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Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic
The life and thought of Diogenes the Cynic, an iconoclastic philosopher who pioneered a brash and free-thinking vision of life that inspired the philosophy of Stoicism
In his own day, the ancient philosopher Diogenes the Cynic had a reputation for eccentricity, dispensing wisdom from a clay pot in the marketplace and relieving himself in public. Since his death in 323 BCE, devoted followers passing on his ideas have made him famous the world over, but often in distorted, sanitized form.
In Diogenes, classicist Inger N.I. Kuin scours all existing evidence of Diogenes and his followers to offer an in-depth account of Diogenes’s life and thought, revealing a man whose innovative ideas about power, death, nature, and the body have much to teach the contemporary world. He pioneered a vision of simplicity and autonomy in his day-to-day life, stressing the importance of living in the here and now, and of always thinking for oneself. Diogenes stands apart as history’s first recorded critic of slavery and a proud exile from polite society whose challenging thought proved foundational for the Stoics and their successors.
Diogenes rehabilitates Diogenes as a compelling thinker for the twenty-first century, one who demands that we look at our society with fresh eyes and be unafraid of change—starting with ourselves.
In his own day, the ancient philosopher Diogenes the Cynic had a reputation for eccentricity, dispensing wisdom from a clay pot in the marketplace and relieving himself in public. Since his death in 323 BCE, devoted followers passing on his ideas have made him famous the world over, but often in distorted, sanitized form.
In Diogenes, classicist Inger N.I. Kuin scours all existing evidence of Diogenes and his followers to offer an in-depth account of Diogenes’s life and thought, revealing a man whose innovative ideas about power, death, nature, and the body have much to teach the contemporary world. He pioneered a vision of simplicity and autonomy in his day-to-day life, stressing the importance of living in the here and now, and of always thinking for oneself. Diogenes stands apart as history’s first recorded critic of slavery and a proud exile from polite society whose challenging thought proved foundational for the Stoics and their successors.
Diogenes rehabilitates Diogenes as a compelling thinker for the twenty-first century, one who demands that we look at our society with fresh eyes and be unafraid of change—starting with ourselves.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published November 11, 2025
About the author
Inger N.I. Kuin
7 books2 followersInger N.I. Kuin is onderzoeker en docent Oude Geschiedenis aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. Ze promoveerde in New York op een proefschrift over religie en humor in de oudheid en studeerde in Amsterdam filosofie en journalistiek. Als journalist schreef ze onder meer voor NRC Handelsblad.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 20, 2025
With thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books for the ARC.
Diogenes is a concise and accessible introduction to one of antiquity’s most eccentric and provocative figures. Kuin writes in a style that’s approachable to most readers, even those without a background in Classics, while still offering a constructive and thoughtful take on Diogenes’ philosophy and legacy.
The book openly acknowledges how limited the surviving evidence is; something I really appreciated. Rather than overreaching, Kuin keeps a critical eye on what can genuinely be said about Diogenes and what might just be legend. Despite its brevity, the book manages to capture the essence of why Diogenes continues to intrigue people today: his rejection of convention, sharp wit, and embodiment of philosophy as a way of life rather than just an idea.
It’s also fascinating that his name endures in the modern diagnosis of Diogenes syndrome, showing how his radical defiance has been remembered and reinterpreted across time.
Overall, this is a short but stimulating read; I found it accessible, reflective, and a great entry point for anyone curious about ancient philosophy or the Cynic tradition.
Diogenes is a concise and accessible introduction to one of antiquity’s most eccentric and provocative figures. Kuin writes in a style that’s approachable to most readers, even those without a background in Classics, while still offering a constructive and thoughtful take on Diogenes’ philosophy and legacy.
The book openly acknowledges how limited the surviving evidence is; something I really appreciated. Rather than overreaching, Kuin keeps a critical eye on what can genuinely be said about Diogenes and what might just be legend. Despite its brevity, the book manages to capture the essence of why Diogenes continues to intrigue people today: his rejection of convention, sharp wit, and embodiment of philosophy as a way of life rather than just an idea.
It’s also fascinating that his name endures in the modern diagnosis of Diogenes syndrome, showing how his radical defiance has been remembered and reinterpreted across time.
Overall, this is a short but stimulating read; I found it accessible, reflective, and a great entry point for anyone curious about ancient philosophy or the Cynic tradition.
August 20, 2025
A memorable and thought-provoking biography of one of ancient history's most provocative philosophers.
I'd heard of Diogenes in college but didn't know much about him before requesting this ARC from Netgalley. My Philosophy courses mostly focused on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle before moving on to the philosophers of the Enlightment era, so I went into this with minimal bias and maximum curiosity.
Kuin does a remarkable job in painting a picture of who Diogenes was, both figuratively through examination of ancient historians and literally through references of classical art through the ages. The man who lived in a jar caused quite a sensation in the ancient world, ruffling the feathers of many prestigious figures including Plato and Aristotle, and leaving lasting impressions on such giants as Phillip of Macedonia and Alexander the Great with clever witticisms and matter-of-fact speaking. I burst out laughing more than once.
Kuin's narrative leads readers to beg the question: Why is there not more dialogue surrounding Diogenes in the modern world?
I think the answer lies in the life Diogenes lived and what he stood for. Chiefly, live with only what you need to survive and be at one with nature. Two concepts that at their core are inherently anti-capitalist and anti-nationalist when truly lived to their fullest.
I encourage everyone who is interested in philosophy to read this book. Diogenes was truly an intriguing and life-changing individual who made a lasting impression on some of the most notable figures in antiquity. His life is a stark contrast to anyone else's I've learned about, and to be quite honest, as the world literally burns down around us from excessive consumerism and environmental exploitation, there are valid and crucial lessons to be learned from this man.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I'd heard of Diogenes in college but didn't know much about him before requesting this ARC from Netgalley. My Philosophy courses mostly focused on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle before moving on to the philosophers of the Enlightment era, so I went into this with minimal bias and maximum curiosity.
Kuin does a remarkable job in painting a picture of who Diogenes was, both figuratively through examination of ancient historians and literally through references of classical art through the ages. The man who lived in a jar caused quite a sensation in the ancient world, ruffling the feathers of many prestigious figures including Plato and Aristotle, and leaving lasting impressions on such giants as Phillip of Macedonia and Alexander the Great with clever witticisms and matter-of-fact speaking. I burst out laughing more than once.
Kuin's narrative leads readers to beg the question: Why is there not more dialogue surrounding Diogenes in the modern world?
I think the answer lies in the life Diogenes lived and what he stood for. Chiefly, live with only what you need to survive and be at one with nature. Two concepts that at their core are inherently anti-capitalist and anti-nationalist when truly lived to their fullest.
I encourage everyone who is interested in philosophy to read this book. Diogenes was truly an intriguing and life-changing individual who made a lasting impression on some of the most notable figures in antiquity. His life is a stark contrast to anyone else's I've learned about, and to be quite honest, as the world literally burns down around us from excessive consumerism and environmental exploitation, there are valid and crucial lessons to be learned from this man.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 9, 2026
I wanted to like this more, and while I did learn more about Diogenes as I’d hoped, too much of this was focused on the author’s ideas about Diogenes rather than Diogenes himself. The author goes over his supposed meeting with Alexander the Great no less than three times while trotting out new anecdotes even in the epilogue.
That being said, I did learn that Diogenes did a whole lot more public defecation, urination, and masturbation than I had ever heard about as well as being a saucy, impertinent, and brash slave. When he was being sold into slavery, he was asked, ‘what are you good at,’ and he replied, “Being a master,” then pointed out someone in the crowd, demanded to be sold to him, then proceeded to dominate him and turn his children into acolytes. Classic.
He had some other zingers. When he was in Corinth and Philip, Alexander’s dad, was conquering the city across the bay and everyone could tell they were next, everyone started preparing to defend the city, but, knowing it was futile, Diogenes just pushed the huge pot he lived in up and down the agora to show that he was doing as much as they were.
He was very into living like nature and being free of needing anything, so, when he saw a child scoop up some water and drink it from their hand, he tossed out the cup he’d been using which brought his worldly possessions to not much more than his cape which he wore and doubled up to sleep in and the pot which he used for his house.
Despite sleeping in a pot and freezing through winters and baking in summers and living mostly on only what he could beg, he lived to the ripe old age of 90.
There is some interesting stuff here, but I’d go with a book of his saying and doings rather than this one that is too oblique of the actual man to really satisfy me.
That being said, I did learn that Diogenes did a whole lot more public defecation, urination, and masturbation than I had ever heard about as well as being a saucy, impertinent, and brash slave. When he was being sold into slavery, he was asked, ‘what are you good at,’ and he replied, “Being a master,” then pointed out someone in the crowd, demanded to be sold to him, then proceeded to dominate him and turn his children into acolytes. Classic.
He had some other zingers. When he was in Corinth and Philip, Alexander’s dad, was conquering the city across the bay and everyone could tell they were next, everyone started preparing to defend the city, but, knowing it was futile, Diogenes just pushed the huge pot he lived in up and down the agora to show that he was doing as much as they were.
He was very into living like nature and being free of needing anything, so, when he saw a child scoop up some water and drink it from their hand, he tossed out the cup he’d been using which brought his worldly possessions to not much more than his cape which he wore and doubled up to sleep in and the pot which he used for his house.
Despite sleeping in a pot and freezing through winters and baking in summers and living mostly on only what he could beg, he lived to the ripe old age of 90.
There is some interesting stuff here, but I’d go with a book of his saying and doings rather than this one that is too oblique of the actual man to really satisfy me.
November 11, 2025
I wrote a review of this book for Open Letters Review, which you can find here!
Today (November 11, 2025) is release day for this book. I got excited and went to Barnes & Noble today to buy the hardcover, where it was covertly placed in the philosophy section of the store.
Everyone needs some Diogenes in their life!
Today (November 11, 2025) is release day for this book. I got excited and went to Barnes & Noble today to buy the hardcover, where it was covertly placed in the philosophy section of the store.
Everyone needs some Diogenes in their life!
May 22, 2025
Living almost two and a half thousand years ago, Diogenes the Cynic is one of those extraordinary figures who forces himself into the consciousness of succeeding ages. His pithy sayings and thought provoking actions have challenged every generation to think about the difference between ethical norms and social conventions.
His approach to philosophy was very much a ‘common sense’ one. When a philosopher produced a syllogism to prove that humans have horns, he rubbed a hand across his head to refute it, refusing to engage with a logic that was so obviously contrary to everyone’s experiences.
Whereas his philosophic contemporaries gave lectures and produced learned books, Diogenes refused to do so. He wasn’t a teacher of mere words, he was a performer of live, living his philosophy in and through his daily life. To some extent he is the originator of the idea of ‘lived experience’ as having a philosophical significance.
One of the priorities of his thinking was ‘freedom.’ When people told him about ‘rightness’ and ‘proper behaviour’ he wasn’t impressed by the imposition upon him of other’s standards. On the contrary, he would wander around town urinating and defecating in public, demonstrating his contempt for the very idea that he should feel a ‘shame’ based on conforming to social or political conventions.
His contemporaries recruited disciples, but Diogenes went out of his way to discourage would-be followers. Although when they pressed him, he would begrudgingly accept them. Among those followers was Hipparchia, giving us one of our view glimpses of female philosophers of the era.
One of the interesting facets of Diogenes’ character was his dry wit. When asked what the best wine is, he immediately said it is the one that someone else is paying for. When someone pointed to a luxury honey cake and said, look what you could eat if you worked for the king. He pointed to his own cheap olives and figs and said, you wouldn’t have to work for the king if you ate this.
Throughout the book the author skillfully weaves a wide variety of anecdotes and incidents from Diogenes’ life, so that readers get a lively impression of a fascinating individual.
One of the particularly welcome aspects of the book is that it explores how Diogenes was received in later generations from the Romans to Christianity, to twentieth century philosophers. What emerges is the voice of counter culturalism, which lurks as a warning in the background of every age, asking people to reflect on why they hold their most cherished assumptions.
Overall this is a knowledgeable and well-written account of one of history’s truly fascinating individuals. It is written in an engaging way which means that it should be accessible to readers from any background. It is particularly relevant to those interested in politics and ethics, and to anyone who wants to explore what open mindedness means in one of its most radical manifestations.
(These comments are based on a free pre-publication ARC version of the text).
His approach to philosophy was very much a ‘common sense’ one. When a philosopher produced a syllogism to prove that humans have horns, he rubbed a hand across his head to refute it, refusing to engage with a logic that was so obviously contrary to everyone’s experiences.
Whereas his philosophic contemporaries gave lectures and produced learned books, Diogenes refused to do so. He wasn’t a teacher of mere words, he was a performer of live, living his philosophy in and through his daily life. To some extent he is the originator of the idea of ‘lived experience’ as having a philosophical significance.
One of the priorities of his thinking was ‘freedom.’ When people told him about ‘rightness’ and ‘proper behaviour’ he wasn’t impressed by the imposition upon him of other’s standards. On the contrary, he would wander around town urinating and defecating in public, demonstrating his contempt for the very idea that he should feel a ‘shame’ based on conforming to social or political conventions.
His contemporaries recruited disciples, but Diogenes went out of his way to discourage would-be followers. Although when they pressed him, he would begrudgingly accept them. Among those followers was Hipparchia, giving us one of our view glimpses of female philosophers of the era.
One of the interesting facets of Diogenes’ character was his dry wit. When asked what the best wine is, he immediately said it is the one that someone else is paying for. When someone pointed to a luxury honey cake and said, look what you could eat if you worked for the king. He pointed to his own cheap olives and figs and said, you wouldn’t have to work for the king if you ate this.
Throughout the book the author skillfully weaves a wide variety of anecdotes and incidents from Diogenes’ life, so that readers get a lively impression of a fascinating individual.
One of the particularly welcome aspects of the book is that it explores how Diogenes was received in later generations from the Romans to Christianity, to twentieth century philosophers. What emerges is the voice of counter culturalism, which lurks as a warning in the background of every age, asking people to reflect on why they hold their most cherished assumptions.
Overall this is a knowledgeable and well-written account of one of history’s truly fascinating individuals. It is written in an engaging way which means that it should be accessible to readers from any background. It is particularly relevant to those interested in politics and ethics, and to anyone who wants to explore what open mindedness means in one of its most radical manifestations.
(These comments are based on a free pre-publication ARC version of the text).
April 12, 2026
Very good - and quite readable - book on Diogenes. It tends to run low on steam in the later chapters, but overall gives a nice overview of its subject, and nice appreciation of him.
Our knowledge of him is (of course) spotty. Kuin starts with the famous story of meeting Alexander the Great and argues it really did happen. People have doubted it as it seemed too on-the-nose, but Kuin counter-argues that Diogenes lived his life in a performance art style, so it really does fit him.
He was born in a town along the Black Sea in what's now Turkey that was partially in the Greek world but also seen as not-Greek at times. He had to leave for reasons we'll never know and set up shop, famously in a cylinder for storing wine (usually called a barrel) and lived by the main market. Eventually he travelled and was made a slave, and apparently spent much of his remaining life as a slave in Cornith. That said, his master really thought highly of Diogenes's ideas and made him a tutor to his kids (and maybe to himself) so Diogenes could come and go as he pleased.
But this isn't really a bio of his life, but an analysis of his ideas. Diogenes is the center of some stories I'd heard of but hadn't realized it was about him (or had forgotten if I had known). He's the guy who presented a plucked chicken as Plato's man. Plato, in turn, called him a raving Socrates, and also negatively called him a dog. Diogenes adopted the latter as his identity, and the word cynic actually comes from the ancient Greek word for dog.
He didn't really think there was much to an afterlife. He opposed slavery (perhaps affected by his own life experience). He planted his flag on personal independence and not having to rely on anyone else. (Hence his story with Alexander). He even opposed marriage and mating. That said, he wanted people to live in accordance in nature, so would defecate and masterabate in public. (Kuin, to the best I can recall, never pointed out the contradiction of wanting to live in accordance of nature but not partnering up with anyone. His own focus on self-reliance isn't necessarily living in accordance with nature).
There is a lot (too much?) on Diogenes's influence in later years. You can links to his ideas and stocicism and Epicurus (both of which began after him). Those guys noted that and tried to distance themselves from him. He's been used by modern philosophers, too. Kuin notes similarities between Diogenes's teachings and those of Christ and briefly considers any direct influence (that was a reach). In modern times, the author of "How to Do Nothing" (a book on my list of things to read) also sees Diogenes as a sizable influence.
4.5 stars but I'm rounding down as the later parts were a bit weaker. But perhaps I should kick it up to five stars.
Our knowledge of him is (of course) spotty. Kuin starts with the famous story of meeting Alexander the Great and argues it really did happen. People have doubted it as it seemed too on-the-nose, but Kuin counter-argues that Diogenes lived his life in a performance art style, so it really does fit him.
He was born in a town along the Black Sea in what's now Turkey that was partially in the Greek world but also seen as not-Greek at times. He had to leave for reasons we'll never know and set up shop, famously in a cylinder for storing wine (usually called a barrel) and lived by the main market. Eventually he travelled and was made a slave, and apparently spent much of his remaining life as a slave in Cornith. That said, his master really thought highly of Diogenes's ideas and made him a tutor to his kids (and maybe to himself) so Diogenes could come and go as he pleased.
But this isn't really a bio of his life, but an analysis of his ideas. Diogenes is the center of some stories I'd heard of but hadn't realized it was about him (or had forgotten if I had known). He's the guy who presented a plucked chicken as Plato's man. Plato, in turn, called him a raving Socrates, and also negatively called him a dog. Diogenes adopted the latter as his identity, and the word cynic actually comes from the ancient Greek word for dog.
He didn't really think there was much to an afterlife. He opposed slavery (perhaps affected by his own life experience). He planted his flag on personal independence and not having to rely on anyone else. (Hence his story with Alexander). He even opposed marriage and mating. That said, he wanted people to live in accordance in nature, so would defecate and masterabate in public. (Kuin, to the best I can recall, never pointed out the contradiction of wanting to live in accordance of nature but not partnering up with anyone. His own focus on self-reliance isn't necessarily living in accordance with nature).
There is a lot (too much?) on Diogenes's influence in later years. You can links to his ideas and stocicism and Epicurus (both of which began after him). Those guys noted that and tried to distance themselves from him. He's been used by modern philosophers, too. Kuin notes similarities between Diogenes's teachings and those of Christ and briefly considers any direct influence (that was a reach). In modern times, the author of "How to Do Nothing" (a book on my list of things to read) also sees Diogenes as a sizable influence.
4.5 stars but I'm rounding down as the later parts were a bit weaker. But perhaps I should kick it up to five stars.
November 11, 2025
Diogenes is published today!
I am often skeptical about new biographies of ancient people, especially if the ancient in question left behind few remnants of their own life. Many times, the biography can be a regurgitation of prior biographies or primary source texts. To Kuin’s credit, she does draw her own conclusions about supposed scenes from Diogenes’ life and his philosophical beliefs, but she does rely heavily on Diogenes Laertius’ biography (which she does discuss in her Note on Sources).
Kuin builds this biography around central tenants of Diogenes’ philosophy: his thoughts on the body, slavery, rulers, death, etc. The final two chapters detail how Kuin sees Diogenes’ philosophy surviving, first throughout the rest of history up to the Enlightenment, then the period after up to modern history. I was very interested in what she had to say about Cynicism versus cynicism, “C” vs. “c”.
This book will be a great public-facing work of Classics that will be advantageous for research about Diogenes’ life and ideas. In some instances, I personally wasn’t convinced by how much credit Kuin gives Diogenes for early ideas and their longevity through time. For example, to say Diogenes’ proto-abolitionists ideas could have made much of an impact on the much-later banning on legal slavery is a bit of a stretch.
I found what I believed to be a mistake in the book that bothered me, but have emailed the publisher and hope it will be resolved, since all the other historical information seems pretty sound.
Thank you to NetGalley and Basic Books for the ARC.
I am often skeptical about new biographies of ancient people, especially if the ancient in question left behind few remnants of their own life. Many times, the biography can be a regurgitation of prior biographies or primary source texts. To Kuin’s credit, she does draw her own conclusions about supposed scenes from Diogenes’ life and his philosophical beliefs, but she does rely heavily on Diogenes Laertius’ biography (which she does discuss in her Note on Sources).
Kuin builds this biography around central tenants of Diogenes’ philosophy: his thoughts on the body, slavery, rulers, death, etc. The final two chapters detail how Kuin sees Diogenes’ philosophy surviving, first throughout the rest of history up to the Enlightenment, then the period after up to modern history. I was very interested in what she had to say about Cynicism versus cynicism, “C” vs. “c”.
This book will be a great public-facing work of Classics that will be advantageous for research about Diogenes’ life and ideas. In some instances, I personally wasn’t convinced by how much credit Kuin gives Diogenes for early ideas and their longevity through time. For example, to say Diogenes’ proto-abolitionists ideas could have made much of an impact on the much-later banning on legal slavery is a bit of a stretch.
I found what I believed to be a mistake in the book that bothered me, but have emailed the publisher and hope it will be resolved, since all the other historical information seems pretty sound.
Thank you to NetGalley and Basic Books for the ARC.
September 27, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
We often hear about Diogenes in the capacity of the lantern and the barrel, and very little else. There’s a certain level of him as a philosopher and a critic that we don’t hear as much about, and it is, quite frankly, a shande.
His ideas were certainly radical, both for the time and in the modern era. This book provides a breakdown of his main philosophies, and contextualises them in a way that makes sense both for the era and the modern day.
This book takes the time to characterise Diogenes not as an insane man who lived in a barrel, but rather a cynic and a scholar who took life less as a gift and more as a curse. He was pragmatic, philosophical about the human condition, and also generally against the idea of consumption and profit in a way that anyone in the modern era could claim to be.
This book is well worth a read for anyone even remotely curious about Diogenes, and for anyone willing to look beyond the better known philosophers for someone who was genuinely radical.
We often hear about Diogenes in the capacity of the lantern and the barrel, and very little else. There’s a certain level of him as a philosopher and a critic that we don’t hear as much about, and it is, quite frankly, a shande.
His ideas were certainly radical, both for the time and in the modern era. This book provides a breakdown of his main philosophies, and contextualises them in a way that makes sense both for the era and the modern day.
This book takes the time to characterise Diogenes not as an insane man who lived in a barrel, but rather a cynic and a scholar who took life less as a gift and more as a curse. He was pragmatic, philosophical about the human condition, and also generally against the idea of consumption and profit in a way that anyone in the modern era could claim to be.
This book is well worth a read for anyone even remotely curious about Diogenes, and for anyone willing to look beyond the better known philosophers for someone who was genuinely radical.
April 5, 2026
Before I picked up this book I was only vaguely familiar with Diogenes. I was curious, however, how the same person could be credited (by Martha Nussbaum, among others) as coining the term "cosmopolitanism" while rumored (apparently correctly) for having masturbated publicly among the crowds of the agora. The author Inger Kuin weaves together the story of Diogenes in a way that is both compelling and linked to enduring questions: What does it mean to be human? How does one speak truth to power? What is the right way to approach death? Throughout I appreciate her transparent and seemingly sensible approach to sourcing ancient events and biography. She also brought real insight, at least for me, to a range of other topics—attitudes toward slavery in the ancient world, the dynamics of political defiance and revolution (past and present), and Nietzsche's role of distorting/conflating Diogenes' ancient school of Cynicism with modern "cynicism." Clearly written, well paced, and an all around enjoyable read!
December 2, 2025
This clearly written and accessible book is an excellent introduction to the life, ideas and legacy of Diogenes the Cynic. The historical record is fragmentary, making a cradle-to-grave conventional biography difficult, as much of the material is purely anecdotal, but the author’s meticulous research has enabled her to construct a credible, coherent and convincing account of this most unconventional of philosophers. She explores not only Diogenes’ thoughts and ideas but also the way his ideas have percolated down through the centuries, and how they are still surprisingly relevant today. With a blend of scholarship and storytelling, she manages to make complex material easy to follow for the general reader, whilst providing much for those more familiar with the subject. An enjoyable and illuminating read.
Did Not Finish
February 28, 2026Dnf. Appalled at claim "lava" destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum (page 16). Aside from that, it just wasn't for me. I was looking for a more erudite book, but the author chose to write to a more general audience than I would have liked. I have a very hard time getting even the tiniest understanding from philosophy, so it was jarring to have every meaning of purported things Diogenes said/did explained like Cliffsnotes. I found everything easily understandable, so the explanations were tiresome. And I am a total philosophy dummy!
Again, just not for me. I enjoyed the copious endnotes. I wish all nonfiction cited so well.
Again, just not for me. I enjoyed the copious endnotes. I wish all nonfiction cited so well.
June 6, 2025
Seriously a Great Resource for the Daily Living!
Very well researched, lightly writed, clarifying and connectig dots between several history-philosophical figures
I am sure that the same Diógenes would read it and have it besides "his bed" to read it again and again
If you want to know the essence of the one person that told Marco Aurelio "step away that you are covering the sun to me"...
That the laughed from money, relationships, and power, not in the bad sense, but because the real meaning of all of that, read this now!
Very well researched, lightly writed, clarifying and connectig dots between several history-philosophical figures
I am sure that the same Diógenes would read it and have it besides "his bed" to read it again and again
If you want to know the essence of the one person that told Marco Aurelio "step away that you are covering the sun to me"...
That the laughed from money, relationships, and power, not in the bad sense, but because the real meaning of all of that, read this now!
January 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book.
While this was very interesting to me who does not really know anything about philosophy and philosophers, it was also a lot of information that was irrelevant to my life. Kuin takes on a lot of pathways that stray from the main premise. Though this is very useful for people researching Diogenes and everything related to him (the core audience for this book). I did find myself skimming through sections that talked about other people and the repetitive parts as well.
Very useful, just not for me.
While this was very interesting to me who does not really know anything about philosophy and philosophers, it was also a lot of information that was irrelevant to my life. Kuin takes on a lot of pathways that stray from the main premise. Though this is very useful for people researching Diogenes and everything related to him (the core audience for this book). I did find myself skimming through sections that talked about other people and the repetitive parts as well.
Very useful, just not for me.
February 17, 2026
I did not realize how much of what I knew about Diogenes was inaccurate or not substantially backed. I really enjoyed reading about what scholars actually know about him, and the context of his surroundings and life. I also appreciate how Kuin explains the incorrect information and where it originates.
January 15, 2026
An excellent introduction to Greek philosopher, Diogenes for a neophyte like myself. I found the structure where chapters tackled primary Cynic topics very helpful. Overall an enlightening and enjoyable read.
January 17, 2026
Excellent introduction to Diogenes and "big-C" Cynicism that embraces the idea that no one can be Diogenes truly, but by striving to do so one can live a better life not beholden to the powers that be.
April 29, 2026
It’s hard to rate this book. The first half was really interesting, learning about Diogenes. The second half goes through history and who/what had some of his influence. That was a bit less interesting but it could be due to me not knowing the history involved.
Would recommend to a history buff.
Would recommend to a history buff.
October 5, 2025
If Diogenes did not exist, we would not have to invent him, because he lived a life of disrupting expectations.
This is a book about Diogenes the Cynic. Not Diogenes the cynic, which is a joke that works poorly in English.
Structured as a biography, the author takes a sort of 'what if' reading to the biography of Diogenes, a middle ground between overly credulous ancients and dismally disbelieving contemporaries, assuming that the stories about him reflect some truth or true event, so the project is to find out what that might be.
Cynicism stands aside philosophically. Its influence is evident in more remarked on philosophies of the time like Stoicism. It shows up rarely but consistently throughout the eras. Yet the author points how how no one is willing to swallow the frog, how it is always a consistently elided Cynicism, frequently over matters of sex and a more general contempt for conventional action, that (particularly Stoicism and Christianity), wanted nothing to do with.
It is a good read, relatively short. The problem is the overall lack of evidence. The author is aware of this, and more interested in the structure of conjecture and story. For me that is pretty neat in terms of thinking about the way the philosophy works, but I can see readers whom it would frustrate.
I think that the value here is in the always funny retelling of all the stories about Diogenes. Even when not true, they are hilarious, and much like with Cynical philosophy represent a sort of perpetual bit of the human condition that is frequently unrepresented.
My thanks to the author, Inger N.I. Kuin, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Basic Books, for making the ARC available to me.
This is a book about Diogenes the Cynic. Not Diogenes the cynic, which is a joke that works poorly in English.
Structured as a biography, the author takes a sort of 'what if' reading to the biography of Diogenes, a middle ground between overly credulous ancients and dismally disbelieving contemporaries, assuming that the stories about him reflect some truth or true event, so the project is to find out what that might be.
Cynicism stands aside philosophically. Its influence is evident in more remarked on philosophies of the time like Stoicism. It shows up rarely but consistently throughout the eras. Yet the author points how how no one is willing to swallow the frog, how it is always a consistently elided Cynicism, frequently over matters of sex and a more general contempt for conventional action, that (particularly Stoicism and Christianity), wanted nothing to do with.
It is a good read, relatively short. The problem is the overall lack of evidence. The author is aware of this, and more interested in the structure of conjecture and story. For me that is pretty neat in terms of thinking about the way the philosophy works, but I can see readers whom it would frustrate.
I think that the value here is in the always funny retelling of all the stories about Diogenes. Even when not true, they are hilarious, and much like with Cynical philosophy represent a sort of perpetual bit of the human condition that is frequently unrepresented.
My thanks to the author, Inger N.I. Kuin, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Basic Books, for making the ARC available to me.
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