Helpful Score: 6
If you've ever been curious about philosophy but at the same time intimidated by reading philosophy this is the perfect book for you. The author is somehow able to weave the history of philosophy into a captivating story. You feel like you're reading a mystery - it carries that kind of suspense, but then at the same time you're getting these philosophy lessons written in such an accessible way. It's the perfect mix of fantasy, mystery and learning.
Helpful Score: 5
Wow! This book has helped me understand the history of philosophy better than any college course. So readable for what I had thought was a dry topic. It wasn't dry at all in this format.
Helpful Score: 5
Amazing and excellent, this book will teach, entertain and enlighten all at once. It is mostly a good course in philosophy, but there is also a metaphysical mystery going on that only serves to illustrate and highlight the philosophical points being made. Highly recommended!
Helpful Score: 4
Great book and an amazing overview of western philosophy in the process. Only down side--odd ending. But still very much worth the read.
Helpful Score: 4
Very interesting read about philosophy and life. Like comming out of the rabbit hole.
Helpful Score: 2
Fun introduction to philosophy. It goes off the deep end, but I think that is the point!
Helpful Score: 2
Call me a xenophobe- I don't like translated books when the prose doesn't sound quite like English. It was a weird and awkward read for me. I read about 100 pages and couldn't stand it any more.
Helpful Score: 2
Sophie Amundsen is about to turn 15 when she receives a letter from one Alberto Knox, a philosopher who undertakes to educate her in his craft. Sections in which we read the text of Knox's lessons to Sophie about the pre-Socratics, Plato and St. Augustine alternate with those in which we find out about Sophie's life with her well-meaning mother. Soon, though, Sophie begins receiving other, stranger missives addressed to one Hilde Moller Knag from her absent father, Albert. As Alberto Knox's lessons approach this century, he and Sophie come to suspect that they are merely characters in a novel written by Albert for his daughter.
Helpful Score: 1
Good movie; better book (aren't they all?)...a child's view of the world and the philosophers and their beliefs who have shaped our sphere It is a sort of fictional novel that has an accurate philosophical base as support, and it really works. Hats off to Jostein Gaarder.
Helpful Score: 1
The little mystery story is quite boring, but it's an excellent as a reference book for philosophy. Most major philosophies are covered here and explained in laymans terms.
Helpful Score: 1
When I first picked up this book the premise grabbed me enough to push thru what at times was a difficult read. It is like a history of philosophy and a mystery novel in one shot. Can be confusing at times, but worth the read.
Helpful Score: 1
This would be of great use to a freshman philosophy student. There's alot to learn and/or it's a great review. After about 2/3 of the way through I had had it. I wanted more story and less lecture!
The first 2/3 were probably worth trying the book.
The first 2/3 were probably worth trying the book.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a great introduction to the history of western philosophy written as a novel. The philosophy part is easy to read and very useful to someone like me who has never had an introductory course in philosophy. The novel part is very interesting by itself and in someways an exercise that makes you reflect on the philosophy you read about. All in all, one of the best books I have read and a book that I will revisit in the future!
Helpful Score: 1
An entire history of philosophy in one interesting tale.
Helpful Score: 1
One day Sophie comes home from school to find two questions in her mail: Who are you? and Where does the world come from? Before she knows it, she is enrolled ina correspondence course, covering Socrates to Sartre and beyond, with a mysterious phlosopher. But Sophie is receiving a separate batch of equally unusual letters. Who is Hilde? and why does her mail keep turning up in Sophie's world? to unravel this riddle, Sophie must make use of the philosophy she is learning. But the truth is far more complicated than she could have imagined....
A marvelous way to learn about philosophy without taking graduate courses.
One of the most interesting books you will read!
Ever wondered about all those philosophers? What would life look like if they were right about the world? Here's your chance to find out - as Sophie learns about philosophy, each perspective is applied to the life she lives. The ending is bizarre and wonderfully ironic. I refer to this book as my "handbook of philosophy". Never again say reading about philosophy is boring.
Ever wondered about all those philosophers? What would life look like if they were right about the world? Here's your chance to find out - as Sophie learns about philosophy, each perspective is applied to the life she lives. The ending is bizarre and wonderfully ironic. I refer to this book as my "handbook of philosophy". Never again say reading about philosophy is boring.
I really enjoyed this book but would not recommend it to everyone. It is more like an "into to philosophy" class disguised as a novel. If you have any kind of interest or curiosity about the world of philosophy I think you would enjoy the read.
I love, love, love this book. It's completely unique and wonderful. You won't be able to stop reading until the very end.
Very interestring read, combining the best of fiction with philosophical lessons.
An almost perfectly thorough and delightful introduction to philosophy. I wish I had read this when I was first getting an interest in philosophy. This book somehow manages to be both deep in meaning and light on difficulty. A wonderful guide into the world of philosophy!
A bit dry at times, but if you want to get the gist of the ideas of many philosophers this is a great book to start with. It explains philosophies in a clear concise manner that a high schooler can understand. The story itself is thought provoking and surprising.
It's been awhile since I read this book. I remember enjoying it; it was well written and fairly interesting. The subject didn't really appeal to me personally though. The protagonist, Sophie, is consumed with questioning herself and the world around her. A good read, but a little heavy on the philosophy.
One of my favorite reads. The mix of Philosophy and a novel. Brilliant!
A long book about philosphy. You can learn philosophy while reading about Sophie trying to answer the questions of existence.
On Sophie Amundsen's fifteenth birthday, she is thrust into a world full of philosophical lessons with the mysterious philosopher Alberto. In between getting a crash course on the entire history of philosophy, Sophie struggles to figure out why messages for someone named Hilde keep on showing up in her world. Along the way, she makes a startling discovery that could reduce her very existence to merely a figment of someone else's imagination.
SOPHIES WORLD is a captivating story that will enchant readers of all ages. It is half a philosophy lesson, half a brilliantly imagined suspense novel. While the ending left me dissatisfied, I was completely fascinated by the rest of the book and would definitely recommend it to everyone.
SOPHIES WORLD is a captivating story that will enchant readers of all ages. It is half a philosophy lesson, half a brilliantly imagined suspense novel. While the ending left me dissatisfied, I was completely fascinated by the rest of the book and would definitely recommend it to everyone.
a mind trip of the most amiable nature.
A mystery novel. very philisophical.
Teaching a young girl about the history of philosophy.
I bought this book while taking a college Philosophy course. It caused me to look at philosophy with new eyes.
Per Newsweek, \\\"Extraoridinary...read it for yourself.\\\"
A wonderful overview, for adults or teens.
"number 1 international bestseller that has captivated millions a wonderous journey of intellect and imagination that will make you look at life through the eyes of a child again"
Sophie's World is a very intellectually stimulating book.
Very interesting.
PLEASE NOTE...contrary to the descripttion, the listing is for the paperback novel only. There is not a CD-ROM included.
