Sophie's World

[Cinnamon Girl]

I'm wondering if anyone has read this book by Jostein Gaarder? If so, what did you think?

Would you recommend it to someone who hasn't taken so much as a Philosophy 101 class?

Here's a link to the book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-titleid=30905&ve-field=none/qid=/002-3628605-3953629

[Mithrea]

I haven't read it but it does look worth a read. I'd have to read it to answer your question anyway. Maybe I'll order it . . .

Have you read it? What did you think?

[Amethyst Rose]

I read it, and I thought it was a great book! It did drag a little bit when the explinations got long, but I read it front to back in just a couple of days :). I'd definately recommend it as a starting point for philosophy.
Another great book you may be interested in if you've read and liked Sophie's world is Theo's Odyssey. It's along the same lines as Sophie's World, but about the world's major religions, rather than philosophy.

[FLipsiDE]

I remember reading it while I was taking my Philosophy class. It was very good. I liked it a lot at the time and I think it was written well enough to be read and comprehended without a background. It's a very general and good overview. Taking the Philo 101 class will increase your appreciation of it though...

Theo's Odessy huh Rose? Sounds promising...

[Cinnamon Girl]

Thanks for the input, AR and Flip. :)

I think I'll look for it (and Theo's Odyssey) on my next trip to the used bookstore.

[Sgeir]

My dad unexpectedly bought me Sophie's World when it first came out.

The only problem I had with it was that I got too interested in the story about Sophie, and ended up skipping the philosophy bits in order to read on with the story! After the first read through that isn't such a problem though, naturally. And bits of it keep coming back, so I can wow people who haven't read it with random bits of philosophy, which comes in handy sometimes :D

Has anyone here seen the film version? With the cardboard trees and things? It was very odd, almost as odd as a film I once watched about Wittgenstein which featured aliens on pillarboxes in Cambridge...

[IsisErin]

I would *definitely* recommend it - I've never studied Philosophy and I found it absorbing, informative, and a great story. Has anyone read any other books by him, for example, the Solitaire Mystery or the Christmas Mystery?

[Sylv]

I'd recommend Sophie's World-I read it and loved it (though I've rad other philosophy before) and my mom (who has had no intro to philosophy) really enjoyed it as well.

Has anyone read any other books by him, for example, the Solitaire Mystery or the Christmas Mystery?
I have, I have! lol-my Norweigan friend sent me Sophie's World and The Solitaire Mystery for Christmas last year, so I read both of them then-I loved the division of time based on cards in The Solitaire Mystery-it was definitely at least as good as Sophie's World. I read The Christmas Mystery awhile later and didn't think it was as good. *shrugs* Parts of it were interesting, but it didn't make me think nearly as much as the other two.

[Chibi-Fallon]

From what I've read it's a really good book. My AP European History class is reading sections of it, and it seems very well written. A lot of the stuff going on with Sophie we kinda skip but it's got good info and is more interesting then a textbook. :D

[Mithrea]

I tried to buy this at Books a Million today. . . they were out and said it would take 10 days to order :wah:

[AstraSkye]

Originally posted by MoonOwl
I'm wondering if anyone has read this book by Jostein Gaarder? If so, what did you think?

Would you recommend it to someone who hasn't taken so much as a Philosophy 101 class?

I've read the book (in Swedish) about four times... Reading it front to back takes only a few days, because it' so GOOD!!! It's very well written, and it's very interesting.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has never studied philosophy before (I read it the first time when I was nine or ten years old, I think)... and also to people who has studied philosophy before. :D It's just written in such a way it's suitable for... anyone with the interest. :D

[Chanda]

I just finished reading Sophie's World and I agree that it is a very well written book. It is written in a way that is accessable to anyone. If you have never studied philosophy and would like to get an overview of Western Philosophy, without reading any academic level books, this is a great book to read.

Something I found interesting and which no one has mentioned in this thread so far is that towards the last chapters of the book the author clearly states that most of the stuff to be found in the New Age, ESP, Occult, Spirit, Tarot, Healing, etc areas of bookshops and library is, and I quote directly from the book:


Much of it is humbug. But it sells as well as pornography. A lot of it is a kind of pornography. Young people can come here and purchase the ideas that fascinate them the most. But the difference between real philosophy and these books is more or less the same as the difference between real love and pornography.

The author goes on to say that there is a whole industry geared towards making money from these topics.

I must say that I totally agree. Anyone looking for a serious reference book on these topics is faced with dozens of "Occult for Dummies", "101 for the New Age witch", "Learn Tarot in 1 easy lesson" books...

Personally I think this is a great book... well worth reading.

Peace,
Chanda.

Edited to add: If you already have a good overview of philosophy, I am not that sure that the book would be as enjoyable.

[Ben Trismegistus]

Just another voice recommending "Sophie's World" and "Solitaire Mystery". Great books.

[nomadicdragon]

I'm wondering if anyone has read this book by Jostein Gaarder? If so, what did you think?

Would you recommend it to someone who hasn't taken so much as a Philosophy 101 class?

Here's a link to the book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-titleid=30905&ve-field=none/qid=/002-3628605-3953629


YES!!!! It is an awesome book. in my humble opinion.. very easy read and very good read.

[Septegram]

I've read it, but I have to say I didn't particularly like the ending. I was fascinated by the history of philosophy information, but the whole idea of going from there to Sophie trying to escape while the author was distracted was ... well ... distracting from the concepts that seemed more interesting.