Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Lenore

A study of 3,000 years of philosophic thought all begins for 14 year old Sophie one day when she opens her mailbox and finds notes with the questions "Who are you?" and "Where does the world come from?".

But don't let it daunt you that the book is about philosophy, because the story is told in such a simple and entertaining way, you'll just suck in all this "heavy" learning like a sponge. Why? Well, Gaardner frames all this philosophy with an entertaining story about Sophie who may not be who she thinks she is, and a friendly neighborhood philosopher Albert Knox who takes it upon himself to open Sophie's mind to life's biggest questions.

Some of my favorite chapters are on Socrates: "wisest is she who knows what she does not know", Locke: "as bare and empty as a blackboard before the teacher arrives", and the last chapter - The big bang: "we too are stardust".

Read this and you'll be lightyears ahead of everyone else in your introduction to philosophy class!