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Aristotle: A Graphic Biography
From the artist behind the critically acclaimed, award-winning, New York Times #1 bestselling graphic novel Logicomix comes a graphic novel about the life and legacy of Aristotle, the polymath who became one of the founding figures of modern thought Little is known about the early life of Aristotle, the polymath who would go on to serve as a cultural cornerstone of modern thought and scholarship. Alecos Papadatos, the artist behind the critically acclaimed, award-winning, New York Times #1 bestselling graphic novel Logicomix, and Tassos Apostolidis, an author and teacher, team up to bring his story to life, following the trail of clues to paint a picture of the great man and his philosophy. The son of a renowned Macedonian physician, Aristotle pursues his studies in Athens and becomes one of Plato’s favorite disciples. A great scholar, he even serves as Alexander the Great, Ptolemy, and Cassander’s personal tutor. For many, that would be the high point of their career, but Aristotle goes on to found his own school, the Lyceum. There, he transmits his knowledge and passion to any student wishing to embark on an intellectual and philosophical journey. Most of his works that have endured to this day are from this crucial time, thought to be lecture aids for his students. The fact that these were not likely intended for publication and yet have had such an astounding influence on every school of Western thought, speak to the monumental legacy which Papadatos and Apostolidis carefully reconstruct in this compelling and informative graphic novel.
216 pages, Hardcover
Published October 8, 2024
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77 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 9, 2025
Overall, a very nice read that I'm glad I decided to pick up. Biographies are very interesting in graphic novel form and I loved the art style and the premise. There were some truly beautiful moments in this book. The only reason why this wasn't a five star was because some of the philosophy got pretty complicated and you would have to reread sections multiple times to understand them. Otherwise, I very much enjoyed it.
August 17, 2024
Aristotle: A graphic biography is a detailed account of Aristotle, his days at Greece, his school of thought, his impact on Alexander the great, his personal life and the racism and inhumanity of that time. It gives us a fairly precise picture of the geo-political climate of the era and brings us closer to the minds whose contributions to knowledge led us to today’s world. I was fascinated to read about the educational system of a time long gone. Even more than that, it was fascinating to encounter the academic rivalry of different schools of scholars. This graphic novel does not only focus on the life of Aristotle, rather it sheds light on everything around him. For, they are the ones that made him today’s Aristotle and the book doesn’t reduce those factors to make him bigger than who he was. And it’s by doing that, they created one of the best graphic novels I have ever read. I was left feeling awe.
For a graphic novel, determined to be accurate, serious and true to reality, this doesn’t shy away from using humour and wit. We see the man, the myth and everything there is to know in between.
And while I have only good things to say about it, I also think, I would have liked my experience significantly more if I was reading the graphic novel on traditional format.
Thanks to Abrams Comics and NetGalley for providing me with an eArch of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
For a graphic novel, determined to be accurate, serious and true to reality, this doesn’t shy away from using humour and wit. We see the man, the myth and everything there is to know in between.
And while I have only good things to say about it, I also think, I would have liked my experience significantly more if I was reading the graphic novel on traditional format.
Thanks to Abrams Comics and NetGalley for providing me with an eArch of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 21, 2024
There isn't enough philosophy comic books in the world - this is a very good addition which is beautifully researched and pleasantly drawn in a very personal way. Of course, I would have preferred nice sepia tones to the more ordinary grayscale, like the cover suggested, but that's being picky.
I love any accessible way to engage in philosophy, so I happily plunged in. That said, this isn't an easy text, it's very dense and people will need a little background to appreciate better all the ideas that are being touched on in those pages because there are loads of them, and none are really delved into profoundly, just glanced at.
If you are interested in Aristotle you will learn a lot. This puts into historical perspective all of his ideas. It doesn't make him a particularly likable character, but it covers such a wide spectrum.
I love any accessible way to engage in philosophy, so I happily plunged in. That said, this isn't an easy text, it's very dense and people will need a little background to appreciate better all the ideas that are being touched on in those pages because there are loads of them, and none are really delved into profoundly, just glanced at.
If you are interested in Aristotle you will learn a lot. This puts into historical perspective all of his ideas. It doesn't make him a particularly likable character, but it covers such a wide spectrum.
February 9, 2025
Somewhat dense biography that has an ongoing discursive side detailing Aristotle's thought on a variety of topics. The artwork, page design, and coloring is all very interesting and innovative. Where it fails is trying to explain the complex political tides turning, turning again, and yet again, in the tension between Athens and Macedonia. These things are very impactful but the torrent of names and their fates becomes a bit of a muddle. This is a nice entry for the beginner to Aristotle or to philosophy broadly, as contemporary resonances to their issues with democracy and oligarchy are still fresh today.
September 21, 2025
the goat with the sauce
August 11, 2024
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Abrams ComicArts for an advance copy of this biographical and philosophical graphic novel which tells the life of one of the true polymaths of classical thinking.
My father was a psychology major who minored in both philosophy and theology. Plus he also had a degree in being a Bronx Irish Catholic. All of this made a man who made winning arguments as a child or a teen very difficult. And made him a man who cared not how people lived and how society treated people. When I would go through boxes of books looking for science fiction title, my father would be right behind grabbing stuff he knew I would like, and books that he had probably studied before. Philosophy was not something I was drawn to, but I picked up a bit from him, and found it interesting, but not life changing. I do know if this graphic novel had been around when I was younger, or my Father still alive, we both would have gotten quite a lot out of it. Aristotle: A Graphic Biography by educator and writer Tassos Apostolidis and famed illustrator Alecos Papadatos is a look at the philosopher's life, very turbulent times, and the lessons that he shared that still are taught and discussed today.
Not much is known of the early life of Aristotle. Aristotle's father was a doctor, famous in his area and his mother owned property that later was useful for Aristotle to retire and avoid the many enemies he had made. Both parents died early, leaving Aristotle under a patron's care, who sent him to Athens when he could to a school run by the philosopher Plato. Aristotle was a polymath, and was not shy about sharing his knowledge. Aristotle also liked the ladies, something else he was not afraid of sharing. Aristotle soon was teaching at the school, and becoming quite a name for himself. Which ended with the death of Plato, the school going to a person who cared little for Aristotle. Returning home Aristotle meet his wife Pythias, a woman who was at least as smart as him, and one that became the love of his life, as well as the mother of his child, a daughter also called Pythias. It was here that Aristotle was approached to become tutor to a younger gentleman, Alexander the Great.
A fascinating graphic novel that tells both the history, the thoughts and philosophy of Aristotle and details his life in equal measures. A little warning there is a lot of dialogue, but this not get in the way, or slow the story down, instead it enriches the story. We have become used to hearing the names of people we should know, but we are never really shown why we should care. Making Aristotle a man, with a woman he loves, an active intelligence, and an ego to match, really drives him the ideas tha thoughts that he had, and why they should be debated and shared today. The art is really good. Silly in some parts, detailed in others, with consistent character design, and really wonderful backgrounds. The art works well when explaining the ideas and thoughts also, the way only graphic storytelling can do. A really beautiful well-written graphic novel.
Sequential art is a great way to educate, one can see the thoughts the ideas come together while reading the text, and coming together to educate the reader, and make them want to know more. I enjoyed this quite a bit, and would like to see more graphic novels like this.
My father was a psychology major who minored in both philosophy and theology. Plus he also had a degree in being a Bronx Irish Catholic. All of this made a man who made winning arguments as a child or a teen very difficult. And made him a man who cared not how people lived and how society treated people. When I would go through boxes of books looking for science fiction title, my father would be right behind grabbing stuff he knew I would like, and books that he had probably studied before. Philosophy was not something I was drawn to, but I picked up a bit from him, and found it interesting, but not life changing. I do know if this graphic novel had been around when I was younger, or my Father still alive, we both would have gotten quite a lot out of it. Aristotle: A Graphic Biography by educator and writer Tassos Apostolidis and famed illustrator Alecos Papadatos is a look at the philosopher's life, very turbulent times, and the lessons that he shared that still are taught and discussed today.
Not much is known of the early life of Aristotle. Aristotle's father was a doctor, famous in his area and his mother owned property that later was useful for Aristotle to retire and avoid the many enemies he had made. Both parents died early, leaving Aristotle under a patron's care, who sent him to Athens when he could to a school run by the philosopher Plato. Aristotle was a polymath, and was not shy about sharing his knowledge. Aristotle also liked the ladies, something else he was not afraid of sharing. Aristotle soon was teaching at the school, and becoming quite a name for himself. Which ended with the death of Plato, the school going to a person who cared little for Aristotle. Returning home Aristotle meet his wife Pythias, a woman who was at least as smart as him, and one that became the love of his life, as well as the mother of his child, a daughter also called Pythias. It was here that Aristotle was approached to become tutor to a younger gentleman, Alexander the Great.
A fascinating graphic novel that tells both the history, the thoughts and philosophy of Aristotle and details his life in equal measures. A little warning there is a lot of dialogue, but this not get in the way, or slow the story down, instead it enriches the story. We have become used to hearing the names of people we should know, but we are never really shown why we should care. Making Aristotle a man, with a woman he loves, an active intelligence, and an ego to match, really drives him the ideas tha thoughts that he had, and why they should be debated and shared today. The art is really good. Silly in some parts, detailed in others, with consistent character design, and really wonderful backgrounds. The art works well when explaining the ideas and thoughts also, the way only graphic storytelling can do. A really beautiful well-written graphic novel.
Sequential art is a great way to educate, one can see the thoughts the ideas come together while reading the text, and coming together to educate the reader, and make them want to know more. I enjoyed this quite a bit, and would like to see more graphic novels like this.
October 19, 2024
This was a really great view of the life of Aristotle. I came in expecting very little, but left with knowledge I didn't have about him before. I love that the creator didn't shy away from showing Aristotle in a negative light as well - for such a smart man, he really couldn't acknowledge the intelligence of women at all!
It was nice to see that shown instead of hidden. I especially liked where we saw him teaching Alexander the Great and how their connection started to wane after a while. I did have to do a bit more research into that, but it was so interesting to find out and it made me want to learn more!
I took one star off only because sometimes I felt like I was reading large slabs of text for context. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it was necessary as it would have been difficult to communicate through the art and dialogue, but it became a methodological approach where they would be teaching about Aristotle's findings and it was, "It's like this. If you can't understand, here's a simple version with examples. Now, a student will add something in." I just wish some of his findings and ideas were shown in a different light and made my eyes a little less tired trying to figure out what they were saying.
Altogether, I enjoyed this story and would read it again. It gave great context and insight into his life, didn't shy away from the negatives, and tried to teach as much as possible with the limited information we have of his days on earth.
It was nice to see that shown instead of hidden. I especially liked where we saw him teaching Alexander the Great and how their connection started to wane after a while. I did have to do a bit more research into that, but it was so interesting to find out and it made me want to learn more!
I took one star off only because sometimes I felt like I was reading large slabs of text for context. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it was necessary as it would have been difficult to communicate through the art and dialogue, but it became a methodological approach where they would be teaching about Aristotle's findings and it was, "It's like this. If you can't understand, here's a simple version with examples. Now, a student will add something in." I just wish some of his findings and ideas were shown in a different light and made my eyes a little less tired trying to figure out what they were saying.
Altogether, I enjoyed this story and would read it again. It gave great context and insight into his life, didn't shy away from the negatives, and tried to teach as much as possible with the limited information we have of his days on earth.
November 9, 2024
A surprisingly thorough and densely worded bio of Aristotle that nonetheless keeps a quick pace and avoided ever dragging for me. This story covers his life from late teens through his death, and does a great job dramatizing a lot of factual information and historical context, as well as many of his foundational ideas. It often reads like a who’s who of the Greek; Aristotle had a pretty adventurous life with a lot of different chapters, but, at least as presented here, consistently kept a cheerful and inquisitive demeanor and a focus on seeking out/categorizing/teaching new information about the world to interested students.
The cartoon-y visuals add a lot of character, and a few of the character designs seem to be homages to older altcomix or BD characters.
“In a way, philosophy is a response to the questions that children ask.”
“Achieving happiness requires constant effort! Do not believe it is only obtained once we’re very old! Quite the opposite. It is earned every day, at every instant, through virtuous behavior.”
“What do you think, my boy?”
“For now, I don’t have an opinion because I don’t have the knowledge. When I do, I’ll give you an answer.”
“You were so insolent. You shouldn’t have been!”
“On the contrary, Hermias! I hold Eudoxus in high esteem and all I did was give him my point of view.”
The cartoon-y visuals add a lot of character, and a few of the character designs seem to be homages to older altcomix or BD characters.
“In a way, philosophy is a response to the questions that children ask.”
“Achieving happiness requires constant effort! Do not believe it is only obtained once we’re very old! Quite the opposite. It is earned every day, at every instant, through virtuous behavior.”
“What do you think, my boy?”
“For now, I don’t have an opinion because I don’t have the knowledge. When I do, I’ll give you an answer.”
“You were so insolent. You shouldn’t have been!”
“On the contrary, Hermias! I hold Eudoxus in high esteem and all I did was give him my point of view.”
July 6, 2025
Bu kitabı okuduktan sonra sadece bir biyografi kitabı değil, resmen bir zaman yolculuğu yaşatan eser okuduğumu hissettim. Aristoteles’in hayatı, düşünceleri, dönemin atmosferi öyle bir anlatılmış ki sanki o dönemde Aristo’nun yanında oturuyorsun ve sana olan biteni kendisi anlatıyor gibi.
Tassos Apostolidis ve Alecos Papadatos’un ellerinden çıkan bu eser, Aristoteles’in kim olduğundan çok felsefenin ne olduğunu okuyucuya sorgulatıyor. Görsellerle desteklenmiş bu anlatım, klasik kitaplara göre çok daha akılda kalıcı ve etkileyici. Ben Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı görevlisi olsam, düşünmeden lise müfredatına koyarım. Gençlerin felsefeye yaklaşımı değişir, belki de içlerinden birkaçı “Ben de soru sormaya cesaret edebilirim” der.
Aristo sadece “akıl hocası” değil, aynı zamanda zamanının çok ilerisinde bir devrimci. Ve bu kitap… onu tekrar yaşatıyor. Özellikle felsefe severlerin mutlaka kütüphanesinde bulunması gereken bir eser.
Tassos Apostolidis ve Alecos Papadatos’un ellerinden çıkan bu eser, Aristoteles’in kim olduğundan çok felsefenin ne olduğunu okuyucuya sorgulatıyor. Görsellerle desteklenmiş bu anlatım, klasik kitaplara göre çok daha akılda kalıcı ve etkileyici. Ben Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı görevlisi olsam, düşünmeden lise müfredatına koyarım. Gençlerin felsefeye yaklaşımı değişir, belki de içlerinden birkaçı “Ben de soru sormaya cesaret edebilirim” der.
Aristo sadece “akıl hocası” değil, aynı zamanda zamanının çok ilerisinde bir devrimci. Ve bu kitap… onu tekrar yaşatıyor. Özellikle felsefe severlerin mutlaka kütüphanesinde bulunması gereken bir eser.
January 9, 2025
Loved the art and I think a graphic novel is a great format for bringing this ancient figure to life for modern readers. Be forewarned, however - this book is DENSE in that it does have A LOT of Aristotle's philosophy, studies, and writings so be prepared to have your thinking cap on. I think the story would have benefited from some kind of chapters or natural stopping points just to break things up.
November 27, 2024
A dense biography that actually would have been better served as a narrative nonfiction rather than a graphic biography, actually.
It's thick with details, people, relationships, and the philosophy of Aristotle. A little more complicated and intricate than I was expecting, I needed more chapter breaks to help with the chronology and connections and his impact.
It's thick with details, people, relationships, and the philosophy of Aristotle. A little more complicated and intricate than I was expecting, I needed more chapter breaks to help with the chronology and connections and his impact.
March 10, 2025
Nice outine bio
did-not-finish
April 20, 2025Makes very little sense as a graphic novel.
July 4, 2025
This is such a great format to tell a life story. Really well done, digestible, informative.
September 10, 2025
While many of the ideas proposed by Aristotle and his contemporaries may no longer seem promising today, that he was one of the key thinkers in human history is beyond reasonable doubt, and this book serves to illustrate that. Historical contexts are given when necessary. Artworks are of decent quality, though I must say that Aristotle and Pythias are the best drawn characters of them all. Alexander the Great looks more like an unfinished marble statue.
August 19, 2025
A compelling visual introduction to Aristotle’s life and thought. The illustrations strike a balance between simplicity and nuance, while the narrative explores key philosophical ideas and historical context—including figures like Alexander, Ptolemy, and Plato. An essential read for anyone curious about classical wisdom.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews