Socrates: A Man for Our Times - Hardcover

Paul Johnson

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670023035 ISBN 13: 9780670023035

Publisher: VIKING PRESS USA, 2011

Synopsis

Socrates was undeniably one of the greatest thinkers of all time, yet he wrote nothing. Throughout his life - and indeed until his very last moment alive - Socrates fully embodied his philosophy in thought and deed. It is through the story of his life that readers can fully grasp his powerful actions and ideas. In his highly acclaimed style, historian Paul Johnson masterfully disentangles centuries of scarce sources to offer a riveting account of a man whose thought still shapes the way people live their lives today.

About this title

Review:

"An admirably concise view of a remarkable life whose influence remains central to the foundations of Western thought."--"Publishers Weekly"
"[Johnson's] genuine love of the demos makes him an all-too-rare figure in today's chattering classes."--"First Things"
"Johnson is an accomplished historian and writer with a fluid, unpretentious style and an honest voice. These gifts, which have made his 12 previous books enjoyable and popular, are no less evident in Socrates."--"The Washington Independent Review of Books"
"A wonderfully readable account of life in Athens, its political quarrels, and its failures. As good as a murder mystery, Johnson's narrative is exciting."--"Library Journal"

"Spectacular...a delight to read."
--"The Wall Street Journal"
"Enlightening.... Johnson disentangles centuries of scarce and questionable sources to offer a riveting account of a homely but charismatic middle-class man whose ideas still shape the way we decide how to act, and how we fathom the notion of body and soul."--"History Book Club"

"Johnson writes more concisely than most scholars and brings to his prose a wealth of anecdote and asides unknown to most academics. His Socrates comes alive not through arguments over Platonic dating or Pythagorean influence, but by wit and allusion to Jane Austen novels, Samuel Johnson, John Maynard Keynes, firsthand remembrances of Winston Churchill's speeches and Richard Dawkins. A valuable overview."--"Washington Times"

"With effortless erudition, Paul Johnson brings to life the world of the great philosopher."
--"Women's Wear Daily"
"Robust."--"The New Republic"
"Delivered in his typically robust, confident manner, this work r--"Booklist"

About the Author:

Paul Johnson’s many books, including A History of Christianity, A History of the Jews, Modern Times, Churchill, and Napoleon: A Penguin Life, have been hailed as masterpieces of historical analysis. He is a regular columnist for Forbes and The Spectator, and his work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many others publications. He lives in London.

About this edition

• Publisher: VIKING PRESS USA
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0670023035
• ISBN 13: 9780670023035
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240