very good book for beginners who want to learn the basics of the history of western philosophy. The author made it very enjoyable to read and he is relatively easy to follow .
For a long time, I am curious about the philosophy.I had read Socrates, Nietzsche, but I felt it so difficult to understand for some thoughts of these famous people. However, this book likes an interesting philosophy three, you can clearly see the outline of philosophy history of western and some mainstream thoughts of the famous philosopher. It will give you big help to easily know western philosophy for amateurs. Besides, it also can provide methodology in the ways of thinking.
This is indeed an awesome book about the history of western philosophy with the relaxed and humor style but still no shortage of serious thinking.
The book is informative, from which, you may get lots of interesting view points and knowledge. I will not list them here, then you can enjoy them by your own eyes from the book.
In this book, every view point in the history was explained. Even if you cannot accept all of them, at least you know why people propose their advocation( For me, except for 2~3 points in the very later chapters of science, I nearly agree all the book. But the only chapter#48 of Chinese philosophy looks quite boring)
Then, after read it, I believe you will think a lot from your own perspective. That would be a gain from it.
Lin Xinhao’s book is often read only as light‑hearted stories about history and human customs. Yet to me, it shows the living three‑fold Taiji and the great spiral hidden inside ordinary people’s lives.
Every age follows this eternal rhythm: individual desire, group custom, and the nameless whole of history that carries both forward. Nothing appears out of nowhere; every choice rises, yields, transforms, and circles back in new shapes along the endless spiral.
Common people are not merely tiny dots in history. They are channels through which the energy of the times flows. Grand theories cannot fully explain life; soft observation of ordinary humanity reveals the quiet working of the Tao. Rigid judgment misses the flow; gentle understanding lets us see the three‑fold pattern everywhere.
History is not only made by famous heroes. It is the living movement of countless lives turning together — just as the Tao works quietly, without shouting, through all things.
Likes • Writing style humorous and easy to follow • Appreciate that he focused on more than just the thought. The gossip about the philosophers really helped bring them alive
Dislikes • He lost track of the questions he posed at the beginning of the book. It became a question of whether something was dogmatic, instead of whether it will help towards your personal happiness • Towards the end of the book, the content biased more and more towards his personal opinions, to the point where I felt more like I was reading an essay collection from him rather than a book about philosophy
Fun read to get a skin of philosophy history. Good for non-serious reader like me who just want to peak into the rabbit hole of philosophy due to fear of losing shallow happiness if really jumping into it :)