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The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer; Studies in Pessimism Kindle Edition

by Arthur Schopenhauer (Author), T. Bailey (Thomas Bailey) Saunders (Translator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 297 ratings
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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
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  1. Print length
    110 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    May 17, 2012
  4. File size
    173 KB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0084CDXKU
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (May 17, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 17, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 173 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 110 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 3337681867
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 297 ratings

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
297 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the essays provocative, interesting, and deep. They also describe the book as readable, great, and fun.

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InsightReadability
3 customers mention "Insight"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the essays provocative and interesting. They also appreciate the depth of insight.

"...and I was moved by the humor, the easy reading and the depth of insight...." Read more

"A nicely articulated philosophical collection on worth-examining topics...." Read more

"Schopenhauer's arguments are interesting, but he is unable to overthrow my on philosophy in favor of his pessimism and gloom...." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book accessible, readable, and fun.

"...especially on pessimism, but this is really an accessible, readable collection...." Read more

"...my first read of Schopenhauer, and I was moved by the humor, the easy reading and the depth of insight...." Read more

"...This is a fun read. Mostly excerpts from other works i think. I would definitely recommend." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Steve Shubert
5.0 out of 5 stars A nice collection
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2023
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As the others like it, I like that it is a quick grab if I just want something to read. I do like his works and have larger collections, but those books don't fit in a small pack as this one does.
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Anthony J. Gillespie
4.0 out of 5 stars Pessimism can lead to a better life if not a happier one
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2015
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Seventy-six pages seems like an ideal length for a book of philosophical essays, especially on pessimism, but this is really an accessible, readable collection.

The first two essays are essential to Schopenhauer's philosophy; they touch on boredom, misfortune, suffering, disappointment, and the inevitability of death, and of course the will-to-life. One of his most famous lines--"It is bad to-day, and it will be worse to-morrow; and so on till the worst of all"--comes very early on.

But don't be turned off by his vision. Knowing that our lives are filled with work and worry and bad luck and unhappiness leads us to live better, with "tolerance, patience, regard, and love of neighbor." Compassion is key.

John Lennon famously said that life is what happens while you're busy making other plans. Well, Schopenhauer got there first:

"We look upon the present as something to be put up with while it lasts, and serving only as the way towards our goal. Hence most people, if they glance back when they come to the end of life, will find that all along they have been living ad interim: they will be surprised to find that the very thing they disregarded and let slip by unenjoyed, was just the life in the expectation of which they passed all their time."

As for the rest of the collection, well, it gets a little spotty after his brief defense of suicide. His execrable "On Women" is not just dated but downright misogynistic: "in a word, they are big children all their life."

The short piece "On Noise" is just a curmudgeonly rant on the annoying sound of whipcracks.
10 people found this helpful
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Ed Barton
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2020
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This was my first read of Schopenhauer, and I was moved by the humor, the easy reading and the depth of insight. Whether looking at death, noise or women, I chuckled and thought deeply about his points. A great read.
One person found this helpful
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Harriet Brown
3.0 out of 5 stars the Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2021
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The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer, Studies in Pessimism, by Arthur Schopenhauer, is a dreary book. What a horrible person he must have been. I did not enjoy this book.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2019
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Smart man, despite statements about women that are pretty offensive to the 21st century reader. More of a collection of thoughts than a presentation of his theories in a systematic way.
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Birhanu
4.0 out of 5 stars Provocative and Insightful Essays
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2013
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A nicely articulated philosophical collection on worth-examining topics. While one may not submit to Schopenhauer's analyses, he generously gives an occasion to examine one's preconceived thoughts on human suffering, existence, suicide, immortality, education, women, and noise. While reading the essay on women, I had to, for a moment, ride back in time to be in the shoes of Schopenhauer in the 18th century. The discussion on noise is surprisingly interesting.
One person found this helpful
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LastCoonassStanding
5.0 out of 5 stars please.
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2015
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The surprise is how one can compare Schopenhaur to other crap available on Kindle. The questions are the same for s*** literature as the questions are for classics? This leads one to question why people spend time typing.
One person found this helpful
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TN
5.0 out of 5 stars Good but no Nietzsche
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2015
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- on whom he was a famous early influence. Less of a stylist, more of a grouch, but provocative at times, that's a good thing of course. My first encounter with Arthur. We'll meet again - sometime.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Terry Grigg
5.0 out of 5 stars Five stars for the philosophy, not so much for the man.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 12, 2018
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I've been meaning to read this for ages, though have already seen plenty of quotes from it. Schopenhauer is one of the best pessimistic and anti-natalist writers and although his style can be a little turgid for the modern reader, he gets straight to the heart of the matter. He was definitely misogynistic, which is quite repellant, but probably no worse than many others at that time. Comparable to Wagner in that his art far surpasses his personality. Anyway, well worth the read and some interesting parables at the end. Five stars for the philosophy, not so much for the man.
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trevor
5.0 out of 5 stars The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer; Studies in Pessimism
Reviewed in Australia on November 30, 2021
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Digital [Kindle] book.
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Pedro Berredo
3.0 out of 5 stars Boa, porém levemente cansativa leitura
Reviewed in Brazil on December 26, 2015
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Todos deveriam ler Schopenhauer ao menos uma vez ao ano. E esse livro deveria ser lido por todos. Não é uma grande obra filosófica, mas nos faz refletir bastante.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Articulate rants from a serious thinker
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 13, 2018
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Concise and to the point, Schopenhauer encapsulates important ideas in a series of short rants. At times laugh out loud funny but also deadly serious. Argues that people think too much of what others think of them. Includes a polemic against people who interrupt others and destroy their train of thought. Includes a patronising dismissal of women that could only have been penned by a middle class, unmarried, intellectual man of his time.
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Paul Donovan
5.0 out of 5 stars Very profound
Reviewed in Australia on August 22, 2018
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A snapshot of some of the wisdom and insight of this great philosopher. Well worth reading as an introduction to some of his core ideas.
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