Aristotle in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes Series) [Paperback]

Paul Strathern (Author)

Book Description

Series: Philosophers in 90 Minutes Series | Publication Date: September 1, 1996

“Each of these little books is witty and dramatic and creates a sense of time, place, and character....I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one’s friends to Western civilization.”—Katherine A. Powers, Boston Globe. “Well-written, clear and informed, they have a breezy wit about them....I find them hard to stop reading.”—Richard Bernstein, New York Times. “Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise.”—Jim Holt, Wall Street Journal. These brief and enlightening explorations of our greatest thinkers bring their ideas to life in entertaining and accessible fashion. Philosophical thought is deciphered and made comprehensive and interesting to almost everyone. Far from being a novelty, each book is a highly refined appraisal of the philosopher and his work, authoritative and clearly presented.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Strathern, a graduate of Dublin's Trinity College, has lectured in philosophy and mathematics and written history, travel literature, and fiction. His attempt to provide the reader with accessible guidance to the ideas of a half dozen great names in the canon of Western philosophy fails on all counts except readability. The time given in the title for each presentation is about three times that even the least-informed reader might require, for these books are nothing but outlines. Half of each volume highlights the more peculiar details of the individual philosopher's personal life, with passing remarks about one or two substantive ideas from his work. The remaining pages include surprisingly brief quotations from the works (an epigraphic style suitable to presenting a sample of Nietzsche's writing but hardly appropriate to Kant's), chronologies (including one five-page "Philosophical Dates" that is repeated in each tiny volume), and a suggestion of four or five books for further reading. The intended audience for this series is unclear as there is too little substance to provide either the sort of introduction offered by such competing works as the Writers and Readers's illustrated series "For Beginners" (e.g., Robert Cavalier's Plato for Beginners, 1990) or critical understanding of difficult concepts as Frederick Copleston and William Jones have achieved in their histories of Western thought (e.g., Copleston's A History of Philosophy, 1985). Strathern's publisher promises more than a dozen future volumes in this series but, given the severe limitations of the first six under review here, it is not possible to recommend that we look forward to them.?Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley P.L., Cal.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Well-written, clear and informed, they have a breezy wit about them...I find them hard to stop reading. (Bernstein, Richard New York Times )

Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise. (Jim Holt Wall Street Journal )

Each of these little books is witty and dramatic and creates a sense of time, place, and character...I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one's friends to Western civilization. (Katherine A. Powers Boston Globe )

A godsend in this era of the short attention span. (Daryl Royster Alexander New York Times )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 83 pages
• Publisher: Ivan R Dee (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566631254
• ISBN-13: 978-1566631259
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #460,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #42 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Philosophy > Logic & Language
  • #52 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Philosophy > Ancient
  • #61 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Philosophy > Greek & Roman

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Aristotle's (Supposed) Postmodern Demise, June 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Aristotle in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes Series) (Paperback)

Strathern has done a wonderful, a masterful, job in selecting the words of Aristotle himself that illuminate the mind and intent of this great thinker. What keeps this book from a 5 star rating is Strathern's postmodern axe that he annoyingly grinds via Thomas Kuhn and Nietzsche.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great way to study Aristotle in a hurry, November 21, 1999

By 

Robert W. McGee (Sunny Isles Beach, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aristotle in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes Series) (Paperback)

Strathern's book on Aristotle is a great little book. He manages to capture the main elements of Aristotle's work in just a few pages and adds personal information about Aristotle's life and times, which brings the book to life. For someone who doesn't have much time to read philosophy but who wants to learn something about Aristotle, this book is a great introduction.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars British Wit, Greek Philosophy: A Wonderful Mix, November 2, 2009

By 

Daniel Murphy "Dan Murphy" (Redmond, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aristotle in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes Series) (Paperback)

This book is a delightful addition to Paul Strathern's Philosophers in 90 Minute series. Though the title might seem a trifle flippant, don't underestimate this short but potent book.

Strathern himself is a truly remarkable individual, a polymath, widely travelled, with award winning fictional and non-fictional books. He knows his stuff, and speaks with an enthusiasm and fluidity that clearly illustrates Strathern's love of his subject matter. He approaches philosophy with a perspective far broader and (to me) more interesting than can anyone whose home base is limited to philosophy alone.

In a two part approach that mirrors other books in the 90 Minute series, Strathern presents a sparkling biography of Aristotle, including his family life, his rise to fame, and his near brush with execution late in life. Concluding Aristotle's life story, Strathern moves on to examine the enormous impact that Aristotle's thinking, for better or for worse, had on Western civilization. Aristotle's key concepts are discussed with lucidity, and cogent criticisms of Aristotelian limitations are presented respectfully and clearly.

In proof of the concept that pursuit of knowledge need not be dreary, Strathern's Aristotle in 90 Minutes is permeated by dry and excellent British wit. No pre-requisite knowledge of philosophy is required to fully enjoy this wonderful review of the life and thoughts of one of the West's most influential thinkers. Both fascinating and funny, it's a definite two thumbs up!