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Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy
 
 
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Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy (Paperback)

by Jostein Gaarder (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Phoenix; New Ed edition (4 Mar 1996)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1857992911
  • ISBN-13: 978-1857992915
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,388 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #1 in  Books > Fiction > World > Scandinavian
    #1 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > G > Gaarder, Jostein

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Product Description

Product Description
When 14-year-old Sophie encounters a mysterious mentor who introduces her to philosophy, mysteries deepen in her own life. Why does she keep getting postcards addressed to another girl? Who is the other girl? And who, for that matter, is Sophie herself? To solve the riddle, she uses her new knowledge of philosophy, but the truth is far stranger than she could have imagined. A phenomenal worldwide bestseller, SOPHIE'S WORLD sets out to draw teenagers into the world of Socrates, Descartes, Spinoza, Hegel and all the great philosophers. A brilliantly original and fascinating story with many twists and turns, it raises profound questions about the meaning of life and the origin of the universe.

About the Author
Jostein Gaarder is the author of SOPHIE'S WORLD, a huge bestseller in over 40 countries. He was born in Oslo in 1952 and lives there now with his wife and two sons.
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120 Reviews
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 (11)
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Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (120 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating and compelling introduction to philosophy, 11 Jan 2001
By Sally Humphries (Wellingborough, Northamptonshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Sophie's World was my first introduction to the work of Jostein Gaarder. It is a book that had me captivated from the very first page right through to the last! Gaarder very cleverly combines two elements which result in a both informative and totally gripping story. Firstly the book provides the reader with a 'beginners guide' to philosophy which introduces all the major philosophical ideas and concepts from Socrates through to current day Existentialism and 'New Age' thinking. It gives an insight into all those names you have heard but knew nothing about! Combined with this, Gaarder manages to weave an exciting story about fourteen year old Sophie which holds the reader entranced not least because of the unexpected twists as the story unfolds. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, learnt a great deal and it is a book I could read several times over and still learn something new.
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30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars IN ALL PROBABILITY...., 29 Nov 2001
This review is from: Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy (Paperback)
The bad news: It's not as good as the hype might lead you to expect. The good news: It's better than most of the other over-hyped pop-philosophy blockbusters on the shelves.

'Sophie's World' is at its worst when it pretends to be the sort of novel you would read purely for entertainment. That's because it starts out as a very good novel but finishes as a very bad one. Early on it catches your interest with an intriguing mystery and efficient classical narrative. Then about half way through, the author reveals his hand and ruins the plot. We are left with just another bit of post-modern ironic detachment or some such gimmick. From then on the fate of the characters ceases to matter, and as a novel it's all downhill from there on.

The book is at its best when it sticks to what Gaarder does best: lecturing on philosophy. This is where the fictive elements work best - by providing a character to voice the questions in our own heads. The author shows a good gra!sp of what will make sense to an uninformed reader, and provides a gentle ramble through a couple of dozen centuries of human thought that will help most people's understanding of the world in which we live.

That is not to say that Gaarder dispatches all periods in history with equal aplomb. His dealing with the metaphysical and ontological abstractions (jargon-free equivalent = world of ideas) of ancient Greece and the middle ages is exemplary. He manages to explain the more-or-less-unexplainable in terms of the easily-understood, in a way that more school texts should copy. Even the prickly thickets of 20th century existentialism yield up some of their unappetizing secrets under his patient hand.

Gaarder is least successful in dealing with creeds that go beyond pure ideas and involve a challenge to behaviour and lifestyle. His treatment of Marxism (which is not so much about ideas as it is about action) is shallow. His survey of Christianity (which is not about! ideas at all, but entirely about relationships) is derisory.

Amazon's warehouses contain better novels (for a first-class Scandinavian novel of ideas, try "Miss Smilla's Feeling For Snow") and better introductions to philosophy (e.g. Alain de Botton's 'Consolations of Philosophy'). In the end, however, 'Sophie's World' is surprisingly successful as a hybrid - it makes learning fun and deserves to be read.

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28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The whole is much more than the sum of its parts, 21 Nov 2002
By "lexi_wades" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy (Paperback)
I was warned before reading this book that it was difficult to read and over-hyped. I found this wasn't true as Gaarder entertains and amuses the reader aswell as discussing all the major branches of philosophy in a easy to understand and well structured way. Those who complain about either the story line or the discussions within the book really shouldn't have started reading a "philosophical novel"- as it is quite obvious what they will get! I think a few people are put off the book as a novel when some of the issues get complex- but it all makes sense and is truly original.
Sophie's World has some real genious to it- the twists in the tale complement the academic aspects. The best thing about it though is it is an introduction to philosophy fun to read through and emensely helpful to look back on certain chapeters as a reference book. As a student of philosophy I know how difficult it is to find a basic philosophical introduction- espescially one that makes sense- but Gaarder suceeds.
This is an ideal book if you like a deeper novel than your average paperback or a lighter philosophical text book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't believe the hype
The jacket of my copy proclaims this book as a "World Best Seller". If so, I am at a loss to understand why. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Mike Heron

4.0 out of 5 stars A generally good introduction for the layman
As a layperson to philosophy I thought this book did a good job of introducing me to the history and big ideas in the subject. Read more
Published 22 days ago by JA Macgregor

5.0 out of 5 stars If you do not like philosophy (thinking about yourself!), do not read this book!
Philosophy is an abstruse subject and writing a novel to teach philosophy is much more complex. Sophie's Choice is the only successful book of this type I have ever seen. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Roozbeh Ganjvar

5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing and Highly Informative
With a book like this, it's important to know what kind of book it is before you read it. First and foremost this is an educational book, in which the lessons are faciltated by... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Lee Mcandrew

1.0 out of 5 stars Fascinated by the book, disappointed by the edition I chose
This is just a comment on my choice of edition.

I chose to order the Orion Children's book edition, 2003, a Dolphin paperback. Read more
Published 5 months ago by JOD

3.0 out of 5 stars A (decent) history of Western philosophy disguised as a (middle of the road) novel
Jostein Gaarder has written a concise history of Western philosophy, disguised as a novel. The good news is that the 2000 years of Western philosophy is well explained, the bad... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mr. Tristan Martin

4.0 out of 5 stars Proof that you can learn in your leisure!
I read this as an adult and wish it had been around when I was a teenager as well. It appealed to the eternal, wondering child within me and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Kenny_Consumer

4.0 out of 5 stars Engagingly light
A happy wander around childlike explanitions of key philosopher's and figures through out history. However its engaging and i'm almost half way through - not bad really... Read more
Published 15 months ago by SJR Fawcett

3.0 out of 5 stars Not great, but still worth a look.
I bought Sophie's World a few years ago and I finally finished reading it. In summary I would say something like this. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Ryley Parker

5.0 out of 5 stars A novel to make you look at the world anew
I can't recommend this book enough. It isn't just a journey through Western philosophy - it is a story which encourages you to think about your reality and your life from angles... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Nancy Williams

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