Filosofi i den hellenistiska och romerska världen

A History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps #2

by Peter Adamson

Swedish / Svenska

Genres: Philosophy, History, Nonfiction, Religion, Christianity, Ancient History, Roman

1 pages, Hardcover

First published July 21, 2015

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The absolute best thing about this book is the style; it is highly readable, written in a conversational manner that makes it very approachable. That is not to say it is without substance. Adamson uses his style to make you think deeply about philosophical questions almost without you noticing. He invites you in to the process of intellectual discovery, cleverly explaining how each philosopher came to his conclusions rather than presenting you with them fait accompli.

There were a lot of philosophers here that I knew nothing about, this book takes you much further than the standard litany of 'big names', but each added something relevant and the lesser names were not treated with any less depth than the bigger ones. Before this, I wasn't aware of Peter Adamson's podcasts but I will certainly be catching up on all that i've missed. He makes philosophy fun and relevant, while also being well researched and intelligent. Fantastic work.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Oxford University Press for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the print versions of the Philosophy podcast "The History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps", this volume follows the Classical Philosophy one, dedicated to the golden age of Greek Philosophy from the pre-socratics to the aftermath of Aristotle, while this one starts off with the Cynics and goes all the way to Boethius.

As such it spans a much wider space in both time, geography and ideas, moving from Pagan to Christian thinkers half-way through, from a world dominated by Greece, to Pagan Rome to Christian Rome. By the end of this book we have three paths to go through, the philosophy that will develop in the Islamic world, the philosophy in Medieval Western, Latinate, Europe and the Greek Byzantine philosophy developing in the East.

Adamson's style of writing is droll, he can keep amusing you in every chapter even while detailing obscure philosophical discussions by now obscure thinkers (the closest to a celebrity in this volume is Augustine, there is no Socrates, Plato or Aristotle, although their ghosts are ever present). However, with constant references to giraffes and Buster Keaton you easily get through a book which is of interest both to newcomers to the history of philosophy as to those well versed in it. There is always something new to find out, some new interesting thinker you'd never looked at and Adamson makes it not only palatable but also enjoyable.

[Vasso Arvaniti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more i read of this series the more I like it. As a greek reader, who is familiar with the history of the time period in question I was excited to get a better grasp on the philosophy during the hellinistic years and the roman empire. The 3rd part took a turn towards the theological but me enjoying it less is probably a product of my upringing in an orthodox environment and not a testament to the quality of work produced by the author. Definitely worth your time.

[C. B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely marvellous... as good as the first! A quick, pleasurable introduction to a many vaguely familiar names, and many more unknown ones.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This particular author is a historian of philosophy who appears like one of the writers who would write lots of essays in those pop culture philosophy books I so dearly love to read as well as critique [1]. Throughout this book he talks a lot about giraffes, demonstrates a not particularly profound grasp of the Bible's contents, and compares sophists for hire with battle rappers like Kool Moe Dee. The author's praise of philosophers in light of their manifest follies demonstrates somewhat of the weakness of the base of philosophers to view themselves as superiors in the quest for wisdom to others, and not even realizing that they may be on the wrong quest to begin with. The author's desire to praise and celebrate odd thinking and bad thinking on the part of the philosophers of the Hellenistic World as well as the Roman World going into late antiquity undercuts his desire to praise philosophy as a whole. For if people can be thought of as good philosophers when their thinking was plainly and obviously defective, then as a consequence philosophy itself cannot be anything particularly impressive or worthwhile, at least until it can be put in its proper place and not allowed to run rampant.

This sizable book is nearly 400 pages and 53 chapters long, divided into three parts. The book begins with an introductory section that includes a preface, acknowledgement, note on references, dates, and a map. After that the first part of the book, containing twenty chapters, examines the course of Hellenistic philosophy. This begins with the fight over Socrates' legacy (1), the cynics (2), the Cyrenaics (3), Epicurus and his school (4, 5, 6), Lucretius (7), and the stoics (8, 9, 10, 11). The author spends chapters dealing with such philosophers as Seneca (12), Epictetus (13), Marcus Aurelius (14), and Pyrrho (15). There are chapters about the skeptical Academy (16), Cicero (17), Sextus Empiricus (18), as well as chapters on ancient medicine (19), and Galen (20). The second part of the book examines pagan philosophy in the Roman Empire in eighteen chapters (II), beginning with an overview (21), looking at the Middle Platonic (22), Philo (23), Plutarch (24), Aristotelianism after Aristotle (25), Alexander of Aphrodisias (26), the role of rhetoric (27), astronomy and astrology (28), Plotinus (29, 30, 31, 32), Porphyry (33), Iamblichus (34), the relationship of the state and the household (35), Proclus (36), the last pagan philosophers (37), and John Philoponus (38). The third and final part of the book then looks at Christian Philosophy in the Roman Empire (III), with chapters on ancient Christianity (39), the Greek (40) and Latin (46) Church Fathers, Origen (41), the Cappadocians (42), Pseudo-Dionysius (43), Maximus the Confessor (44), the desert fathers (45), Augustine (47, 48, 49, 50, 51), Latin Platonism (52), and Boethius (53), after which the book ends with notes, suggestions for further reading, and an index.

There are a few elements about this book that are distinctive. For one, the author adopts a rather conversational tone that takes philosophy from a remote and abstruse subject to one that can be easily understood by any reasonably literate reader. While this does nothing for the dignity of philosophy, it certainly does add a popular appeal. This book's approach as a whole, not only in its friendly and not particularly scholarly language, but also in the fact that it tells the history of philosophy in a narrative form, is highly accessible. And while there are certainly some aspects of this book that I do not approve of or agree with, the approach of the book is certainly winning and enjoyable and for those who have at least some interest in the philosophy of the Hellenistic Ages and the Roman Imperial age would do well to check this book out, as it does a good job of pointing out the diversity of thought within the heathen world of ancient philosophy as well as how this heathen tradition opposed and was ultimately co-opted by both Jews (Philo) and Christians (Augustine, Origin, etc.). As someone with an interest in these matters I found the book to be amusing and worthwhile even where it pointed out areas of disagreement.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book which covered some stuff that I didn't know about, but even then I was surprised at how well Traditio and Lordship prepared me for it. I knew from reading De Natura Deorum about the Skeptics, Epicureans, and Stoics, and from Augustine studies I knew about the Neoplatonists. But I appreciated the review, and having read a lot more theology since then, I appreciated a lot more.

Still, I have mixed feelings about this era of philosophy. While I get the three Roman schools, and I always appreciate philosophers that are more practical, it seems like a step down from Plato and Aristotle. Those two guys are not ideologues. People will tell you that Plato was stuck in the clouds, but this is a lie in my opinion. Read the dialogues and you'll see them dancing all over the place in a truly thoughtful and deep way. Aristotle is even better: he is talking about the real world, and he isn't trying to fit the world into his suitcase: his philosophy is the world and correctable according to what is in the world. The Stoics and Epicureans seem to me to be dealing with some real practical problems. For instance, how does one deal with the overwhelming problems of the real world without collapsing under the emotional weight of it all? The Stoics have an answer, and it's a really good one: be imperturbable. I really think this is under-rated in an age where people seem to just be pushovers for the slightest microagression. But I don't think that Stoicism of that sort (there are multiple sorts: the earliest Stoicism is a kind of hippie philosophy related to the "natural")--I don't think that Stoicism of that sort has room for the Psalms. I don't think it's human to be imperturbable. There's a lot of stuff I am aware that I should not be perturbed by, and the Stoics are helpful for that. But I do think that the world is such that the things closest to us going wrong should make us grieve. The Epicureans, surprisingly, are doing something similar, just with a kind of self-care vibe, which means Stoics > Epicureans. The Skeptics are a helpful interlocutor, but you can't built a philosophy on questions. I still want to read Seneca and Cicero, but it's more because of the enormous impact they've had rather than for life stuff.

Plotinus and Porphyry really comes across as super important. In the last few years, the Davenant guys have been re-educating me about the importance of divine simplicity, and if I am reading this survey correctly, Plotinus had a HUGE impact on theology with his way of conceiving the one. Definitely a genius, though I probably won't enjoy reading the Enneads. But I came away with the impression that a theologian must read them. Must. Must. Must. The way he thinks about the principle of the One and the questions of how the One can generate multiplicity are the very questions that Augustine seems to be answering with his understanding of creatio ex nihilo.

Of course the cool thing about this book is that Adamson talks about the earliest theologians, including the Cappadocians, Origen, Augustine, and Boethius. I wish that I had read this in college. It's really easy to read and to get the gist of patristic Trinitarian theology. The chapters are short and sweet. I also got really excited about Augustine's On the Teacher, which I had never heard of before. For the first time in my life since reading the Confessions at age 17 I have gotten excited about Augustine and seen how he is trying to grapple with questions that Plato left open. The way that man thought about time and memory was deep and really should be engaged with by anyone trying to grapple with philosophy.

All in all, this is proving to be an excellent series.

[Bluehat · Rating 5 out of 5]

It isn't Adamson's fault that he eventually has to make room in his discussions of Buster Keaton to mention the kind of "thought" that would say something as stupid as "believe so that you may understand." He makes the best of it. And really, as long as the portion about the early church fathers feels, it is only about a third of it. This book picks up just after Aristotle, starting with the many great schools of ancient Athens, and winds its way along through a long section on Plotinus and his students before early Christianity crashes the party. It is a strong book, and the audio (podcast) form remains excellent.

[Joseph Spuckler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philosophy in the Hellenistic and Roman Worlds: A History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps, Volume 2 by Peter Adamson is a detailed look at the philosophers of the Greek and Roman Era. Adamson holds a joint appointment with the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Previously Professor of Philosophy at King’s College, London. He has published on Aristotle, Plotinus, al-Farabi and other members of the Baghdad School, Avicenna, and Averroes. A special focus of research is the output of the translation circle of al-Kindi, on which he has written The Arabic Plotinus: a Philosophical Study of the "Theology of Aristotle" and Great Medieval Thinkers: al-Kindi. Adamson is also editor or co-editor of several books.

In graduate school, political philosophy was taught by a newly minted Ph.D. with a dissertation on Kierkegaard. I enjoyed the class immensely mostly in part because my project that semester centered around Machiavelli's Discourses on Livy, which I read and reread several times as an undergraduate. Others were not so confident with Hegel, Kant, and Nietzsche. The thought of philosophy puts fear into many students. Plato, Aristotle, and Augustine can be intimidating, but Adamson does a remarkable job delivering the message of the Greek philosophers through the early Roman Christian philosophers.

Adamson does not give the reader a "philosophy for dummies" course but explains in uncomplicated detail more than just what the philosopher said, but his influences, worldview, and how it all ties together. He compares himself to a cover band for each philosopher and it makes sense. To be a KISS cover band, you need to do more than play "Hotter Than Hell," you need the makeup, costumes, and the fire breathing. It's the complete picture that makes everything work. Adamson, also, isn't afraid to use his sense of humor and plenty of puns (obvious and not so obvious). The reader will now he is in for a treat with chapters titles "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Like a Rolling Stone."

The Greek period covers, my favorite, the Cynics, the Stoics, the Skeptics, and the Epicureans. The Cynic Diogenes was the a man who told Alexander the Great, that he was blocking his sun and needs to move. He was also the man who traveled with only a stick, a pouch, and a cup for drinking. Once he saw a young boy cupping his hands to drink and decided not to be outdone by a child, he threw away his cup. However, there is one area where his minimalism didn't come into play -- education, "The foundation of every state is the education of its youth."

I found the Greek philosophers far more interesting than the Romans, but there are interesting aspects of the latter especially when Christianity is introduced into the mix. I found that one of my favorite paradoxes is mentioned -- that of an all-knowing God and free will. Perhaps one of the most important philosophers of the period was Augustine is discussed in detail. In the Pagan era, there is coverage of Plotinus and Porphyry.

Philosophy in the Hellenistic and Roman Worlds is a great introduction, or review, of the philosophers of the era. It is very well written and presented in a welcoming way and there is more than enough detail for those with some background in philosophy without being intimidating to those without previous knowledge on the subject. Adamson writes in a conversational tone that makes the reader feel they are being spoken to rather than spoke at. A very well written book in both subject matter and readability. I look forward to future volumes covering the Medieval and Enlightenment philosophers.

[LuisJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much the same as per the first book in the series in terms of style, readability etc (so all good news!).
There are definitely a few areas where things become unclear (a handful at most) and certainly a few where sections feel in a rush to finish or shoe-horn a transition.
That said, that is largely nit-picking and overall this is definitely in 4-star territory.
I think that, for me, some negativity always wells up when I have to read anything to do with Aristotle and, particularly here, the 'neo-Platonists' (so, stuff borrowed from Aristotle and Plato and then dialled-up to 11).

I was also surprised that Augustine seemed to get a free-ride as far as criticism is concerned. Not that I know much about Augustine yet (having just gotten a copy of his Confessions) but most other philosophers get points against them raised by the author.

In any case I'm already looking forward to the next instalment on Islamic philosophy, as I know it's the author's area of specialty and I already have some idea of the importance of the area.

[Anthony O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad - but not particularly great either. Too brisk and superficial. To be fair as advertised. It does describe a lot of the 'minor' figures and not just the standard stars and this is interesting. Its a fascinating period in History. Starts off with some brilliance and then dissipates as the Empire moves towards its sudden and supposedly inevitable fall. Many so called great authors come across in their true colors as self absorbed whiners and wafflers. Boethius. Phttt. In the final falling stages 'Christian Philosophy' - what an oxymoron of a term.
The author's juvenile sense of humor becomes repetitive and tedious - and the constant attempts at Giraffe jokes just boring. Please stop it.

[Vytautas Jančauskas · Rating 1 out of 5]

A profoundly uninteresting collection of facts with no attempt to have any kind of a connecting thread between them. The philosophy of church fathers in particular reads more like A History of Stupid Without Any Gaps. Historical context of the philosophers in question is almost entirely omitted which makes for a really baffling read. While I liked the first volume in this series I think I will have to skip all the following ones since this was one of the most painful things I have ever read. Even the History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell despite its many flaws is a more substantial read.

[Jonathan Jedrasik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, it covers everything on the Roman empire and there philosophies from Paganism to the switch to Christianity, and how much a role Socrates/Plato/Aristotle have a role in it all. It's also interesting how the different schools of thought had inner conflicts with each other and were constantly undermining each other. It covers the big names but also a lot of lesser known names. The history of the Stoics was probably the most interesting to me and how there is unfortunately no recovered works of the father of it all, Zeno's. . . forever lost. Yet it is also remarkable with how much of it was lost but were able to discern from references and critiques of there works.

[Marco · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very accessible introduction, with short chapters that highlight the key disputes and issues not only of the better-known currents of post-Aristotle philosophy (such as the Stoics, Epicureans, or Neoplatonists) but also cover minor figures that nevertheless engage with key themes and arguments. In doing so, the book manages to present a lively portrait of Western philosophy in the period between the death of Aristotle and the first four to six centuries AD.

[Hal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the podcast while reading some of it when it's difficult to follow. I was struggling with the names. Generally very helpful for getting a panoramic view of the history of philosophy in that period. And it doesn't require much of a background (reading/listening to the classical period one certainly won't hurt).

[Masood · Rating 5 out of 5]

The expansion and transformations of ideas and thoughts in a broader perspective is well beyond my imagination. I am very looking forward to the third book in the series as I expect answers to many questions I have brought up with. I will either find the answers or a way to find the answers. An interesting story told in a way that keeps you hooked and you wish to carry on.

[Phil Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

Adamson has a wonderful way of unfolding major philosophical ideas in their contexts and over time that is instructive, insightful and often entertaining. I found this volume particularly helpful on Augustine.

[Jacob Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to audio over last several years.

[Алексей · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing introduction, excelent book covering main philosophers of late Antiquity.

[Booker]

*I've found one gap:* it doesn't mention the School of the Sextii, which had an influence on Seneca.

But it seems to have less gaps than Ancient Philosophy from Anthony Kenny.

[Bernard English · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-organized and "without gaps" means he does indeed cover philosopher/theologians not often encountered.

[Courtney Riggan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned so much. Truly, why did the class I took seem so boring and dull at the time, while this book shows how interesting philosophy can be?

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a wonderful trip! Learning about the Hellenistic Schools is like watching the children of a noble father as they mature. Each resembles their father (Socrates) in some particulars. To continue the analogy, the Neoplatonists are like the granddaughter who joins some unhinged but harmless utopian community, leaving it to generation three to start a violent revolutionary movement (Christianity).

As for the book series itself: It's an undertaking worthy of Mel Brooks. The only problem is, the names go by too fast. Any hope of retaining more than a small portion calls for a much expanded reading list. perhaps the word: Introduction should appear somewhere in the title.

[Johan Bergström · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit too many jokes, and giraffes, for my taste. I had hoped that there might have been a bit more depth to it, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

[Moderated · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is anything I learned while reading this book is Buster Keaton and his silent movies.
But seriously, this book is amazing!

[Italo Italophiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The subtitle of this book is A History of Philosophy without any gaps, Volume 2. It is the book form of a podcast available on-line. In the book you will learn about:
- Hellenistic Philosophy,
- Pagan Philosophy in the Roman Empire, and
- (Judeo) Christian Philosophy in the Roman Empire.

The book is divided into those three parts, but has many overlaps. Included for eager students are Notes, a Bibliography, an Index (in the print edition) and a Further Reading list.

In this volume one meets the Skeptics, Epicurus, Stoics... all sorts of curious characters, including Plotinus, Augustine and Philo of Alexandria, and even Moses of Old Testament (Torah) fame. The author tries to engage the reader, often using popular culture references or questions:

"Do you like a nice garden? Do you enjoy the company of friends? Do you believe the world is made of tiny particles, which you call atoms? Do you trust the evidence of your senses? Do you find politics tiresome, and raise a skeptical eyebrow at those who live in fear of God? If your answer to these questions is "yes", then you might want to consider becoming an Epicurean."

The religious philosophers were concerned with what all philosophers are concerned with: ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, logic, philology, the mind, and even political philosophy such as how society should best be governed.

A direct line is drawn from Moses to Plato to Aristotle to the Stoics to Neo-Platonism to Judeo-Christian thought. All those thinkers stress the need to turn away from the pleasure of the body (our animalistic nature) and turn toward virtue and a faithfulness to God (our divine nature). One must be aware of both our higher and lower natures, and integrate the two as a whole person, self plus soul.

The author has more books in the works, and plans to cover in his works all 2500 years of western philosophical thought, without any gaps.

Pre-Socratics
Plato and Aristotle
Hellenistic period philosophers
Roman era thinkers
Judeo-Christian thinkers
Ancient philosophies preserved by Muslims, then Christian monks, leading to
Byzantine and Renaissance thought and philosophy
The Enlightenment
Modern and Post-Modern thought and philosophy

The author aims to educate anyone who wants to know about the history of philosophy, through his podcasts, and with the books. His style is approachable and knowledgeable. He lightens the text with humor when possible.

So if you are interested in learning the history of thoughts on how we should live, and what is the nature of man, truth, language and knowledge, this might be a book for you, together with Book 1 which covers Classical Philosophy, namely Plato and Aristotle.

I've read other philosophy books, and attended university lectures on philosophy, so I have some basis of comparison when judging this book. To me, it reads like a really fun philosophy professor's lecture notes.

The professor is modern minded, including two subjects professors of history and philosophy often skip when talking about the ancients: pervasive slavery and the negligible role of women in the paternalistic societies. I would have like to have seen more mention of the institutional sadism of the societies in which these philosophers lived, another subject often overlooked.

Please visit my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews. I received a review-copy of this book. This is my honest review.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Adamson must be one of those rare breed of writers open to taking on any writing challenge that comes before him. Such is the case with Philosophy In The Hellenistic & Roman Worlds (PHRW). Notice the fine print at very top of the front cover that reads, “A History Of Philosophy Without Any Gaps”. Two things came to mind when I saw this. The first was “it’s about time!” The second thing that came to my mind was “how is that even possible?” To be perfectly candid it isn’t. However, I think Adamson does an outstanding job in spite of the task before him of covering subject matter often missed in academia but doing so in an entertaining way.

Adamson starts by outlining three areas of philosophy that tend not to get too much attention. They are: Hellenistic Philosophy, Pagan Philosophy In The Roman Empire, and Christian Philosophy In The Roman Empire. From these eras Adamson hones in on key disciplines such as metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, logic, ethics, philosophy of language, and the reader will occasionally come across brushes with other disciplines. So at the outset Adamson’s work highlights philosophers and their influences through a historical thematic way providing a much larger picture of the development of thought.

I was personally interested in Adamson’s discussion of Christianity in the Roman World. Adamson explains Christianity's emergence out of a hedonistic tradition which began conceptually with a the principle of immediate pleasure in hedonism to the understanding of pleasure as a life pursuit in Epicurianism. Christian thought began to dominate the ancient world by appropriating Plato, Aristotle, and pagan thought. It isn’t till the time of Augustine that we begin to see a uniquely Christian philosophy whose impact is still felt today. Adamson points out that Augustines’s influence reaches so far out that even non-Christians today find themselves with Augustinian similarities. One example that I can think of is Bertrand Russell’s appeal to Agustine’s view of time.

RATING: 4 STARS

James
https://philosophicalphragments.wordp...

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Adamson adapts his podcasts A History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps into a series of books, of which Philosophy in the Hellenistic and Roman Worlds is volume two. Like the podcasts the book is enjoyable while also making this history very accessible to any audience.

As a history rather than an in-depth philosophy book this work presents the ideas and the connections (as well as disconnections) to other ideas clearly. Philosophy is an ongoing discussion or debate. A philosophy book, the kind that many people think of as a sleep aid, takes as its starting point a reaction to another school of thought then proceeds to develop its own argument. A history of philosophy, however, is more concerned with what each school or thinker thought in relation to what came before and what follows. For this reason ideas are presented with enough explanation for them to be understandable as a response to another idea. Adamson excels at giving excellent overviews of ideas and connecting them forward and backward with great humor and insight.

This is ideal for those who want to read about philosophy without feeling overwhelmed. Especially valuable for these readers are the notes and suggestions for further reading. When you find a thinker or idea that intrigues you, the resources are presented for you to delve deeper. I know that this will be a great addition to those who have studied philosophy because we usually tend to focus as time goes on on narrow expanses of philosophical thought. This is a refreshing step back to help regain the perspective of the larger conversation, as well as suggest new connections we might have overlooked.

As a potential textbook I think it has great value for an intro course. Also it would accompany an honors sequence which might be multidisciplinary very well because it presents the ideas in relation to the cultures within which they flourished. Also a good book for a high school course.

Reviewed from an ARC made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[The Escapist Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 out of 5 stars

I will never stop raving about how good this series is. It's great for beginners like mysef, but also for people who don't like their philosophy to come in a dry and humorless form. If Peter Adamson doesn't win you over with his expert and coherent explanation of the topics he discusses, he will definitely make you chuckle with his references to Buster Keaton and his outrageous puns.
The presentation of the various schools of thought during the Hellenistc Times discussed was of particilar interest to me, especially because this was a comprehensive guide to understanding their similarities and differences. Plotinus both impressed and confused me, while the last part of the book, dedicated to early christian thinkers, was a bit of a struggle to get through (for me!!!), but interesting nontheless!

Happy reading!

P.S. I'm a big fan of the podcast too. You shoud definitely check it out. You can find it here.

[Jordan Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This (and the forthcoming volume) will likely be my favorites in the entire series. Adamson is not a good writer. But he's clear, and he's thorough, and his attempts at humor, while desperate and strained, do not detract terribly from the glorious material he's assembled here. Highly recommended as an introduction, and the bibliography is wonderful as well.

[Michael Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this second volume, but the stuff about Christianity did lose me a bit for whatever reason.