The Kierkegaard Reader (Blackwell Readers) [Hardcover]

Jane Chamberlain (Editor), Jonathan Rée (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0631204679 | ISBN-13: 978-0631204671 | Publication Date: July 12, 2001 | Edition: 1

The anthology makes use of a range of classic translations, and includes new translations by Jane Chamberlain and Jonathan RUe, explanatory introductions, an index and a glossary.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Chamberlain and Ree have done a superb job of representing the philosopher's Kierkegaard. In these selections we find the themes and ideas that influenced the existentialist, phenomenological, and post-structuralist movements of the twentieth century, and which continue to be of importance for contemporary discussions about meaning, textuality and the perennial issues in philosophy of religion. Anyone interested in the recent history of philosophy would do well to take a careful look at this volume." Steven Emmanuel, Virginia Wesleyan College

Book Description

This strong collection is the first to present a rounded picture of the "new" Kierkegaard.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (July 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0631204679
• ISBN-13: 978-0631204671
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,775,481 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a 19th century Danish philosopher and theologian, generally recognized as the first existentialist philosopher.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Poor selections-- definitely not the best anthology available, May 15, 2008

By 

CK Dexter Haven (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kierkegaard Reader (Blackwell Readers) (Paperback)

Kierkegaard's body of work is so extensive, and the individual texts often so lengthy, that it's impossible to do justice to them in an anthology--so none of the anthologies available are entirely satisfying.

However, this one is probably at the bottom of the list. The selections are puzzling. For example, from the very important text "Either/Or," it includes only 20 pages from the chapter "Crop Rotation." This chapter by itself (an "either/or" without the "or") is a bit hard to make sense of, and such a small clipping from a text consisting of two lengthy volumes makes me wonder if it's best left out entirely.

The selection from Fear and Trembling includes problemas I and III--when I and II are the essential bits (and III makes little sense when you skip the middle section).

Philosophical Fragments completely leaves out the main chapters and main topic: the contrast of philosophical and religious ways of approaching truth--it includes what is, basically, supplementary background material for understanding the passages left out.

Concluding Unscientific Postscripts completely leaves out the chapter on subjectivity as truth, which is, quite frankly, the only part of that enormous work worth reading for anyone other than specialists.

To top it off, Johannes Climacus, which is far from a key text, is included in its excruciating entirety.

Overall, it's a terrible selection for beginners--who are the ones in need of a good anthology. (Advanced students should be reading the full, primary sources.) I would strongly recommend considering other anthologies, such as the princeton press "kierkegaard anthology" edited by Robert Bretall.