Advantages: very interesting Disadvantages: none really
...This is a self-help manual. Go into any bookshop today and the shelves are crowded with self-help manuals promising easy fixes for everything from obesity to speaking infront of a crowd. De Botton's book is a welcome change. Instead of the usual management jargon, Alain De Botton draws his inspiration from within the rich vein of western philosophy. He explores problems such as not having enough money, unpopularity, a broken heart and so on, with the help of philosophers as diverse as Epicurus and Seneca, and Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.
Alain de Botton's genuine talent, exemplified here is to show how philosophy is not just dry text but is something that is intensely practicle and that can help provide a balm (or consolation) for the presures of modern life. Any intelligent person will find something to admire in this book....
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Advantages: Very comprehensive. Disadvantages: Can be slightly daunting/boring.
...wrong, it contains pretty much the same topics, but in my opinion Alain Anderton's book is much more geared towards exams. I presonally think Sloman's is slightly easier to follow, and it's recommended by LSE so it can't be bad.
(Yes, I do own both books. Yes, I know it's bordering on sad.)
All in all, a great TEXTbook, but only a good book.
*Just a small point. All the comments on this book was based on the Third Edition. It was updated in 1991, 1995, and 2000, so could be due for another update soon. Before buying, it might be worth checking that you are buying the latest version....
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11.01.2001
13.09.2003
