French superstar philosopher Luc Ferry encapsulates an enlightening treatise of pop-philosophy in a lively narrative of Western thought—explaining how the history of philosophy can teach us how to live better lives today. This blockbuster better living guide has already sold nearly a half a million copies in Europe; now it is available worldwide in an exciting, highly readable translation: A Brief History of Thought. Thomas Cathcut & Daniel Klein, authors of Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar, call Ferry’s thrilling opus “a fine introduction to philosophy and its fundamental relevance to living a meaningful life—for everyone from the man in the Acropolis to the man in the street.”
A Brief History of Thought: A Philosophical Guide to Living
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“For everyone from the man in the street to the man in the Acropolis--A fine introduction to philosophy and its fundamental relevance to living a meaningful life.” (THOMAS CATHCART and DANIEL KLEIN, New York Times bestselling authors of Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar )
“This is a vital book. Luc Ferry rehabilitates the ancient question, ‘What is the best way of life?’ as though our lives depended on it. ... The reader will find her own experience clarified, and her horizon enlarged.” (MATTHEW B. CRAWFORD, New York Times bestselling author of Shop Class as Soulcraft )
“A philosophical survival kit, in which the reader will find brilliant ideas to help them think better and live better.” (L'EXPRESS )
“This superb primer proves that philosophy belongs at the center of life.” (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review) )
“No dry academic, Ferry restores to philosophy a compelling urgency.” (Booklist (starred review) )
“One of the best books that has come across my desk over the last year. … Readers who don’t know much about philosophy will find this book accessible; and those who do will find its approach fresh and stimulating.” (First Things )
“An engaging, accessible work... strong evidence for an important conception of philosophy’s enduring relevance.” (Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy )
“Lucid and accessible … Ferry defends human dignity against post-modern doubt … a serious thinker” (ROBERT ROYAL, First Things )
“This is a vital book. Luc Ferry rehabilitates the ancient question, ‘What is the best way of life?’ as though our lives depended on it. ... The reader will find her own experience clarified, and her horizon enlarged.” (MATTHEW B. CRAWFORD, New York Times bestselling author of Shop Class as Soulcraft )
“A philosophical survival kit, in which the reader will find brilliant ideas to help them think better and live better.” (L'EXPRESS )
“This superb primer proves that philosophy belongs at the center of life.” (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review) )
“No dry academic, Ferry restores to philosophy a compelling urgency.” (Booklist (starred review) )
“One of the best books that has come across my desk over the last year. … Readers who don’t know much about philosophy will find this book accessible; and those who do will find its approach fresh and stimulating.” (First Things )
“An engaging, accessible work... strong evidence for an important conception of philosophy’s enduring relevance.” (Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy )
“Lucid and accessible … Ferry defends human dignity against post-modern doubt … a serious thinker” (ROBERT ROYAL, First Things )
From the Back Cover
Eight months on the bestseller lists in France!
From the timeless wisdom of the ancient Greeks to Christianity, the Enlightenment, existentialism, and postmodernism, Luc Ferry’s instant classic brilliantly and accessibly explains the enduring teachings of philosophy—including its profound relevance to modern daily life and its essential role in achieving happiness and living a meaningful life. This lively journey through the great thinkers will enlighten every reader, young and old.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By Jon Morris
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Luc Ferry's "A Brief History of Thought" is a rarity in the field of contemporary philosophy: it is intelligent, personal and provocative, without being condescending or jargon-riddled. Indeed, in his introduction he tells us that he wanted to write a book that would appeal to adults and children alike. On this count he succeeds marvelously, as the book's international sales record will confirm.
Ferry seems to have two other goals as well: 1) to provide, as the title suggests, a brief history of ideas; and 2) to attempt an answer to the question: What must we do to be saved? The answer to that question becomes the thread which weaves chapters on Stoicism, Christianity, Postmodernism, etc. together.
The first half of the book is the strongest. His discussion of the Stoics is informative and lively, as is his compelling look at the influence and import of Christian theology. The second half of the book seems to lose focus a bit. The chapter on postmodernity is essentially a very long chapter on Nietzsche and, while Nietzsche always makes for interesting reading (and he is cited extensively), midway through the chapter one feels as though Ferry has really digressed. Similarly, the last chapter, "After Deconstruction," meanders (interestingly) about, but never really makes a firm point.
Ferry's own answer to the question--Which way lies salvation?--is anticlimactic, though not without merit and sincerity. I won't go into his response here because I think it would be a bit of a spoiler. Suffice it to say that he does proffer a response, though I personally found it disappointing. By contrast, Andre Comte-Sponville's The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality does a much better job in this regard.
Ultimately, this book is a pleasurable and enlightening read, though those already familiar with the Stoics and Nietzsche will not find very much new here--which is fair... After all, this was to be a book for novices, and any beginner with an interest in philosophy will find in Luc Ferry's book plenty to think about.
Ferry seems to have two other goals as well: 1) to provide, as the title suggests, a brief history of ideas; and 2) to attempt an answer to the question: What must we do to be saved? The answer to that question becomes the thread which weaves chapters on Stoicism, Christianity, Postmodernism, etc. together.
The first half of the book is the strongest. His discussion of the Stoics is informative and lively, as is his compelling look at the influence and import of Christian theology. The second half of the book seems to lose focus a bit. The chapter on postmodernity is essentially a very long chapter on Nietzsche and, while Nietzsche always makes for interesting reading (and he is cited extensively), midway through the chapter one feels as though Ferry has really digressed. Similarly, the last chapter, "After Deconstruction," meanders (interestingly) about, but never really makes a firm point.
Ferry's own answer to the question--Which way lies salvation?--is anticlimactic, though not without merit and sincerity. I won't go into his response here because I think it would be a bit of a spoiler. Suffice it to say that he does proffer a response, though I personally found it disappointing. By contrast, Andre Comte-Sponville's The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality does a much better job in this regard.
Ultimately, this book is a pleasurable and enlightening read, though those already familiar with the Stoics and Nietzsche will not find very much new here--which is fair... After all, this was to be a book for novices, and any beginner with an interest in philosophy will find in Luc Ferry's book plenty to think about.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this in a few days and enjoyed it. Ferry's goal is to traverse Western philosophy from ancient Greece to deconstruction in about 260 pages. Rather than doing a selection of "great thinkers," he goes for broad movements: Stoicism, Christianity, Enlightenment Humanism, Deconstruction, After Deconstruction. Within these, he looks at three categories of thought: Theory, Ethics and Wisdom or Salvation. The benefit of this approach is that there are clear comparables. The deficit is that the categories themselves are so general that he tends to way oversimplify the movements he is explicating. Thus Christianity is reduced to the promise of eternal life. Missing is any notion of the complexity and diversity of Christian thought from, say St Paul to St Bernard of Clairvaux to Meister Eckhart and Jacb Boehme. If we pretend that Christian theology is this cartoon version then we can pretend we have understood its place in Western thought after reading Ferry. Deconstruction is reduced to Nietzsche. Ferry mentions Foucault and Deleuze and ignores Derrida's existence. So that's deconstruction. In the 20th century, Heidegger is present, but not Sartre. Given the enormous gaps and oversimplifications, this book is still enjoyable. Ferry is a good writer and there are insights in every chapter. Most of all, this book made me want to re-explore Western philosophy in more depth.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book started out exceptionally well, bogged down in the second half, and then ended well. It's not a great book for the thinking general reader but it is a good book. It attempts to trace the history of major philosophic thought from the ancient Greeks to the present. In general I thought this effort was exceptional, especially up through chapter 4 on the birth of modern philosophy. I got bogged down in the long discussion of Nietzsche and postmodernism, but I thought the author ended the book well with his ideas on how modern philosophy could be useful as a guide to modern living.
The book is organized into the following long chapters:
What is Philosophy?
The Greek Miracle
The Victory of Christianity over Greek Philosophy
Humanism, or the Birth of Modern Philosophy
Postmodernity: The Case of Nietzsche
After Deconstruction: Contemporary Philosophy
The early chapters of this book, especially the one on Christianity, were exceptional.
Recommended.
The book is organized into the following long chapters:
What is Philosophy?
The Greek Miracle
The Victory of Christianity over Greek Philosophy
Humanism, or the Birth of Modern Philosophy
Postmodernity: The Case of Nietzsche
After Deconstruction: Contemporary Philosophy
The early chapters of this book, especially the one on Christianity, were exceptional.
Recommended.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good for therapy
Bought this for my father who's undergoing physical therapy. This was recommended by the therapist. They work fine and are easy to use.
Published 16 days ago by AEP
5.0 out of 5 stars
A real pageturner
The thing about this pop philosophy book is that Ferry holds your interest. He tells you what his objective is early on (basically how are we moderns to be "saved") and swiftly... Read more
Published 25 days ago by R. Golen
5.0 out of 5 stars
You should read this
I found this book because it was recommended by the website of Tim Keller's church (Redeemer). Ferry is not a Christian (but does a great job of withholding this information until... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Adam
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great introductory book
Great introduction for someone unfamiliar with the topic. I like how he ties in the role of religion in the development on philosophy. Read more
Published 2 months ago by madhumati ramesh
4.0 out of 5 stars
I have read little on western philosophy since college, so for me,...
Luc Ferry patiently devoted much of his discussion to explaining the relationship and relevance of philosophy with religion and man's search for meaning. Read more
Published 2 months ago by George Vigileos
5.0 out of 5 stars
Provoking Thought
Ferry's book is a splendid introduction for the newcomer to philosophy and a fine refresher course for those revisiting the discipline for the first time since college. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Laura V. Foreman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Informative & interesting summary
Covers the eras of philosophical thought with enlightening reason. Packaged into simple, understandable clear language. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Wakefield
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific overview for an interested non-philosopher
As someone who knows very little in the way of real philosophy, I found this small book to be just about perfect. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mitch
4.0 out of 5 stars
An extremely enjoyable journey for elementary philosophy
A fascinating journey, well worth reading, an excellent writer. Definitely will push me to further investigate original writings of some of the names mentioned in the text. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sherif Bahaa Eldin
3.0 out of 5 stars
a look at the world of philosophy
Light and easy to read even for the novice, but in depth enough for the student. A must read for anyone dabbling in philosophy for the first time.
Published 4 months ago by Mary De Wolf
