Customer Reviews

A Girl's Guide to Modern European Philosophy

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This novel is an interesting mix of genre romance and a thoughtful, almost academic inquiry into being a young single woman in the 20th century. It follows Susannah, a young Welsh college student at school near London in the 1970s, for a few turbulent months in which she must look at what she is looking for in her life, and how men and relationships might fit into whatever that is. Often the novel falls back on typical plot negotiations (run-ins with the rival lovers), but spends a lot of time inside Susannah's head while she sorts out what it is she really wants out of life. Aiding Susannah in her thoughts are her philosophy studies which are sprinkled throughout, culminating in an interesting use of Kierkegaard in reasoning through the issue of abortion. Overall this is a thoughtful piece, well grounded in the politics and changing landscape of the 1970s, that will speak well to modern readers as it walks the line between serious literature and a genre "weekend" read.

For the sake of full disclosure, let me begin by saying the author Charlotte Greig is an associate of mine, but she does not know I am writing this. I am responding to the previous reviewer, because it is obvious that the reviewer either didn't read the book or really wasn't paying attention. How on earth could that reviewer write this:

"I kept wondering throughout the book just how Modern European Philosophy really played a part in this story?"

"Throughout the book?" Really? When the protagonist is making major decisions about her relationships and pregnancy, she ponders Nietszche, Heidegger, and Kierkergaard, and the crux of their philosophies on life, specifically connection to the world and their lives. Very long paragraphs and many pages were spent on this, I guess these flew straight over the reviewer's head. When the reviewer admits that she kept wondering how "Modern European Philosophy" was involved in the story, it's like saying, "Gee, I read 'The Natural' by Bernard Malamud, but I kept wondering when Baseball was actually going to be a part of the story."

Reviews are all about opinions. The previous reviewer expressed hers and is entitled to them. But criticizing a text for something so blatantly not true is not warranted. When someone says "War and Peace stunk because there was no war in the book" then the record must be set straight; especially when it involves something so painfully obvious in the text.

I found the book amazingly insightful, and does what any good story should do when it deals with complicated matters such as relationships, pregnancy and abortion. It presents various ways of thinking that may not be immediately obvious, and it does it through story without preaching or moralizing, thus allowing the reader to ponder and come up with their own opinions. The characters are well-conceived, behaving in ways appropriate to their age, and situation in life; and they accomplish what characters in a good story should accomplish, they allow us to relate to them, especially when they are flawed, as the protagonist, Susannah is.

Overall, a wonderful read that is intelligent, incisive and fun.

Susannah Jones is working on her philosophy degree at a college in Sussex, circa the 1970's. She seems trapped between worlds, not wanting to dwell in the short-changed domiciles of her fellow students, nor be stifled in the identity robbing adult world of her boyfriend. But finding a balance between the two doesn't come easily. Living with her 10-years-older boyfriend provides a certain sense of financial safety but he seems to take her for granted not bothering to be home for days at a time, making all her decisions for her. As she begins to question the flaws in their relationship she finds a growing interest in her tutorial partner, Rob. Rob shares her interest in philosophy, music and more but lacks the maturity and stability she's grown accustomed to.

Falling into a sexual relationship with Rob only complicates things as she continues to question what it is that she feels about herself, the world and her current relationship. When Susannah finds herself pregnant she everything in her life changes. She can't keep both of the men in her life but she doesn't know which one is the father. Keeping the child could mean sacrificing her dreams but she she can't help but feel compelled to possibly keep the child. Like many young women this dilemna proves to be far too complicated to simply pick one option and be done with it. Turning to the philosophers she has been studying she hopes to find an answer that she can live with. But in the end the answers to her problems may require Susannah to give up the philosophical 'it doesn't have to be either or' attitude and make one of the hardest decisions of her young adulthood.

I have to say the philosophy side of this story really killed me as a reader. I've never been particularly interested in the stuff. That said, this is not unreadable for those who know little to nothing about the philosophers mentioned through-out. Beyond the obvious ties to the subject this is very much a coming-of-age tale. Susannah is naive to the point of being frustrating but one can't help but want to see her figure it all out. I think most of us have been that naive young woman trying to make a very adult decision at some point which makes her relatable and makes her endearing to the reader.

With very deep subject matter this is far from the light, fluffy chick-lit that is popular today. This is chick-lit for the thinking woman. While it's touted as being humorous, even comedic, I personally didn't find it very much so. I found it to be very melancholy throughout most of the story with small bits of lightness woven in to soften such a difficult dilemna. In the end Susannah's decision is completely her own, not guided by her philosphers, friends or societial expectations and it is this that makes A Girl's Guide to Modern European Philosophy a truly read-worthy novel of finding one's own inner voice.

I read this book because I teach philosophy to undergraduates, and I thought that it would be nice to be able to recommend or even teach a novel that took undergraduates, particularly women, seriously in the study of philosophy. This book does not do that. The title suggests that there will be a real interweaving of philosophy into the novel. As far as I can see, apart from some quotations and a bit of back-story, there really isn't any. There is a lot of 70s and a lot of sex. That's fine, if the title were "70s undergraduate woman has lots of sex and oh reads a bit too." But it isn't.

There was an earlier attempt at real philosophy in novel form, Sophies World. That one wasn't as good a novel as this one, but it was better at communicating philosophy. Then there was a book by David Lodge called Small World--which was an excellent novel and an excellent skewering of academia. This novel is as other readers have suggested. It is an easy passing of the time, marked out by some interesting 70s cultural references.

If you'd like a British version of That 70s Show, this is a fine book. If you'd like someone to give you a guide to modern european philosophy for women, I'd recommend someone who reads these books for a living--or just read Simone de Beauvoir's novels!

I was never great at Philosophy myself and I can't say this book helped ...

Susannah is a college student that when faced with a decision on dating (and the Nietzchean realization that everything means nothing) she decides to date both men and subsequently ends up pregnant. This makes all her future decision more difficult. To abort or to keep... and which is the daddy?

Even though this was set in the 70's and in the UK there were many parts that were very applicable to young women now and in the US. This made it much harder for me to read since I tend to like escapist fiction (Calgon, take me away!).

I found this book to be really depressing and rather than not being able to put it down, I was unable to pick it up. When I read a book I want it to be an escape into a different world and I didn't want to escape into this one. I found the character of Susannah to be frustrating and not as decisive as the heroines I usually enjoy reading. I just couldn't get into the plot and found myself skimming the last hundred pages or so, just so I could say I'd finished it. Sorry, but this one just wasn't a good book for me.

I'm not sure that an 80-year old is qualified to comment - I read it with my grandchildren in mind. It certainly raises critical ethical issues - for any age - and connects them to a bit of the thinking of the big guys. It is easy going. That is an accomplishment. One cannot say that about the writers she references.

This book takes place at a university in England during the 1970s. From a glance, it appears to be a book about a sophomore in college struggling to deal with two different relationships with two different men. Then she gets pregnant. From that description, I would never had read the book. I'm sure there's a ton of books of that caliber and I'm sure there's a market for them (chicks) but not me.

However, this book takes a somewhat cliche college dilemma and puts a very interesting and original twist on it. The protagonist, Susannah, is a philosophy major and is taking a course in modern European philosophy. She delves into the works of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Kierkegaard. The book is relatively light on the philosophy until she reaches Kierkegaard which coincides with her pregnancy and her decision to either keep or abort the unborn child (note the Either/Or there). If you're familiar with Kierkegaard, you will notice that Susannah's dilemma is a mirror of the biblical Abraham and Isaac which is a pivotal story to Kierkegaard and the subject of his Fear and Trembling.

It is the author's treatment of Kierkegaard that bothered me. For instance, I quote, "I kept thinking, this guy's a Christian, and I'm not: this does not apply to me. But I knew it did, because Kierkegaard's God wasn't a father who told you what to do ; his God was a conscience that tormented you day and night until you were forced to choose your fate for yourself" (p. 206). To divorce Kierkegaard from his Christianity seems to undercut the essence of his philosophy. This watering down of Kierkegaard was a worry of Kierkegaard's translating proponent Walter Lowrie: "What Lowrie fear might happen has to a certain extent...Kierkegaard experienced as an upscale Holden Caulfield, or as an "existentialist" compatriot of atheists such as Sartre".

Another subject of the book is obviously abortion. The subject is not dealt with lightly or euphemistically. In that sense, I think the book is being honest - Susannah makes her decision with much difficulty - though she admits "but it's a living being. I don't know if I can kill it."

In the end, I must say that I enjoyed this book. It was a great idea to introduce philosophy into the realm of everyday life. The connection between abortion and Abraham/Isaac was an interesting one that could have played out much differently if this wasn't a feminist piece of literature.

I would think that anyone (woman) who was able to survive her 20's would feel this book is relatable and relevant. Despite the fact that the book takes place in the European 1970's, the issues are the same issues young women face quite frequently. Even though the main character Susannah becomes pregnant, the book isn't just about that. It's about how the world seems so big when we are young adults, and where we are supposed to travel in this life can be a huge issue that becomes bigger than ourselves.

What I really liked about the book was the fact that Susannah is so real. Her feelings, anxieties especially, about what others think about her and what she thinks about herself are the same kind of feelings I believe we all go through at least at some point - especially in our early 20's. We worry about how others perceive us, and that is one trait that seems to rule Susannah's life. Like so many other females, she tends to define herself by her male companion and that's a mistake so many females make.

The book is a fairly easy read and really draws you in on the first few pages. The writing is casual and easy-going, much like Susannah.

Overall, the book is more about how Susannah deals with life through her philosophical studies. Bottom line, if you enjoy philosophy or philosophical debates, you will most likely enjoy the book. For those who've made it through their 20's and/or the 1970's, you will enjoy the relevance of the novel, too. I certainly enjoyed the book!

Things I loved about this book: Descriptions of what it was like to be a college student in the 1970s, like spending hours to look as if you put no effort at all into looking perfect or visiting your boyfriend at his scuzzy co-op house. The fact that the heroine is intellectually and emotionally engaged in her university studies. Things I liked about this book: The brief but clear discussions of several modern European philosophers and the way the heroine uses them to think through her own dilemma. Things I'm still not sure I liked about this book: Any of the characters, the set-up, or the resolution of the plot. The book was interesting and well-written, but I never felt completely involved in it. I'm still thinking about it, though, which suggests that if nothing else, it was worth the time I spent reading it.