Customer Reviews

Wise Guy: The Life and Philosophy of Socrates

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

All those days of torture came back to me-- the "Socratic Method" they called it... THEY being my oral surgery profs. They just kept asking questions until we ran out of answers. Mark Usher brings the father of philosophy to life in Wise Guy, an easy-to-read, well-illustrated primer for kids. The book is appropriate for two age groups, 6-8 and 9-12, as it is written and illustrated for the younger readers in the main frames, with more dissertation on sidebars for the pre-teens. The book covers Socrates' early life as he attempted to pin down the basic concept of the idea. It continues along, with Socrates picking up disciples as he developed the dialectic-- his framework for the logical analysis of ideas. The etermal question of the nature of good and evil prompts him to spawn the logical basis for ethics. Finally, as his enemies bring him to trial for his teachings, it is the ethics he deduced that left him no alternative but the cup of hemlock.
In a world of post-modern cultural and ethical relativism, it is precisely Socrates who can offer our young people an anchor in the form of logical analysis of ethical dilemmas. The pursuit of wisdom is the pursuit of truth, which is in reality the search for an absolute. Contrast this to our modern culture's use of phrases such as "my truth" and "what's right for me", and the book offers its best lesson.
Written in a lighthearted, storybook fashion, one is hard pressed to be saddened at the demise of Socrates. His death marked the notion that no man is above the law, despite its imperfections. This is important to note for parents concerned about the appropriate time to introduce literature with death involved. It is definitely not frightening as presented.
More could have been mentioned about the Socrates-Plato-Artistotle continuum, but for the intended reader this may be more dialogue than needed to get the message across. All in all this is a good work

Bill Koch, DDS
Barre, Vermont

"Wise Guy" is possibly one of the cleverest children's books I have ever come across. Although the main text is ostensibly targeted at "juveniles," the delightful illustrations will nevertheless appeal to the youngest kiddies in the crowd (my 4-year-old was ROFL at Socrates' antics), while the sidebar commentary offers adult-level background info on the thinking, history, and legend behind Socrates and ancient Greece. The storyline itself is captivating, and the end of the book deftly ties in the impact of Socrates' legacy on our modern world, linking the ancient "Wise Guy" to later Wise Guys (including Gandhi, Hannah Arendt, and MLK)-a gentle and good-natured debunking of scoffers who would dismiss Socrates as just another Dead White Male. The author, a university professor, does his own homework too: the end pages provide handy sections entitled "The Ancient Sources" and "Further Reading," which will surely be useful for those whose interest in the classics is piqued by this marvelous book. Let us hope for many additional works in this vein by the duo of Usher and Bramhall.

With "Wise guy" Professor Usher and artist Bramhall have brilliantly captured the ancient sage, Socrates, growing from childhood through adulthood always asking those simple questions that through the ages have always had hard answers. These are questions that each person must grapple with. The clever text and extraordinary illustrations comfortably link the reader to the person, Socrates, and ancient Greece. The sidebar text on each page provides more depth that enables an advanced young reader or an adult to probe more deeply into the ideas and concepts presented. This is a must-have book for kids with an inquisitive mind. Bravo to Usher and Bramhall for their engaging book. Let's have more!

Homeschoolers will want WISE GUY on their bookshelf. Our family loved it and it was a great introduction to Socrates for our 9 and 12 year old. Younger children will enjoy the great illustrations and gentle story about Socrates while older students, adults included, will learn more historical information about ancient times. Usher and Bramhall combined these elements creatively and made a great family book to re-visit as the family grows. A great find for our homeschool!

I love this book! Having studied philosophy in college, I wanted to introduce my children to the subject. (Aristotle himself said that all philosophy begins with a child-like sense of wonder.) The author, a philosophy professor, does a marvelous job of presenting not only Socrates' life and times but also his philosophical ideas in a simple, straightforward way. My small children (one a beginning reader) had no trouble at all following the basic storyline, and my husband and I learned a lot we didn't know from the commentary that accompanies each page. Socrates was a rationalist, but what I especially like about this book is that we get to see Socrates' mystical or spiritual side, which is presented in a lighthearted, yet serious way. The best part about this book, however, are the artful illustrations. Some scenes are whimsical (like the picture of Socrates dancing), others touching (especially the pages dealing with Socrates' trial and death). I've looked at this book two or three times since I bought it and I expect it will get many more readings over the years.

This is a brilliant, heart-felt, humorous yet serious introduction to Socrates and his philosophy. It is obvious that the author knows everything about Socrates. Knowing everything often produces a bad book, because the author tries to fit that everything into the shape of a book. This isn't the case with M.D. Usher, who selects salient details that show Socrates' respect for the common people and their wisdom, that show he served in the army and marched barefooted, that show he knew his own worth and contributions to his city and, indeed, to all of humanity.

The story is told on two levels, as in Snowflake Bentley, with one level, the running narrative, talking to both younger and older children, and the other level, the scrolled-in text, addressing issues that older children can comprehend and think about. A highly recommended book, providing not only information, but food for thought for both children and adults.

Excellent overview of who Socrates was, his life, and his way of thinking. I have read this to my two sons (5/9) and they both enjoyed it (text and artwork). Socrates is at the foundation of western thinking and philosophy.

Since I ordered Wise Guy for my eight-year-old grandson Sam, I asked him to review it. We home-school each other.
1. Would you give Wise Guy 5 stars because it is one of the best books you ever read, or no stars because it's one of the worst, or 1,2, 3, or 4 stars? SAM: 4-1/2 stars. 2. Which did you like more, the pictures or the words? SAM: The words. 3. Will you tell your sisters or your friends to read it? SAM: Yes. I would like my best friend to read it. 4.Do you think you will want to read it again? SAM: Yes. 5. In what way would you like to be like Socrates? SAM pointed to his brain. 6. In what way would you not like to be like Socrates? SAM made a face and said hemlock. 7. Did you like the way the book tells the story of Socrates' life in larger print and tells about him in smaller print? SAM: Yes. 8. Did you like the pictures and descriptions of famous persons Socrates influenced, at the end of the book? SAM: Yes. 9. Did the book make you think you might want to become a philosopher? SAM: Maybe. 10. Would you like to read more books about philosophy and philosophers? SAM: Yes. 11. Do you have any more to say to Amazon customers about this book. SAM: Buy it.

"Wise Guy: The Life and Philosophy of Socrates" by M.D. Usher is an excellent resource book for middle schoolers taking a world history class. Our standards require students to describe the key figures and major beliefs of HInduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Greek philosophy.... This book simplifies the philosophy of Socrates for our 6th graders. The illustrations by William Bramhall further help the students grasp the information - especially our ELL learners who benefit from the colorful visuals that bring the child right to the agora in ancient Athens where they can see Athenians discussing life's tough topics including , justice, right and wrong, wisdom, courage, beauty, love....

"All I know is that I know nothing" - Socrates

My two fellas, ages 8 and 10, absolutely love this book. It strikes a fine balance between elementary-age entertainment and providing factual information about the life & times of Socrates. The illustrations are fantastic and serve to make the facts more memorable.

Wish there was a little something like this for Plato, Hippocrates and the rest!