Customer Reviews

Kierkegaard: Fear and Trembling (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy)

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With its muted, textual appearance and the word "Cambridge" hovering on top of the front cover, this edition of Fear and Trembling may scare off prospective readers, who are forgiven if they think, at first glance, this edition is aimed at dedicated specialists.

It's not. Within these covers is a page-turning, logically-presented and faithfully-executed rendition of Kierkegaard's magnum opus: an edition suitable for almost anyone. The introduction by Baylor University's C. Stephen Evans is the most lucid commentary on Fear and Trembling I've ever read. Engaging, terse and fluid, Evans's essay lays the groundwork for a translation that conveys the Copenhagen writer's lyrical, dramatic and philosophic intentions with equal aplomb. When compared with the Penguin Classics edition, this rendition is more accessible, a quality I attribute to Sylvia Walsh's sensitive understanding of the original text and Evans's ability to relay Kierkegaard's stealthy, pseudonymous writings to a modern audience.

Some additional notes: 1) rather than merely document information, Evans conveys the author's jocularity and spirit (e.g., "Tuning Up" and "A Preliminary Outpouring from the Heart" instead of the Penguin edition's "Attunement" and "Preamble from the Heart);" 2) the footnotes provide helpful contexts and insights; 3) the layout and font help to stave off reader fatigue; 4) despite its accessibility, the translation is accurate (e.g., the way in which the distinction between an individual and the particular is navigated), and 5) allusions to icons of modern culture (e.g., Martin Luther King and John Lennon) add contemporary relevance to the 19th century Dane's work without cheapening the overall effect.

Cambridge University Press has managed to turn a challenging book into a great read and, in turn, I highly recommend their edition.

My Titles
Shadow Fields
Snooker Glen

This is one of my favorite works -- BY FAR.

The problem of Abraham -- to put it in the words of Sartre -- is: "am I Abraham?"

Reading Kierkegaard work with this in mind is quite illuminating -- not that it's a difficult work or that you wouldn't get it. You would... and I won't spoil some of the intellectual/philosophical surprises for you because it's such an easy read (finished it in a day or two) that it's worth unfurling them yourself. The problem of Abraham was the only thing I knew about this going into it, and it's really the only thing you need to know.

This should be required reading for every human being -- especially anyone interested in matters of faith, sympathetically or antagonistically.

As far as the edition goes, I've heard from reputable sources that the Hong translations are the "best"... however, buying this without knowing the difference, I was extremely satisfied. I can't recommend those - because I haven't read them - but I will tell you that this edition changed my life. And, it will probably greatly impact yours. It's so good you'll probably read it more than once, so it really doesn't matter which edition you get. Can't go wrong here.

Let me know what you think!