Creating a Second Nature 4. God, Man, and Nature in Judeo-Christian Theology PART TWO: THE CHRISTIAN MIDDLE AGES 5. The Earth as a Planned Abode for Man 6. Environmental Influences within a Divinely Created World 7. Interpreting Piety and Activity, and their Effects on Nature PART THREE: EARLY MODERN TIMES 8. Physico-Theology: Deeper Understandings of the Earth as a Habitable Planet 9. Environmental Theories of Early Modern Times 10. Growing Consciousness of the Control of Nature PART FOUR: CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 11. Final Strengths and Weaknesses of Physico-Theology 12. Climate, the Moeurs, Religion, and Government 13. Environment, Population, and the Perfectibility of Man 14. The Epoch of Man in the History of Nature Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisExploring the cross-cultural history of the idea of freedom, from its origins in ancient Greece to the present day, this title argues that our attempts to imagine freedom should occupy the space of not only what is but also what if.Trade Review"In this new and incredibly ambitious account of the anatomy of freedom, Svetlana Boym works through the specifics of historical, aesthetic, and cultural narratives, moving effortlessly from large movements to human relationships and back again. Another Freedom is an engaging and imaginative philosophical experiment, at once intellectually gripping and moving, intensely relevant to the contemporary condition, and a major work of dazzling scholarship." (Isobel Armstrong, Birkbeck, University of London)"

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Book SynopsisSir Anthony Kenny tells the fascinating story of the birth of philosophy and its remarkable flourishing in the ancient Mediterranean world. This is the first of four volumes in which he unfolds a magisterial new history of Western philosophy. Specially written for a broad popular readership, but serious and deep enough to offer a genuine understanding of the great philosophers, Kenny''s lucid and stimulating history will become the definitive work for anyone interested in the people and ideas that shaped the course of Western thought.Trade ReviewBertrand Russell apparently wrote his History of Western Philosophy in a hurry to raise funds. Although this reamins a popular work, it is a patchy and unreliable source. By contrast, Kenny's history of philosophy is the product of a lifetime of scholarship and this is manifest on every page. The other celebrated history of philosophy is that of Frederick Copleston, which runs to twelve volumes. Although this contains a wealth of detail and remains a valuable resource, Kenny is by far the better philosopher and writer. * James Ladyman, Times Higher Education Supplement *Table of Contents1. Beginnings: From Pythagoras to Plato ; 2. Schools of Thought: From Aristotle to Augustine ; 3. Argument and Reason: Logic ; 4. Knowledge and its Limits ; 5. How Things Happen: Physics ; 6. What There Is: Metaphysics ; 7. Soul and Mind ; 8. How to Live: Ethics ; 9. God

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Book SynopsisThis volume provides an unequaled introduction to the thought of chief contributors to the Western tradition of political philosophy from classical Greek antiquity to the twentieth century. Written by specialists on the various philosophers, this third edition has been expanded significantly to include both new and revised essays.

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Book SynopsisUrges a revival of the humanities' lost tradition of studying the meaning of life through the careful but critical reading of great works of literary and philosophical imagination. This book offers the charter document of that revival.Trade Review"An impassioned defense of the humanities."—Robert Messenger, Wall Street Journal"Superb."—Charles Lane, Washington Post Book World"Kronman unfolds here a sustained argument marked by subtlety, force, nuance, and considerable appeal."—Francis Oakley, President Emeritus, Williams College"In a brilliant, sustained argument that is as forthright, bold, and passionately felt as it is ideologically unclassifiable and original, Anthony Kronman leaps in a bound into the center of America’s cultural disputes, not to say cultural wars. Although Kronman’s specific area of concern is higher education, his argument will reach far beyond campus walls."—Jonathan Schell, author of The Unconquerable World: Power, Nonviolence and the Will of the People"Just when we need them most, the humanities have relinquished their role at the heart of liberal education—helping students reflect on what makes life worth living. In this bold and provocative book, Anthony Kronman explains why the humanities have lost their way. With eloquence and passion, he argues that departments of literature, classics, and philosophy can recover their authority and prestige only by reviving their traditional focus on fundamental questions about the meaning of life."—Michael J. Sandel, author of The Case against Perfection and Public Philosophy"No question that the humanities are in a bad way in education at the present, and this book offers not just an argument that they should be more highly prized, but a carefully reasoned position of what happened, why it did, and what needs and can be done about it."—Alvin Kernan, author of In Plato’s Cave

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Book SynopsisFor nineteenth-century Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt, the Italian Renaissance was nothing less than the beginning of the modern world - a world in which flourishing individualism and the competition for fame radically transformed science, the arts, and politics. In this landmark work he depicts the Italian city-states of Florence, Venice and Rome as providing the seeds of a new form of society, and traces the rise of the creative individual, from Dante to Michelangelo. A fascinating description of an era of cultural transition, this nineteenth-century masterpiece was to become the most influential interpretation of the Italian Renaissance, and anticipated ideas such as Nietzsche's concept of the 'Ubermensch' in its portrayal of an age of genius.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history Trade Review“The greatest single book on the history of Italy between 1350 and 1550.”—Hajo Holborn

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Book SynopsisFree Speech!' is a clarion call all over the world, yet what it means today is more contested than ever. Many cultures regard it as dangerous: in China, India, and across the Islamic world, unorthodox views about politics, sex, and religion are repressed and people are often punished for expressing them. Even in the western world, where it is held up as a core value, there is widespread discord and disagreement about what freedom of expression means. Amidst perennial imbalances of power, continually evolving cultural taboos, dramatic new technologies and a fast-changing global media landscape, where free speech comes from and how we might think about it are critical questions. Through the lens of history, What Is Free Speech? shows us that freedom of speech is not an absolute from which societies and regimes have drifted or dissented at different times, but something more complicated and interesting. Our modern conceptions of press and speech liberty, Dabhoiwala shows, were inv

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Book SynopsisDemocracy, free thought and expression, religious tolerance, individual liberty, political self-determination of people, sexual and racial equality - these values have firmly entered the mainstream in the decades since they were enshrined in the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights. This book deals with this topic.Trade Review"Spinoza's radicalism was certainly frightening in its time, and Israel has valuably if aggressively opened the question of its influence on the Enlightenment and the era of revolution."--Samuel Moyn, Nation "Israel is right to emphasize the importance of this intellectual movement, but since his is such a sweeping revision of so many generations of received ideas, his work raises the question of why the radical Enlightenment has been misunderstood or obscured for so long in favor of such colorful figures as Voltaire (in Israel's telling, a witty, snobbish sycophant)... We are lucky that a historian of Israel's caliber has taken these subjects on and lucky, too, that he has now produced a readable introduction to them."--Benjamin Moser, Harper's Magazine "Israel's reasoned assertion for the influence of the Radical Enlightenment on democratic thought is certainly compelling, making this essential reading for students of the Enlightenment era as well as anyone interested in the foundations of modern democracy."--Library Journal "Israel's new book is a breathtaking rethinking of the Enlightenment and its impact in the modern world."--Choice "Perhaps no active scholar has shaped the conversation about the sources and meaning of the Enlightenment more than Jonathan Israel... Almost miraculously, Israel manages to embody the greatest intellectual virtues and vices."--Christian Century "Israel succeeds commendably in a great evaluation and dissemination of generally unknown texts from beyond the familiar territories of France, England, and America. In this respect, he broadens the common conception of where Enlightenment ideas were debated and implemented, unlike Isaiah Berlin, who failed to notice the American Enlightenment."--Rivka Weisberg and Carl Pletsch, 1650-1850 "In telling this fascinating story, A Revolution of the Mind reveals the surprising origins of our most cherished values--and helps explain why in certain circles they are frequently disapproved of and attacked even today."--World Book Industry "The book is obligatory reading."--Antal Szantay, Israel, European History Quarterly "[T]hanks to Israel's engaging narrative style, this is an accessible and entertaining, yet hugely informative read."--Sinead Fitzgibbon, Marginalia "Israel's book is itself a demonstration of just how alive Enlightenment values and ideals still are."--Alan Apperley, European LegacyTable of ContentsPreface vii CHAPTER I: Progress and the Enlightenment's Two Conflicting Ways of Improving the World 1 CHAPTER II: Democracy or Social Hierarchy? The Political Rift 37 CHAPTER III: The Problem of Equality and Inequality: The Rise of Economics 92 CHAPTER IV: The Enlightenment's Critique of War and the Quest for "Perpetual Peace" 124 CHAPTER V: Two Kinds of Moral Philosophy in Conflict 154 CHAPTER VI: Voltaire versus Spinoza: The Enlightenment as a Basic Duality of Philosophical Systems 199 CHAPTER VII: Conclusion 221 Notes 243 Index 267

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Book SynopsisThis work examines community as an idea that has dominated modern thought and traces its relation to concepts of experience, discourse and the individual.Table of ContentsThe inoperative community; Myth interrupted; "Literary communism"; Shattered love; Of divine places

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Book SynopsisIn this text, Eric Voegelin explores two aspects of modernity. He offers an account of the political situation in 17th-century Europe after the decline of the church and the empire, and also explains his theory of ""phenomenalism"".

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Book SynopsisIn this work, John Rennie Short reveals how the spatial discourses of the 16th century formed a remarkable revolution that changed the way the world was represented. In addition, he highlights the role of the occult practices in the new spatial sciences.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe most innovative and influential French thinker of the contemporary era -- Sudhir Hazareesingh * Guardian *Nearly 35 years after his death, Foucault remains a vital reference point, and his History of Sexuality remains required reading ... The appearance of the fourth volume is itself the most significant event in the world of Foucault scholarship in 20 years ... Essential * Los Angeles Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisThis sweeping history of classical economics shows how the work ethic has been used both to oppress workers and to liberate them. Today''s neoliberalism offers an oppressive version of the work ethic. However, the work ethic also offers resources for reorganizing the economy on behalf of ordinary people--Trade Review'Hijacked is an important and fascinating book that tells the spellbinding story of the struggle between conservatives and progressives over the Protestant work ethic. Nobody matches Anderson's distinctive combination of historical, political, and philosophical insight.' Stephen Darwall, author of Modern Moral Philosophy: From Grotius to Kant'This critical examination of the Protestant work ethic and its evolution in social and economic theory outlines the challenges of preserving rewarding and purposeful work in liberal economies where free market capitalism has eroded both aspirations and capabilities, undermining the intrinsic dignity and meaning of work.' Richard Donkin, author of The History of Work'Most of us will spend a significant part of our lives at work. But work conditions differ radically and the working poor often face brutal and dehumanizing workplaces. In this brilliant book, Anderson uncovers the role of a skewed version of the work ethic in shaping these harsh conditions. This skewed version turned the values of industry, prudence, and frugality against workers, while leaving the predatory and idle rich off the hook. Not only does Anderson offer a subtle diagnosis of the origins of today's stigmatization and deprivation of the poor, but she offers creative ideas for reclaiming the work ethic in the service of democracy. Her superb analysis, connecting political philosophy with both history and political economy, will stimulate wide debate.' Debra Satz, coauthor of Economic Analysis, Moral Philosophy, and Public Policy'As rigorous as it is approachable, this poignant plea for worker dignity contextualizes one of today's most salient economic issues.' Publishers Weekly'If we arm ourselves with Elizabeth Anderson's superb history of the work ethic, we obtain a powerful lens with which to explore at a perfect time - during party conference season - how different visions of work form the beating heart of ideological struggle.' Morning StarTable of ContentsPreface; 1. The dual nature of the Protestant work ethic and the birth of utilitarianism; 2. Locke and the progressive work ethic; 3. How conservatives hijacked the work ethic and turned it against workers; 4. Welfare reform, famine, and the ideology of the conservative work ethic; 5. The progressive work ethic (1): Smith, Ricardo, and Ricardian socialists; 6. The progressive work ethic (2): J. S. Mill; 7. The progressive work ethic (3): Marx; 8. Social democracy as the culmination of the progressive work ethic; 9. Hijacked again: Neoliberalism as the return of the conservative work ethic; 10. Conclusion: What should the work ethic mean for us today?; Acknowledgments; Major works cited; Notes; Index.

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Book Synopsis''A landmark new book.'' - The GuardianAge of Discovery looks at the world on the brink of a new Renaissance and asks the question, how do we avoid chaos and disruption, and share more widely the benefits of progress?Now is humanity's best moment. And our most fragile. Global health, wealth and education are booming. Scientific discovery is flourishing. But the same forces that make big gains possible for some of us deliver big losses to othersand tangle us together in ways that make everyone vulnerable.We've been here before. The first Renaissance, the time of Columbus, Copernicus, Gutenberg and others, redrew all maps of the world, liberated information and shifted Western civilization from the medieval to the early modern era. Such change came at a price: social division, political extremism, economic shocks, pandemics and other unintended consequences of human endeavour.Now is our second Renaissance. In the face Trade ReviewA landmark new book. -- The GuardianA bold mega-analysis of global education, health, prosperity and technology...incisive and rich in context and granularity. -- NatureAn essential guide - and a superb ride - through our current stormy moment. -- Arianna Huffington * Editor-in-Chief, Huffington Post *A powerful journey…This book will help the world. -- Richard Branson * Founder, Virgin Group *Everyone should read it. -- Michael Spence * Nobel Laureate in Economics *Ian and Chris ask—and answer—the big, essential questions…We should thank them for their audacity. -- Christine Lagarde * Managing Director, International Monetary Fund *This fascinating book…should interest all who care about the future of humanity. -- Lord Martin Rees * Astronomer Royal & past President of the Royal Society *A much-needed dose of perspective in our increasingly short-term-focused world. -- Dominic Barton * Global Managing Director, McKinsey & Co *Essential reading to navigate the waves of innovation we face today. -- Garry Kasparov * 13th World Chess Champion *A call to action we all need to hear. -- Kumi Naidoo * International Executive Director, Greenpeace *An education and a great read in one. -- AC Grayling * Philosopher *Outstanding insights for all those interested in the stresses of the modern world and how other ages have confronted them. -- Andrew Hamilton * President, NYU & past Vice-Chancellor, Oxford University *A very important reminder to grasp the opportunities in the many challenges we are facing today. -- Hans-Paul Bürkner * Chairman, Boston Consulting Group *A refreshing change from the shallow analyses and sterile nostrums of the right and the left…an impressive and important book. -- Edmund Phelps * Nobel Laureate in Economics *A hugely stimulating book…Everyone should heed the authors’ call. -- Niall Ferguson * Professor of History, Harvard University *A must-read for present and future leaders everywhere. -- Asha Kanwar * President, Commonwealth of Learning *A remarkable feat of both history and prophecy. Ian and Chris have given us a gift of self-reflection that is indeed rare. I can’t believe the book is so light and small for accomplishing such a heavy lift. -- Larry Brilliant * President, Skoll Global Threats Fund & past Executive Director, Google.org *A masterpiece. -- Vijay Govindarajan * New York Times best-selling author *A rich portrait…powerful parallels…essential insights for all of us—including for every emerging Michelangelo and da Vinci. -- Reid Hoffman * Founder & Chairman, LinkedIn *‘[A] lively account of both Renaissance and modern history...Maybe someone should send Mr. Trump a copy of this book; it might yield some thought-­provoking tweets. -- Financial TimesIf you read only one thing... -- PoliticoFar-sighted...Age of Discovery succeeds in convincing that this is an uncommonly interesting time to be alive, with unusual levels of promise—and peril. -- Times Higher Education SupplementA highly stimulating, indeed challenging book. -- ForbesEnlightening. -- The Sunday TelegraphAge of Discovery will leave its readers drained by the scale of the problems we face…but its scope and authority reward the effort. -- Daily TelegraphBreathless. -- New StatesmanUrgent reading everywhere. -- Shanghai Review of BooksThis book completely blows my mind. -- ‘Tell Me Everything with John Fugelsang’ on Sirius/XMWow. -- ABC Afternoons with James ValentineAudacious. -- Salon.comCharts the birth of a brave new world…Impressive. -- Morning StarA rallying cry for an aspirational future. -- CBC NewsA fantastic new book. -- Breitbart.comEdifying and thoroughly entertaining. -- Inside Higher EdA brilliant, “big-think” read of serious scholarship and keen observation of our present moment. It is a prescient warning, a call to action to the better angels of our nature, and a map for a new age of discovery. -- 800-CEO-READThe best book I’ve read in the past five years. -- 33Voices.comImportant. Powerful. -- FutureSquaredAn immense contribution to rethinking our epoch. -- Cambridge Business ReviewTable of Contents1. What’s Past is Prologue Part I: The Facts of a Renaissance Age 2. The New World 3. New Tangles 4. Vitruvian Man Part II: Flourishing Genius 5. Copernican Revolutions 6. Cathedrals, Believers and Doubt Part III: Flourishing Risk 7. The Pox is Spreading, Venice is Sinking 8. Bonfires and Belonging Part IV: The Contest for our Future 9. David

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Book SynopsisA meditation on the mysteries of color and the fascination they provoke. It uses color to explore further dimensions of what the author calls 'the bodily unconscious' in an age of global warming. Drawing on classic ethnography as well as the work of Benjamin, Burroughs, and Proust, it takes up the notion that color invites the viewer into images.Trade Review"If Hunter S. Thompson had been trained by Boas in anthropology, Engels in economics, and Arendt in philosophy, he might write something like Taussig." - Publishers Weekly "Blending fact and fiction, ethnographic observation, archival history, literary theory and memoir, his books read more like beatnik novels than somber analyses of other cultures." - New York Times"

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Book SynopsisWitchcraft, astrology, divination and every kind of popular magic flourished in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, from the belief that a blessed amulet could prevent the assaults of the Devil to the use of the same charms to recover stolen goods. At the same time the Protestant Reformation attempted to take the magic out of religion, and scientists were developing new explanations of the universe. Keith Thomas''s classic analysis of beliefs held on every level of English society begins with the collapse of the medieval Church and ends with the changing intellectual atmosphere around 1700, when science and rationalism began to challenge the older systems of belief.Trade ReviewMonumental ... with a living treasure on each page, and probably the book that, in my whole life, I've pressed on other people most energetically. (Selected people, of course. They have to care for history, and they need a sense of wonder and a sense of fun.) -- Hilary Mantel * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisA concise, comprehensive overview of the “M Theory” and its application in today’s world, by a renowned American philosopher Ken Wilber has long been hailed as one of the most important thinkers of our time, but his work has seemed inaccessible to readers who lack a background in consciousness studies or evolutionary theory—until now. In A Theory of Everything, Wilber uses clear, non-technical language to present complex, cutting-edge theories that integrate the realms of body, mind, soul, and spirit. He then demonstrates how these theories and models can be applied to real world problems and incorporated into readers’ everyday lives. Wilber begins his study by presenting models like “spiral dynamics”—a leading model of human evolution—and his groundbreaking “all-level, all-quadrant” model for integrating science and religion, showing how they are being applied to politics, medicine, business, education, and the environment. He also covers broader models, explaining how they can integrate the various worldviews that have been developed around the world throughout the ages. Finally, Wilber proposes that readers take up an integral transformative practice—such as meditation—to help them apply and develop this integral vision in their personal, daily lives. A fascinating and easy-to-follow exploration of the “M Theory,” this book is another tour-de-force from one of America’s most inventive minds.

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Book Synopsis'Breathtakingly entertaining, endlessly instructive, irresistibly enjoyable' THE TIMES'A tour de force ... breathtaking' SPECTATOR'A magnificent achievement' LITERARY REVIEWTERRIBLE BEAUTY presents a unique narrative of the twentieth century. Unlike more conventional histories, where the focus is on political events and personalities, on wars, treaties and elections, this book concentrates on the ideas that made the century so rich, rewarding and provocative. Beginning with four seminal ideas which were introduced in 1900 - the unconscious, the gene, the quantum and Picasso's first paintings in Paris - the book brings together the main areas of thought and juxtaposes the most original and influential ideas of our time in an immensely readable narrative. From the creation of plastic to Norman Mailer, from the discovery of the 'Big Bang' to the Counterculture, from Relativity to Susan Sontag, from Proust to Salman Rushdie, and Henri Bergson to Saul Bellow, the book's range is encyclopaedic. We meet in these pages the other twentieth century, the writers, the artists, the scientists and philosophers who were not cowed by the political and military disasters raging around them, and produced some of the most amazing and rewarding ideas by which we live. Terrible Beauty, endlessly stimulating and provocative, affirms that there was much more to the twentieth century than war and genocide.Trade ReviewBreathtakingly entertaining, endlessly instructive, irresistibly enjoyable * THE TIMES *A tour de force of monumental proportions ... flawlessly, mesmerically narrative ... its capacity to engage is almost intoxicating * SPECTATOR *A brilliant concept ... I am lost in admiration * GLASGOW HERALD *This mammoth history of 20th-century ideas is a tour de force, the product of omnivorous reading and encyclopaedic erudition ... Watson is a highly talented populariser with a gift for precis * INDEPENDENT *A TERRIBLE BEAUTY is a magnificent achievement, highly readable, absorbing and stimulating * LITERARY REVIEW *

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Book SynopsisFrom Steven Johnson, the bestselling author of Where Good Ideas Come From, comes How We Got to Now, the companion book to his six-part BBC One television series exploring the power and the legacy of great ideas.How did photography bring about social reform? What connects refrigeration to Hollywood? And how did our battle against dirt help create smartphones? In this story of ingenious breakthroughs and unsung heroes, Steven Johnson explores the essential innovations that changed the world and how we live in it.'A new Steven Johnson book is something not to be missed. The author has become the leading writer on how inventions happen' Daniel Finkelstein, The Times, Books of the Year'Graceful and compelling ... you'll find yourself exhilarated' The New York Times Book Review'Readable, entertaining, and a challenge to any jaded sensibility that has become inured to the everyday miracles all around us' Peter Forbes, Guardian'This nimble history of invention . . .is a many-layered delight' Nature

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Book SynopsisHow do we use our mental images of the present to reconstruct our past? Maurice Halbwachs (1877-1945) addressed this question for the first time in his work on collective memory, which established him as a major figure in the history of sociology. This volume, the first comprehensive English-language translation of Halbwach's writings on the social construction of memory, fills a major gap in the literature on the sociology of knowledge. Halbwachs' primary thesis is that human memory can only function within a collective context. Collective memory, Halbwachs asserts, is always selective; various groups of people have different collective memories, which in turn give rise to different modes of behavior. Halbwachs shows, for example, how pilgrims to the Holy Land over the centuries evoked very different images of the events of Jesus' life; how wealthy old families in France have a memory of the past that diverges sharply from that of the nouveaux riches; and how working class construct

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Book SynopsisExamines the body of work on the intellectual, social and cultural origins of early modern science. Cohen surveys a wide range of scholarship since the 19th century, offering new perspectives on how the Scientific Revolution changed the way we understand the natural world and our place in it.Table of ContentsPart 1 Defining the Nature of the Scientific Revolution: The Great Tradition - Concepts and approaches in studying the Scientific Revolution; The New Science in a Wider Setting - The cultural, social and historical context of the new science. Part 2 The Search for Causes of the Scientific Revolution: The Emergence of Early Modern Science from Previous Western Thought on Nature - Why the Scientific Revolution did not take place in Ancient Greece and how early modern science emerged from Renaissance thought; The Emergence of Early Modern Science from Events in the History of Western Europe; the Nonemergence of Early Modern Science Outside Western Europe. Part 3 Summary and Conclusions: the Scientific Revolution - 50 Years in the Life of a Concept; the Structure of the Scientific Revolution.

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Book SynopsisFor more than two centuries, our political life has been divided between a party of progress and a party of conservation. In The Great Debate , Yuval Levin explores the origins of the left/right divide by examining the views of the men who best represented each side of that debate at its outset: Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine. In a ground-breaking exploration of the roots of our political order, Levin shows that American partisanship originated in the debates over the French Revolution, fueled by the fiery rhetoric of these ideological titans. Levin masterfully shows how Burke''s and Paine''s differing views, a reforming conservatism and a restoring progressivism, continue to shape our current political discourse,on issues ranging from abortion to welfare, education, economics, and beyond. Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand Washington''s often acrimonious rifts, The Great Debate offers a profound examination of what conservatism, liberalism, and the debate between them truly amount to.Trade Review"Yuval Levin, whose sharp thinking was honed at the University of Chicago's Committee on Social Thought...is one of conservatism's most sophisticated and measured explicators." -George F. Will, Washington Post "The Great Debate's architecture is clever and intellectually persuasive... A thoughtful introduction to this famous paradigmatic opposition." -Washington Post "Levin enters into another great debate that riles academia: between historians insisting upon the uniqueness and specificity of events, which defy abstractions and generalizations, and philosophers impatient with the ephemera and contingency of events, which do not rise to the level of truth and certainty. Here too he rises to the occasion, satisfying the scruples of historians and philosophers alike. From a debate raged about an event centuries ago, he deduces truths that illuminate some of our most vexing political and social problems today." -Weekly Standard "A judicious, nuanced, and accessible precis that reveals both Burke and Paine to be complicated and compelling thinkers. This sympathetic treatment of the two men, in turn, allows Levin to paint an intellectual picture of right and left that is more gray than black and white, something all too rare today." -Democracy Journal "[Has] potential to have long-lasting impact on a reader... Levin's book forces the reader to stop and create space for thought and reflection, and does not spoon-feed easy answers or applications to today's politics. It does, however, raise serious questions about whether the new obsession with 'data-based' decision-making, the Nate Silver-ization of journalism and politics, could be taken too far if we come to believe that everything in public life can be answered by the scientific method. It also poses significant queries worth grappling with for those rightly concerned about the growing gap between rich and poor. Levin echoes Burke's challenge to reformers to proceed with caution, and with humility." -Huffington Post "The Great Debate's excellent writing about 18th-century history and political theory will inform and educate readers." -Washington Independent Review of Books "In this rigorous yet accessible work, Levin contextualizes the positions of British philosopher Edmund Burke, who has been viewed as both the founder of modern conservatism and an example of classical liberalism, and Thomas Paine, the author of several classic political texts, including Common Sense and The Rights of Man." -Shelf Awareness "Levin's critique of liberalism is powerful and to be expected. But what makes his book much more interesting is his truly trenchant critique of his fellow conservatives as well. And it is a critique well-taken. I'd be much tougher on them, but this book is a tonic for a new discourse." -Andrew Sullivan, The Dish "Must-read primer on America's ideological faultline...[a] wonderful new book...a readable intellectual history that fairly crackles with contemporary relevance. The must-read book of the year for conservatives--especially those conservatives who are profoundly and genuinely baffled by the declining popularity of the GOP as a national party." -American Conservative's State of the Union Blog "Mr. Levin, the editor of the journal National Affairs and a former aide to both Speaker Gingrich and President George W. Bush, provides a valuable service by dusting off the writings of Burke and Paine and by clearly, concisely, and accessibly summarizing them in a way that highlights their relevance to contemporary politics and policy... The monarchist Burke and the religious skeptic Paine, an early supporter of the bloody French revolution, would seem to be unlikely models for today's American politicians of either party. But Mr. Levin has made a convincing case that, 200 years later, we can still learn from both men." -New York Sun "Two seminal thinkers anticipate the modern split between progressives and conservatives in this insightful study of 18th-century political theory. National Affairs editor Levin presents a lucid analysis of the ideological confrontation between Paine...and Burke...he succeeds in establishing the continued relevance of Burke's thought and prescient critique of revolutionary excesses." --Publishers Weekly "Making intricate contrasts between Paine and Burke throughout, Levin perceptively demonstrates the philosophical routes to liberalism and conservatism for politics-minded readers." --Booklist "The Great Debate brilliantly brings out the richness of the tradition underlying our politics. It reminds us that politics is an intellectually serious thing that deserves better than the shallowness and cynicism that fills our political conversations. It reminds us that the right and left are each rooted in a desire to see politics serve the cause of human flourishing, even if they understand that cause very differently. And by the way, Burke was right." --Peggy Noonan, columnist, The Wall Street Journal "Yuval Levin's lucid and learned investigation of our origins is not only a study in the history of ideas, it is also a summons to first principles. Like Burke and Paine, Levin believes that philosophies are buried in the shabbiness of politics. His book is both clarifying and complicating: he writes sympathetically about both sides of the heroic disputation that he describes, and so his book will have the salutary effect of shattering ideological complacence. In our infamously polarized climate, The Great Debate may even be a public service." --Leon Wieseltier "The Great Debate is an exciting, narrative adventure in the contest of ideas. With two world-shaking revolutions as background, Levin brilliantly explains how two great minds shaped the broad debate between left and right that still governs our political debates today." --William J. Bennett, former Secretary of Education and author of America: The Last Best Hope "The polarized character of contemporary American politics is widely noted, yet the intellectual origins of the division between right and left remain obscure. In his deeply historically informed and elegantly argued book, Yuval Levin casts a brilliant light on the matter. It is a work of lasting significance that will instruct liberals and conservatives alike on their intellectual heritage." --Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, Princeton UniversityTable of ContentsOne. Two Lives in the Arena Two. Nature and History Three. Justice and Order Four. Choice and Obligation Five. Reason and Prescription Six. Revolution and Reform Seven. Generations and the Living

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Book SynopsisAs the first comprehensive treatment of Classical economics from a modern Austrian perspective, this important history of nineteenth century economic thought discusses the key members of each school and reassesses their work. Professor Rothbard's approach offers new perspectives on both Ricardo and Say and their followers. The author suggests that Ricardianism declined after 1820 and was only revived with the work of John Stuart Mill. The book also resurrects the important Anglo-Irish school of thought at Trinity College, Dublin under Archbishop Richard Whately. Later chapters focus on the roots of Karl Marx and the nature of his doctrines, and laissez-faire thought in France including the work of Frederic Bastiat. Also included is a comprehensive treatment of the bullionist versus anti-bullionist and the Currency versus banking School controversies in the first half of the nineteenth century, and their influence outside Great Britain.Tracing economic thought from Smith to Marx, this book is notable for its inclusion of all the important figures in each school of thought and for assessing their theories in religious, political, philosophical and historical context. Economic Thought before Adam Smith, the first volume of Professor Rothbard's history of economic thought from an Austrian perspective, is also available.Trade Review'Rothbard's two-volume history of economic thought will inspire much fruitful discussion . . . Works that combine so much scholarship, clarity, freshness, and courage have become rare in economics.' -- Paul Heyne, The Independent Review'. . . the magnitude of Rothbard's achievement was such that his legacy is assured; his contribution to the cause of liberty in America will not only endure but continue to grow in stature. As an economist, he succeeded in firmly establishing the Austrian school of economics in America, expanding and refining the legacy of his own mentor, the great Ludwig von Mises.' -- Justin Raimondo, Chronicles'. . . an extraordinarily lively and provocative book. The world would be a poorer place without this stimulating and combative book. . .' -- D. P. O'Brien, The Manchester School'. . . it provides an extremely wide-ranging treatment of the periods and topics it covers. . . . this is a controversial book, written from a clear-cut standpoint. . . . an extremely exciting, even brilliant book.' -- Roger E. Backhouse, History of Economic Thought'To say that Murray Rothbard wrote with a polemical flair is an understatement of astonishing proportions. . . . The volumes are beautifully produced by Edward Elgar and anyone interested in Rothbard's thought, the history of economic liberalism, and the history of economic thought in general, will want these volumes in their personal collection. An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought is vintage Rothbard, which means that the volumes are very readable, always unique in interpretation. . . . In short Rothbard's An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought is a major contribution to the history of economic thought in general, and to Austrian economics in particular, and it deserves a wide circulation. It ranks with the contributions to intellectual history - not as a textbook of the wrong opinions of dead men, but as an original theoretical work whose intellectual story, if listened to, would surely overturn the received wisdom of our day and lead to a major recasting of the disciplines of economics and of political economy.' -- Peter J. Boettke, Economic Affairs'Murray Rothbard's two volumes are a monument of twentieth century scholarship.' -- David Gordon, The Mises Review'Rothbard's treatise makes a good case for the study of economic thought and provides a good introduction to Austrian economics by showing its links with earlier thinkers. . . friend and foe alike will benefit from Rothbard's atypical approach. His discussions of every thinker are enriched with insights on philosophy, history, religion, political movements, and the philosophy of science. The two volumes are jam-packed with information and research ideas.' -- Mark Thornton, Southern Economic JournalTable of ContentsContents: 1. J.B. Say: The French Tradition in Smithian Clothing 2. Jeremy Bentham: The Utilitarian as Big Brother 3. James Mill, Ricardo and the Ricardian System 4. The Decline of the Ricardian System, 1820–48 5. Monetary and Banking Thought, I: The Early Bullionist Controversy 6. Monetary and Banking Thought, II: The Bullion Report and the Return to Gold 7. Monetary and Banking Thought, III: The Struggle Over the Currency School 8. John Stuart Mill and the Reimposition of Ricardian Economics 9. Roots of Marxism: Messianic Communism 10. Marx’s Vision of Communism 11. Alienation, Unity and Dialectic 12. The Marxian System, I: Historical Materialism and the Class Struggle 13. The Marxian System, II: The Economics of Capitalism and its Inevitable Demise 14. After Mill: Bastiat and the French Laissez-Faire Tradition Bibliographical Essay

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Book SynopsisWhen should we revolt? A life-changing insight into violent political change by one of the world''s greatest political thinkers and author of surprise recent bestseller The Origins of Totalitarianism.''More than any thinker it was Arendt who identified how movements of ideas, racial theories, people and methods ... ultimately disfigured the twentieth century.'' David Olusoga''Arendt''s most profound legacy is in establishing that one has to consider oneself political as part of the human condition. What are your political acts, and what politics do they serve?'' Guardian''How could such a book speak so powerfully to our present moment? The short answer is that we, too, live in dark times.'' Washington Post (on The Origins of Totalitarianism)On Revolution is world-famous political thinker Hannah Arendt''s classic exploration of a phenomenon that has radically res

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Book SynopsisDemocracy is either aspired to as a goal or cherished as a birthright by billions of people throughout the world today -- and has been been for over a century. But what does it mean? And how has its meaning changed since it was first coined in ancient Greece? Democracy: A Life is a biography of the concept, looking at its many different manifestations and showing how it has changed over its long life, from ancient times right through to the present. For instance, how did the ''people power'' of the Athenians emerge in the first place? Once it had emerged, what enabled it to survive? And how did the Athenian version of democracy differ from the many other forms that developed among the myriad cities of the Greek world? Paul Cartledge answers all these questions and more, following the development of ancient political thinking about democracy from the sixth century BC onwards, not least the many arguments that were advanced against it over the centuries. As Cartledge shows, after a golden age in the fourth century BC, there was a long, slow degradation of the original Greek conception and practice of democracy, from the Hellenistic era, through late Republican and early Imperial Rome, down to early Byzantium in the sixth century CE. For many centuries after that, from late Antiquity, through the Middle Ages, to the Renaissance, democracy was effectively eclipsed by other forms of government, in both theory and practice. But as we know, this was by no means the end of the story. For democracy was eventually to enjoy a re-florescence, over two thousand years after its first flowering in the ancient world: initially revived in seventeenth-century England, it was to undergo a further renaissance in the revolutionary climate of late-eighteenth-century North America and France -- and has been constantly reconstituted and reinvented ever since.Trade ReviewA fascinating read. * Jim Butcher, Winter reads 2018-19: the best books of the season, The Times Higher Education Supplement *Cartledge offers a compact, yet thoroughly compelling, biography on the forms of democracy from ancient to modern times. A valuable resource, this book grants every reader the timely opportunity to revaluate what they understand by the term democracy, and thus the chance to consider the implications of that understanding in a world whereby national politics can so readily be scrutinised by a global audience. Indeed, closing the final pages of his book, Cartledge's reader ought to question the very application of such a label to some societies and, more importantly, whether they can even claim to live in an actual democracy themselves. The Greeks may have invented democracy but is it now up to us to save it? * Kerry Phelan, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *The huge value of Cartledges book is the reminder that 2016 is merely a way-stop on a very long journey indeed. * Tom Holland, The Guardian *Thanks to Cartledge, Athenian democracy feels more vital than it has done for decades. It is a belter of a book. * Peter Thonemann, Books of the Year 2016, Times Literary Supplement *Paul Cartledge subtitles his new study Democracy (Oxford) A Life, and was right to do so ... The clarity and zest with which he pursues his Snark-like quarry, the breadth and variety of his reading, and his cheerful persistence against odds (matching that of his subject) combine to make this an unexpectedly enjoyable page-turner. * Peter Green, Books of the Year 2016, Times Literary Supplement *If you only ever buy one book on the history of democracy, make it this one. In this study, Paul Cartledge offers a thrilling account, based on his near legendarycourse of lectures at Cambridge, of why it matters more than ever to us today. * Edith Hall, History Today *No library should be without this wonderful book, in which Cartledge has abundantly shared his love and knowledge of ancient Greece with us. * Kirkus Reviews *A stimulating biography of democracy, both in theory and in all its practical manifestations ... also a thoughtful response to those scholars, such as Amartya Sen, who argue that democracy is not 'a quintessentially Western idea'. Cartledge's analysis suggests that it is just that. * Classics for All *a nuanced account of the meanings and meanderings of democracy. An expert in ancient history, Cartledge spends most of his time looking at the emergence of democratic ideas in Greece, but his studies of democracy's "demise" under the Roman and Byzantine empires and its "eclipse" in medieval Europe are equally well-wrought. * Catholic Herald *Cartledge provides this tour of ancient Greek democracy with the expertise that has made him an internationally recognized authority in classical history, and he does so with a literary grace that makes his presentation of classical and modern democracy inviting, engaging, and accessible. This is true for both the academic specialist, who will want this compact scholarly reference at their fingertips, and the broader public, especially those who are interested, in the words of one reader, in 'building a more democratic future.' * Bernard J. Dobski, Society *Indian secularists need to read Democracy: A Life, a delightful whistle-stop tour of ancient Greece, and ponder their position and arguments on the seperation of state and religion. * Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr, DNA India *Democracy: A Life is a magisterial and moving account of the fate of democracy, understood as the rule of the masses and political empowerment of the poor, on the basis of some workable definition of freedom and equality. In an easy, graceful style with flashes of revelatory personal expression, Paul Cartledge deploys his stunning mastery of several millennia of human history and deep knowledge of decades of scholarship to bring ancient democracy and its critics, modern as well as ancient, vividly to life. * Danielle Allen, author of Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality *Democracy: A Life is a splendid match of author and subject. Paul Cartledge has been thinking deeply about the history and meaning of democracy for most of his own life. The impressive result is a passionate and erudite biography of a revolutionary idea that became a way of life, tracing the story from democracys radical origins, to its early flourishing, multiple crises, many betrayals, and modern rebirth. Buoyed by Cartledges engaging style and complete mastery of his subject, the reader returns to our own troubled present with new appreciation for democracys deep history, and armed with fresh resources for building a more democratic future. * Josiah Ober, author of The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece *The fruit of a lifetimes learning, this passionately argued book reveals what made ancient Greek democracy so remarkable and so different from the tamer version we have today. By showing how far we have come from the ancient Greeks, Paul Cartledge reminds us how much we still have to learn from them. * David Runciman, author of The Confidence Trap: A History of Democracy in Crisis from World War I to the Present *Just what was ancient Greek democracy and why does it still matter? Scholarly giant Paul Cartledge answers those questions in this learned and readable book that glides gracefully from Aristotle and the stones of Athens to Rome, the Renaissance, the Age of Revolution, and todays era of globalization. * Barry Strauss, author of The Death of Caesar: The Story of Historys Most Famous Assassination *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements Timeline Prologue: Lost in Translation? ACT I 1: Sources, Ancient and Modern 2: The Emergence of the Polis, Politics, and the Political ACT II 3: The Emergence of Greek Democracy I: Archaic Greece 4: The Emergence of Greek Democracy II: Athens 508/7 5: The Emergence of Greek Democracy III: Athens 507-451/0 6: Greek Democratic Theory? 7: Athenian Democracy in Practice c. 450-335 8: Athenian Democracy: Culture and Society c. 450-335 9: Greek Democracy in Credit and Crisis I: The Fifth Century 10: Athenian Democracy in Court: The Trials of Demos, Socrates, and Ctesiphon ACT III 11: Greek Democracy in Credit and Crisis II: The Golden Age of Greek Democracy (c. 375-350) and Its Critics 12: Athenian Democracy at Work in the 'Age of Lycurgus' 13: The Strange Death of Classical Greek Democracy: A Retrospect ACT IV 14: Hellenistic Democracy? Democracy in Deficit c. 323-86 BCE 15: The Roman Republic: A sort of Democracy? 16: Democracy Denied: The Roman and Early Byzantine Empires 17: Democracy Eclipsed: Late Antiquity, the European Middle Ages, and the Renaissance ACT V 18: Democracy Revived: England in the Seventeenth Century and France in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries 19: Democracy Reinvented: The United States in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries and Tocqueville's America 20: Democracy Tamed: Nineteenth-Century Great Britain Epilogue: Democracy Now: Retrospect and Prospects Afterword Notes and References Bibliography and Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisA History of Dangerous Assumptions features over two hundred illuminating and intriguing case-studies of this fascinating subject, including some of the most disastrous assumptions ever foisted upon the human race. This book began as an experiment, to discover if acting on assumptions could be discerned through the ages. In fact, this matter of assuming… of jumping to conclusions… of lacking sufficient evidence… of taking things for granted… seems to have caused far more problems for civilisation than expected. From Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps, to Bonaparte’s march on Moscow; from the hubris of Icarus and Phaeton, to the toppling towers of the Tay Bridge; from the maddening phantoms of a Northwest Passage, to the sinking of the Titanic; from the Schlieffen Plan of the First World War, to the creation of assumptions in the approach to D-Day; from Jean-Jacques Rousseau to Sherlock Holmes, here lies a highly contrasted trove of stories, episodes and anecdotes, their common link the mysterious mischief of assumption.

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Book SynopsisContemporary capitalism produces more and more money, debt, and inequality. These three trends have a common cause: the privilege of private banks to create money by means of accounting - by the stroke of a key. Why was this privilege not addressed politically for so long - and who benefited from it? At the heart of the answer lies the realization that the power to create money has been hidden by the way we commonly think and talk about capitalism. The book traces the omission of money creation from theories of capitalism and maps its consequences. By expanding the manoeuvring space for the banks to use their privilege, the capitalist countries have financed a transformation of the economy known as financialization. As a result, the real economy and private households became a debt supplier to a monetary system whose returns accumulate at the top. It is not simply "the markets" but money itself that transfers economic benefits from the masses to a minority. Increasing inequality of income and wealth can therefore only be combated if one does not only correct distributive results of markets-redistribution-, but addresses predistribution: the modalities of money creation.Trade ReviewIn the money-creation privilege of private banks, Aaron Sahr discovers a precarious mechanism of inequality reinforcement to which the regulation of capitalist economic activity has paid far too little attention to date. -- Hanno Pahl, University of Bonn, Germany * Neue soziologische Beiträge zur Kapitalismusanalyse: Ein Einblick. In: Soziologische Revue 42 (3), S. 405–417. DOI: 10.1515/srsr-2019-0050 *Sahr has successfully identified the structures that privilege so few and put so many at a disadvantage. The way in which the author presents these issues, unravels the connections and structures, and elucidates the illegitimacy of the money-production privilege adds up to an outstanding piece of sociological scholarship. -- Stefan Freichel * Monetative Blog *The uncontrolled creation of money by private banks should interest us all, because it creates a permanent redistribution from the poor to the rich, says the highly interesting 'Keystroke Capitalism'. -- Mathias Sonne * Information (Newspaper), DK *This book an accessible synthesis of a good deal of the literature, with interesting although by no means final political ideas. -- Wolfgang StreeckAaron Sahr's book provides a highly accessible synthesis of the state of knowledge on modern money and how it affects the political economy. Readers learn about the nature of fiat money and fiat credit and their contribution the financialization of contemporary capitalism, the conflicts it generates, and the consequences for the state and public policy. -- Wolfgang StreeckWhy and how did a company with a huge cash pile in the bank - Apple Inc - set out to borrow $17 billion in 2013? How did the world's billionaire class accumulate $418 trillion US dollars - an amount five times world income - in the blink of an eye? The answers can be found in this admirably accessible book on the way the globalised, private financial system generates 'keystroke wealth' and 'keystroke capital gains' - but also its nemesis - 'keystroke debt'. A must-read for all those fretting about the likely next crisis in the evolution of financialised capitalism. -- Ann Pettifor

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Book Synopsis‘Melvyn not only makes you think … he makes it enjoyable too. He’s brilliant.’ – John Humphrys, the Today Programme. ‘In a troubled world where many sneer at experts, In Our Time is always a treat. Those who know what they're talking about, talk about it, and they do it under the benevolent if occasionally testy guidance of one who knows how to bring out the best in them.  Listen, read, mark, and inwardly digest; agreeable glass of accompanying refreshment optional.’  - Sir Diarmaid MacCulloch 'This beautifully produced and expertly edited book is a wonderfully rich and varied sample of 50 In Our Time programmes, from ancient Greek philosophy to dark matter via the gin craze.  It will whet your appetite to visit or revisit the many hundreds of other programmes in this remarkable series.' - Professor Angela Hobbs

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Book SynopsisTo Be Human presents Krishnamurti''s radical vision of life in a new way. At the heart of this extraordinary collection are passages from the great teacher''s talks that amplify and clarify the nature of truth and those obstacles that often prevent us from seeing it. Most of these core teachings have not been available in print until now. Besides presenting the core of Krishnamurti''s message, the book alerts the reader to his innovative use of language, the ways in which he would use 'old words with new interpretations,' then gives practical examples, showing that we can clarify our understanding of life itself—and act on this new understanding. The splendid introduction by David Skitt discusses Krishnamurti''s philosophy as a guide to knowledge and experience, the roles knowledge and experience should play in our lives, and the times when it is best to cast them aside and 'look and act anew.' The book''s source notes will aid the inquisitive reader who wishes a deeper understanding of this great teacher''s message.

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Book SynopsisMonty was just like any other dog. A scruffy and irascible Maltese terrier, he enjoyed barking at pugs and sniffing at trees. But after yet another dramatic confrontation with the local Rottweiler, Anthony McGowan realises it’s high time he and Monty had a chat about what makes him a good or a bad dog. And they don’t stop at ethics. Taking his cue from Monty’s canine antics, McGowan leads us on an enlightening jaunt through the world of philosophy. Will Kant convince Monty to stop stealing cheesecake? How long will they put up with Socrates poking holes in every argument? Do they have free will to pursue answers to these questions? Join the dutiful duo as they set out to uncover who – if anyone – has the right end of the ethical stick and can tell us how best to live one’s life. But there is also a shadow over their conversations. Monty is not well… And so towards the end the biggest questions raise their heads: is there a God? Does life have a meaning? By the time of their last walk together, Monty – and the reader – will find that they have not just solved a few philosophical puzzles, but absorbed much of the history of Western philosophy.Trade Review‘Anthony McGowan’s How to Teach Philosophy to Your Dog is a delightful, quirky book that deserves a wide readership and may well get it… A witty, enjoyable book that gently introduces some serious philosophy, with plenty of smiles along the way’ * Nigel Warburton, Five Books *'For essential reading on both the meaning of dogs and the meaning of life, I can recommend Anthony McGowan’s wonderful book How to Teach Philosophy to Your Dog, a series of conversations he had with his dog, Monty, while out walking together. The final chapter is a touching meditation on death and the existence – or not – of God, that takes in everything from Aristotle to Schopenhauer and leaves you suspecting dogs might already have had many of the answers all along. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio / Than are dreamed of in your philosophy.' -- Guardian‘Anthony McGowan’s wonderful survey of philosophy… Hugely entertaining and accessible, there can’t have been more delightful exponents of Socratic dialogue than McGowan and Monty, his scruffy and evidently delightful Maltese terrier.’ -- Tom Holland, Best Books of the Year, New Statesman'I loved loved loved this book. Genuinely profound as well as very funny.' * Alex Preston, via Twitter *‘Filled with sparkling insights, a joy from start to finish. In turns witty, brilliant and irreverent, McGowan explains nothing less than the meaning of life – to his dog. If only we were all as lucky as Monty to go for long walks with the author…’ -- Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads'McGowan playfully explores philosophy in this amusing collection of imaginary dialogues conducted with his Maltese terrier, Monty. Readers who have never roamed the paths of philosophy before, or who could use a return trip, will appreciate this enjoyable tour from a friendly guide and his loyal companion.' -- Publishers Weekly'An accessible, amusing guide to key philosophical questions...Perfect for novice philosophers.' * Idler *‘Readable, funny but enlightening…accessible and illuminating.’ * Church of England Newspaper *‘This is the most entertaining and accessible introduction to philosophy I have read. I doubt there can ever have been more delightful exponents of Socratic dialogue than McGowan and Monty, his dog.’ -- Tom Holland‘There is no sharper, funnier, cleverer writer in Britain today.’ -- Robert Twigger, author of Micromastery'A charming, informative, unique introduction to Western philosophy.' * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisA major biography of the man who, more than any other, made the twentieth century. Written by an author of great repute. The history of the 20th century is Marx's legacy. Not since Jesus Christ has an obscure pauper inspired such global devotion – or been so calamitously misinterpreted. The end of the century is a good moment to strip away the mythology and try to rediscover Marx the man. There have been many thousands of books on Marxism, but almost all are written by academics and zealots for whom it is a near blaspemy to treat him as a figure of flesh and blood. In the past few years there have been excellent and successful biographies of many eminent Victorians and yet the most influential of them has remained untouched. In this book Francis Wheen, for the first time, presens Marx the man in all his brilliance and frailty – as a poverty-stricken Prussian emigre who became a middle-class English gentleman; as an angry agitator who spent much of his adult life in scholarly silence in the British Museum Reading Room; as a gregarious and convivial host who fell out with almost all his friends; as a devoted family man who impregnated his housemaid; as a deeply earnest philosopher who loved drink, cigars and jokes.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Gaukroger displays a remarkably broad range: his sweep of knowledge is truly impressive. . . . Many of his local observations are startling, in a good way; he asks those of us who study the figures he discusses to step back and reflect on their ultimate objectives, their successes, and, yes, their failures."---Christopher Shields, MIND"Gaukroger’s narrative is creative and convincing, extremely dense and elegant at the same time, based on a jaw-dropping breadth and depth of scholarship. . . . All this is a rather convoluted way of saying that to my mind, our losses are not as great as they may seem: the fact that we have Stephen Gaukroger’s brilliant studies to read makes up in no small part for the failures of philosophy."---Jeroen Bouterse, 3 Quarks Daily

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Book Synopsis''A brilliant and revelatory book about the history of ideas'' David Runciman ''Fascinating and important'' Ruth Scurr The Enlightenment is popularly seen as the Age of Reason, a key moment in human history when ideals such as freedom, progress, natural rights and constitutional government prevailed. In this radical re-evaluation, historian Richard Whatmore shows why, for many at its centre, the Enlightenment was a profound failure.By the early eighteenth century, hope was widespread that Enlightenment could be coupled with toleration, the progress of commerce and the end of the fanatic wars of religion that were destroying Europe. At its heart was the battle to establish and maintain liberty in free states and the hope that absolute monarchies such as France and free states like Britain might even subsist together, equally respectful of civil liberties. Yet all of this collapsed when states pursued wealth and empire by means of war. XenophTrade ReviewIn a study with chilling modern resonance, the history don contends that the age of reason was betrayed by the greed, corruption and barbarism of Britain’s ruling elite. . . A nuanced history. . . Enlightenment, for Whatmore and the thinkers he so engagingly profiles, had an objective, namely to overcome superstition that had soaked 17th-century Europe in blood * Observer *Richard Whatmore serves up eight scintillating portraits of disillusioned thinkers who gave up on the hope of a lasting peace... an ambitious exposition of the British thought-world in the years bookended by the American and French Revolutions * The Times *The End of Enlightenment is an illuminating, indeed enlightening, exploration of a period that was far more sombre than we may now realise' -- Ritchie Robertson * TLS *This book shows brilliantly how an idea, though it may travel across the centuries, can still be historically located, just like the people who invented it. Invigorating. . . the Enlightenment in Whatmore’s telling is not a staid, steady procession of pompous ideas, but a vital intellectual exercise in making the best of a bad hand. And that’s a lesson for the 21st century too * Evening Standard *Highly intelligent and sensitively written, The End of Enlightenment focuses on post-1750 British and Irish contributors to the movement * Financial Times *Whatmore approaches the Enlightenment on its own terms. . . There is buried treasure in his account of how figures from different intellectual backgrounds negotiated the Enlightenment crisis. . . Whatmore is to be applauded * History Today *An exhaustive and fascinating read on how the Enlightenment came to a grizzly end * Reader's Digest *A brilliant and revelatory book about the history of ideas -- David RuncimanIn this lucid and beautifully written book, Richard Whatmore evokes the darkening vision of the 18th century thinkers forced to confront the failure of Enlightenment. Instead of achieving perpetual peace and progress, they saw Europe fragment into a collection of warmongering states teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and global turmoil. Whatmore carefully reconstructs the historical context for the failure of Enlightenment and presents it as a powerful echo chamber for our own troubled times. This is a fascinating and important book -- Ruth ScurrThe Enlightenment had seemed to promise a limitless bounty of peace, prosperity, rational inquiry and mutual tolerance to a Europe long ravaged by religious fanaticism and war. Why did it come to end in the extreme violence and continental bloodshed of the French Revolution, and how could another such disaster be avoided? Richard Whatmore charts the response to these concerns of many of the greatest thinkers of the 18th century, from Smith and Burke to Wollstonecraft. His book is panoramic in scope, always fresh and deep in its analysis, but with a polemical edge for today’s readers fearful again for our global future -- Jesse NormanA brilliant work of intellectual interpretation by our foremost historian of Enlightenment ideas. Whatmore rescues the Enlightenment from today's circular debates and places it where it belongs: in the pulsing, chaotic era of its genesis and demise -- Christopher de BellaigueAs the eighteenth century progressed it was increasingly apparent that the Enlightenment was failing. If religious bigotry was in retreat, new evils advanced: revolution, terror, and greed, fuelling war, exploitation and imperial expansion. Richard Whatmore shows how thinkers from David Hume to Mary Wollstonecraft strove to find solutions to such challenges. This intellectually exhilarating book is particularly relevant today, when liberal democracy is facing new dangers which threaten to drag us back into the darkness once more -- Adam SismanAn accomplished exercise in intellectual history -- Alexander Faludy * Catholic Herald *Excellent... suggests that the Enlightenment ended up devouring those who most believed in it, providing the context for the emergence of Napoleon -- Katherine Bayford * Engelsberg Ideas *One of my favourite books on the British Enlightenment... the author captures the tenor of 18th century British debates about liberty very well... Whatmore writes as if he is actually trying to explain things to you! If you read a lot of history books, you will know that this is oddly rare -- Tyler Cowan

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Book Synopsis'A writer of genius' - William DalrympleCan anyone really own a culture? This magnificent account argues that the story of global civilisations is one of mixing, sharing, and borrowing.It shows how art forms have crisscrossed continents over centuries to produce masterpieces. From Nefertiti's lost city and the Islamic Golden Age to twentieth century Nigerian theatre and Modernist poetry, Martin Puchner explores how contact between different peoples has driven artistic innovation in every era - whilst cultural policing and purism have more often undermined the very societies they tried to protect.Travelling through Classical Greece, Ashoka's India, Tang dynasty China, and many other epochs, this triumphal new history reveals the crossing points which have not only inspired the humanities, but which have made us human.Trade Review'A writer of genius' -- William Dalrymple'Compellingly written' * Financial Times *'A breakneck, utterly captivating survey of threads of cultural transmission-how ideas, stories, and songs-survive, change, vanish, get borrowed, refined, coopted, and grafted through time ... I underlined sentences on every page.' -- Anthony Doerr'A remarkable book.' -- Kwame Anthony Appiah'Eminently readable ... The book's great strength lies in its ability to swoop deftly and lightly between things that may be familiar to us in themselves, but which we might be tempted to separate out in our attempts to form a picture of the world.' -- Edward Wilson-Lee * The Times Literary Supplement *'Martin Puchner has exceptional and invaluable gifts: intellectual fearlessness, dazzling erudition, trenchancy tempered by breadth of mind, and a humanist's eye for minute evidence that illumines huge problems.' -- Felipe Fernandez-Armesto'Fearless and exhilaratingly erudite, Martin Puchner's panoramic tour of human culture across the millennia is a riveting page-turner.' -- Amy Chua'A forceful rebuke to those who argue that culture can be owned by groups, nations, religions or races. . . . [by] an adept storyteller.' -- Ismail Muhammad * New York Times *'A Harvard professor goes wide in this study of the humanities and human creativity, looking at standout moments and what they can tell us about our past and future. As [Martin Puchner] guides readers along a Nefertiti to TikTok continuum, he shows how cultural exchange and innovation help societies address some of life's most existential questions' -- Joumana Khatib * New York Times *'Elegantly written and full of erudite lore, this vibrant history illuminates the inveterate human yearning for expression.' * Publishers Weekly *'A thoughtful, generous vision of human creativity across centuries of culture.' * Kirkus *'Fluent and engaging.' -- Boyd Tonkin * Wall Street Journal *'A mighty, polymathic work . . . [by] a master storyteller -- Chris Vognar * Boston Globe *'Jaunty and readable but never lacking in depth, Culture hops through countries and eras to deliver a resonant argument.' -- Lauren Puckett-Pope * Elle *'Cultures develop by sharing, borrowing, and collaborating--but also by conquest, appropriation, and theft. Martin Puchner's timely book takes us on a breathtaking tour of world history, reminding us that as we judge the past, one day we, too, will be judged, and that when we ignore or try to erase our cultural heritage, we are only impoverishing ourselves' -- Louis Menand * Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Metaphysical Club *'Puchner creates a perfectly balanced and incisively abridged version of the story of human culture. Ultimately, this is an examination of the making and transport of ideas, which is always an interaction between old and new. Each chapter builds a new layer, adding to the depth and complexity, while Puchner also provides a global who's who of cultural diffusion' * Booklist *'So many books these days are described as being 'sweeping histories'; Culture, which promises in its subtitle to take us from our most primitive artistic impulses all the way to the machinery of modern-day fandom. But what intrigues me most about Puchner's latest isn't its scope - it's its driving question: 'What good are the arts?' In my more hopeless moments, this question bubbles up inside me, and I'm chomping at the bit to hear Puchner's answer, grounded in history and informed by cultures around the world' -- Sophia Stewart'Well written, nuanced and light in style, spinning a series of historical narratives in an erudite and engaging way' -- Marguerite Johnson * The Conversation *

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