Not as gripping as Colegate's later novels, and especially unreadable in the recentish Bloomsbury edition, which is so badly proofread that I have a hNot as gripping as Colegate's later novels, and especially unreadable in the recentish Bloomsbury edition, which is so badly proofread that I have a hard time believing any human so much as glanced at it before publication. Full stops are just kind of scattered at random. throughout sentences but also left out entirely you never know if a sentence has ended. or not it is like reading classical texts with. no punctuation at all except even worse because there is punctuation it is just. randomly distributed
If only this book was as fawned over as Benjamin Labutet's slightly less excellent, but still excellent 'When We Cease to Understand the World.' Ypi'sIf only this book was as fawned over as Benjamin Labutet's slightly less excellent, but still excellent 'When We Cease to Understand the World.' Ypi's book is much stranger and more original and brilliant and thrilling and fascinating hybrid (all terms used to describe Labutet). On the other hand, everyone things they can do abstract philosophy, and nobody likes to read about how even using the word 'free' is tremendously hard work, so this got a bit less fawned. Both books are good, don't get me wrong. I just object to the way people embrace the existential and avert their eyes from the morally challenging.
Also, Ypi is fantastic on the Past Present Future podcast. This is what popularized philosophy should be. ...more
Solid academica here. It's a collection of essays in intellectual history, rather than a unified text, but once you're ready to swallow that, you'll eSolid academica here. It's a collection of essays in intellectual history, rather than a unified text, but once you're ready to swallow that, you'll enjoy yourself, and learn a lot--but again, the essays are journal articles, so don't expect much hand-holding. ...more
A model work of intellectual history--unbloated, sympathetic, relevant. Not for the uninitiated, unfortunately. It really is an academic book. But it'A model work of intellectual history--unbloated, sympathetic, relevant. Not for the uninitiated, unfortunately. It really is an academic book. But it's a worthy one. ...more
I came to this with the wrong expectations; as others have noted, this could strike you as an inspiring read. But I was hoping for a bit less inspiratI came to this with the wrong expectations; as others have noted, this could strike you as an inspiring read. But I was hoping for a bit less inspiration, and a bit more information. It's very, very quick, but it does introduce you to a bunch of fun people. Straight up, I did not know that Mormon Socialism was a thing. ...more
Regrettably, this is far too tough going for almost anyone. Rees thinks the Levellers were an organized group. Fine. He also writes sentences like thiRegrettably, this is far too tough going for almost anyone. Rees thinks the Levellers were an organized group. Fine. He also writes sentences like this one:
"Cromwell's house in Drury Lane was where such a move was planned." (183)
Is that the first line of a ballad, metrically speaking? Sure. ("... they charged the Presbyterian men and cursed them all as damned." Stress on 'Pres' and 'ter', not 'byt'). But please note that the subject of the sentence is 'a move.' (What is the move? As you might, but might not, be able to see from the previous paragraph, someone has to do something to 'halt' the Presbyterian offensive.) Who planned it? Unclear. Why is the subject at the end of the sentence? Ballad form, ya'll! This is the first sentence of a paragraph. It gets worse from there. The next sentence has no metrical qualities at all. Instead, it just restates what this sentence was trying to state ("Cromwell's residence had become a centre of radical activity.") The sentence after that is excruciating: "As the Levellers' spring petitioning campaign unfolded it had created a dynamic which drew support from initially sceptical Independents." Grammatically, that says that Cromwell's residence 'drew support...', even though a little thought will tell us that it's meant to say the campaign drew support. Here, let me edit that for you: "The Independent came to support the Levellers, thanks to the Levellers' spring petitions." Not elegant, but not rebarbative.
I know, this is a minor inconvenience, but, macro-micro, the book shows the same confusing structure, which makes it incredibly difficult to read. That's a real shame, since Rees is a passionate and *extremely* knowledgeable scholar of this stuff. ...more
Probably not a huge audience out there on GR for this book, so let me pivot a little, and remind of just how good books this old smell. This one is amProbably not a huge audience out there on GR for this book, so let me pivot a little, and remind of just how good books this old smell. This one is amazing. Also, the world would be a better place if we had more Maurices and Temples, and less (waves hands at the world, generally). ...more
A breezy trot through a *lot* of ideas or events that can, in some way, be tied to the idea of 'Utopia,' but not exactly the history of the idea of UtA breezy trot through a *lot* of ideas or events that can, in some way, be tied to the idea of 'Utopia,' but not exactly the history of the idea of Utopia--minimal begriffsgeschichte here. ...more
Very enjoyable biography of a man whom many, including myself, treat unfairly for the most part. Was Engels the sharpest knife in the draw? No. But heVery enjoyable biography of a man whom many, including myself, treat unfairly for the most part. Was Engels the sharpest knife in the draw? No. But he was fun, and often enough recognized his own flaws. ...more
Short treatments of a few big names, but there's not a lot to unify this, and the editor appears to have been asleep at the wheel. Ultimately, you'll Short treatments of a few big names, but there's not a lot to unify this, and the editor appears to have been asleep at the wheel. Ultimately, you'll enjoy it if you have no interest whatsoever in being fair to the people under discussion (and I do not!), but if you're a bit more generous (which I should be), you'll probably find the discussions a little shallow. ...more
Solid and readable, but my search any--literally, *any*--explanation of why Hume is so beloved by pure philosopher types continues. I get why conservaSolid and readable, but my search any--literally, *any*--explanation of why Hume is so beloved by pure philosopher types continues. I get why conservatives love him, and much better Hume than Burke on that count. I get why sceptics love him. But why do so many English philosophers love him? He's not good at that stuff! Come on! ...more
Great idea for the book, great general thesis (i.e., revise the various naturalizing and reifying claims made by nationalists in China), but a bit of Great idea for the book, great general thesis (i.e., revise the various naturalizing and reifying claims made by nationalists in China), but a bit of a slog. The story might have been better told chronologically, rather than divided into themes (China, Sovereignty, the Han Race, History, Nation, Language, Territory, Maritime Claim). That division means there is a *lot* of repetition, with the same people showing up time after time... but it's kind of hard to remember from one chapter to the next, tbh, who is who. I'm hoping that I'll be able to re-read individual chapters with profit, once I've got a bit more background knowledge. Couldn't do that with a more chronological book, so I should just shut up and enjoy, I guess. ...more
I usually fear edited collections, because the authors have relatively little at stake, and because they're the chosen experts, they often don't have I usually fear edited collections, because the authors have relatively little at stake, and because they're the chosen experts, they often don't have the ability to communicate with ordinary people. This one was great! Most of the chapters are readable, the editors did a fantastic job, and the authors mostly managed to stay off their hobby horses and on the introductory, common reader's level. That's a higher level, btw, not a lower one. ...more
Useful, but not pleasurable. Kim does the responsible thing and puts the 'great thinkers' in their historical context. Unfortunately, that means Kim aUseful, but not pleasurable. Kim does the responsible thing and puts the 'great thinkers' in their historical context. Unfortunately, that means Kim also needs to give us the historical context, and the book just isn't long enough for all of this to go down smoothly. Hopefully someone will write the political thought version of Ivanhoe's 'Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy,' and then Kim's book will be a magnificent second book to recommend to people. Until then, though... rough going. ...more
Interesting but also, I confess, a little too self-impressed for my taste. The best historians of ideas are often too impressed with themselves, for sInteresting but also, I confess, a little too self-impressed for my taste. The best historians of ideas are often too impressed with themselves, for some reason. ...more
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