Schopenhauer in 90 Minutes Lib/E

Review As effective in its biographical and philosophical summarizing as we've come to expect from Paul Strathern...convey[s] both Schopenhauer's prickly nature and its contradictions with the ascetic renunciation of the material world that he propounded in his writings.-- "Amazon.com, editorial review" Product Description Schopenhauer, the philosopher of pessimism, makes it very plain that he regards the world and our life in it as a bad joke. But if the world is indifferent to our fate, it doesn't thwart us on purpose. The world's facade is supported by what Schopenhauer calls the universal Will-blind and without purpose. This Will brings on all our misery and suffering; our only hope is to liberate ourselves from its power and from the trappings of individualism and egoism that are at its mercy. In Schopenhauer in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Schopenhauer's life and ideas and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the world. The book also includes selections from Schopenhauer's writings, a brief list of suggested readings for those who wish to delve deeper, and chronologies that place Schopenhauer within his own age and in the broader scheme of philosophy. About the Author Paul Strathern earned a degree in philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin, and has lectured in philosophy and mathematics. The author of many nonfiction books and of articles for numerous publications, he has also written several novels and has won the Somerset Maugham Prize. He lives and writes in London.Simon Vance is an award-winning actor and an AudioFile Golden Voice with over fifty Earphones Awards and thirteen prestigious Audie Awards. He was named Booklist's very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009.