The Philosophers' Library: Books that Shaped the World (Liber Historica)

The Philosophers' Library by Adam Ferner and Chris Meyns is an attractive overview of the texts that have influenced human thought throughout history.

This is not meant to dwell so much on the nuance of the any specific text or period but rather to place the journey we have been on in context. The

works cited were and are essential texts for those who want to study philosophy, my introduction to many of them was during my undergraduate degree in philosophy. But this volume is meant for the casual reader. It explains very broadly what a thinker or school of thought put forward, contextualizing it against both what it was responding to as well as what it influenced going forward.

The book itself is quite attractive and easy on the eyes. If you're like me you recognized not just the titles but, in some cases, the actual edition you might have owned of some of the more recent books. Well, recent as in the past century or so.

I would recommend this to bibliophiles first and foremost with those who enjoy philosophy a close second. Because the text isn't even remotely academic it will be good for those who just want a glimpse at the works that have shaped our thinking over time. While there isn't anything new for those who have read many of these works there is still a lot to be gained from remembering the big picture. We can often get bogged down in our specialties and forget that the world is much larger than our little area of debate. This book illustrates that world wonderfully.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

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