Sophies World: A Novel About the
History of Philosophy (FSG Classics)
by Jostein Gaarder
Great Book
Wanting to understand the most fundamental questions of the universe
isnt the province of ivory-tower intellectuals alone, as this books
enormous popularity has demonstrated. A young girl, Sophie, becomes
embroiled in a discussion of philosophy with a faceless correspondent.
At the same time, she must unravel a mystery involving another young
girl, Hilde, by using everything shes learning. The truth is far more
complicated than she could ever have imagined.
Personal Review: Sophies World: A Novel About the History of
Philosophy (FSG Classics) by Jostein Gaarder
Gaarder wrote this book in response to the dearth of READABLE intros to
philosophy out there. He said that when he was wandering through a
bookstore he saw a huge new age section and a tiny philosophy section.
Even those few philosophy books available were not readable and,

perhaps more importantly, not entertaining. He worried that people
(children especially) would be mislead to the new age section and not the
philosophy section. Gaarder has nothing against new age writings but
makes one simple point. Philosophy has been addressing the same
questions new age writers have for MUCH longer and with MUCH clearer
answers. They are the guides leading us through the forest.
Unfortunately, at this point in time, philosophers haven't made a lot of
efforts to make those answers clear to nonacademic philosophers.
Gaarder fixes this. Having read several philosophy intros (from Russell's
book to Copleston's bricks) and much more specialized texts, I assert that
this is without qualification the single BEST, most ACCURATE, and by far
most ENTERTAINING single volume intro to philosophy. Gaarder explains
the concepts accurately and with his underlying story of Sophie and her
mysterious lessons explains them in a very entertaining way that brings the
reader in. For example, when explaining medieval philosophy, Gaarder
uses the metaphor of the clock, stating that Jesus was born at midnight,
St. Augustine (b. 354) was born about half past three in the morning and
goes on to explain many of the other important events and philosophers of
the Middle Ages with the metaphor of the clock as the teaching tool. Very
slick. Even the heavy hitters like Kant and the Existentialists are covered
very fairly and as accurately as one can, given the subject. I appreciate
this since there seem to be two schools of thought on the subject of
imparting philosophical knowledge. One school says only philosophers
can understand the most important aspects of the discipline, whereas the
other says anyone can. I side with the latter school since it seems that so
many of the concepts are basic (i.e., fundamental). Even the most
notoriously abstruse philosophers (such as Heidegger) begin with these
fundamental questions ("Why is there something rather than nothing?").
Gaarder conveys this message clearly and effectively. Anyone from the
person with absolutely zero philosophical training to the person with a
degree in it can gain from this book. I know of no other philosophy intro
that can truly, legitimately claim this. For this, as well as for a wonderfully
entertaining book, I thank Gaarder.
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