Of the two reprint volumes (Greek and German Philosophers) that Oxford has published of its Past Masters series, I think all of the individual essays (except the one on Plato) are reprinted currently in its 'Very Short Introduction to...' series. So these volumes are a good deal because i think the 'Very Short Introduction' series are 10 bucks each. As well as being very clear and concise introductions by world renowned scholars.

I was already familiar with Nietzsche but I enjoyed the skilled manner in which these authors condensed the profound ideas of these philosophers into explanations feasibly understandable to beginnners in philosophy. There were certain concepts I could not agree with in the works of these great men; however, I admire the systems and ideas they developed in their works.

These are highly admirable overviews by some of the best of the current set of the philsophers examining past greats.

This must have been a difficult book to put together. The editors would have to have found not one, but four great authors from which to put together introductions for the hardest authors in all philosophy.

He succeeded. This book makes immediately explaicable two of the hardest authors in all history- Kant and Hegel. I was amazed at the level of commentary in this short a work. It is almost impossible to pull this easy an introduction off. My hat is off to both Scruton and Singer.

The other commentaries and introcductions were as good as they come. Because of the ease of Schoepenhaur and Nietzsche, the authors had more room to give reasonably complete explanations and ruminations on their lives. Janner and Tannaway both make superb additions to these traditions, both commentaries worthy of being works in themselves.

This is four times a good book. My respect to all the authors, and my full throated call for people to read these books.

Philosopher and Cultural Critic Peter Kreeft has written an outstanding book discussing virture in Western Culture. He opens the book by asking "Is Virtue Out of Date?". This sets the tone as he spends the next couple of chapters on how Western Culture got to the point in the lack of virtue we now see before us.

The middle of his book discusses the "Cardinal Virtues" and "Theological Virtues" and their importance. He then does a comparison and contrast between the "Beatitudes" and the "Seven Deadley Sins." His conculsion is a little too short for such a profound work, yet rating this important book four stars would not do it justice. Four and a half would be more appropiate, so I'm rounding it off at five stars.

A Must read for all Christians in Western Culture, and others who are concern about the decline of virtue in our culture.

Peter Kreeft's new book, Back to Virtue, is the best introduction to the topic that I have ever read. Kreeft makes the subject matter appealing, accessible, and understandable.

In the book, Kreeft explains how our civilization has rejected the idea of virtue and why we desparately need to recover this moral vision in order to know true blessedness inwardly and good relationships outwardly. As Thomas Merton wrote, "We are not peace with others because we are not peace with ourselves, and we are not peace with ourselves because we are not peace with God."

Kreeft argues that we need a clear roadmap concerning right and wrong--and that roadmap is clearly discovered in God's Word. "The most striking feature of God's roadmap is the stark fact of the Two Roads. There is the road that leads to Life, and there is the road that leads to Death. There is Good, and there is Evil. There is Right and there is Wrong" (11). We must regain the wisdom of those who have gone before us in order to meet the challenges of the present and the future. C. S. Lewis concisely presents the modern problem: "For the wise men of old, the cardinal problem of human life was how to conform the soul to objective reality, and the solution was wisdom, self-discipline, and virtue. For the modern, the cardinal problem is how to conform reality to the wishes of man, and the solution is a technique." Kreeft argues that we must return to a historic understanding of virtue and vice in order to confront the moral turmoil that surrounds us. "In an age of relativism, orthodoxy is the only possible rebellion left" (189).

With this historical backdrop in place, Kreeft introduces his readers to the four cardinal virtues of justice, wisdom, courage, and moderation. "Cardinal" comes from the Latin word for "hinge". All other virtues "hinge" on these four. He then considers the three theological virtues--faith, hope, and love. Finally, he considers the seven deadly sins and contrasts them with the Beautitudes.

In short, this book is well worth its weight in gold. It is a fine introduction to a subject that needs to be recovered in our society and--even more importantly--in our churches. We are to make every effort to add virtue to our faith (2 Peter 1:5). This book will go a long way in helping us do this.

Back to Virtue is a concise, enthalling roadmap for living for The Good. Hard facts which may eliminate present self satisfaction but can pull you up to a higher level of living.

There are so many fabulous insights in this book, and such honesty that it should be required reading for high school religion classes. Cardinal Ratzinger has really hit the nail on the head, giving all of us an inside view of the issues that are important to the Church. "In today's whirl of instant bliss, religion, too, is socially respectable only as a dream of happiness without tears, as a mystical enchantment of the soul. Perhaps the Church comes under heavier fire because she talks about sin and suffering and rectitude of life....Just one curious example - when it comes to the state, as soon as crimes begin to multiply and society feels its safety threatened, there is an immediate demand for tougher laws. In relation to the Church, whose laws are moral in nature, the exact opposite happens - there is a demand for further relaxation."

A very readable, interresting book! Cardinal Ratzinger gives his views on a wide range of topics in the course of an extended interview with Peter Seewald, including his life and the state of the *world-wide* Church. This book offers valuable insights from a man who is uniquely positioned to "see" the workings of the Church as a whole.

In the more "liberal" circles, there's apparently a tendency to villify Cardinal Ratzinger as some kind of "right-wing", closed-minded fringe type. Having read this book, I find that claim hard to believe: whether one agrees with his views or not, it is hard to see the Cardinal as anything other than a thoughtful, intellegent and learned man.

[The following three paragraphs were striken from the end of my earlier review of this book due to length restrictions. The beginning of the review, of which these three paragraphs form the concluding portion, appears immediately below this review.]

Cardinal Ratzinger is forthright in his pessimistic assessment of the time ahead. "The danger of a dictatorship of opinion is growing, and anyone who doesn't share the prevailing opinion is excluded, so that even good people no longer dare to stand by such nonconformists [i.e. Christians]. Any future anti-Christian dictatorship would probably be much more subtle than anything we have known until now. It will appear to be friendly to religion, but on the condition that its own models of behavior and thinking not be called into question." (153) The Church must attorn to the zeitgeist in this scheme. These themes are explored in Michael D. O'Brien's "Children of the Last Day" novels.

It is time for the faithful, Cardinal Ratzinger says, to form "vital circles." [T]here are great, vibrant new beginnings and joyful forms of Christian life that don't figure much statistically but are humanly great and have the power to shape the future." (143). "Particularly when one has to resist evil it's important to not to fall into gloomy moralism that doesn't allow itself any joy but really to see how much beauty there is, too, and to draw from it the strength needed to resist what destroys joy." (69)

In his autobiography, the novelist and historian Russell Kirk wrote, "Not by force of arms are civilizations held together, but by the threads of moral and intellectual belief. In the hands of the Fates are no thunderbolts: only threads and scissors." Throughout this book, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger shows that in most parts of the world that the Roman Catholic Church is the last defense against the decay of human civilization. By defending revelation and sacred tradition against the moral anarchy of the age, the Church withholds disorder of the soul and the commonwealth, the idolatry of man as god, and preserves man, as a creature of God, against transitory and often violent popular passion. The ambitions of those men who would bring about and celebrate her demise are dangerous. Implicit in Cardinal Ratzinger's words and lifetime service is the message that it is time for serious men of serious purpose to come to her defense.

Reading this book was one of my first steps in the direction of the Catholic Church. Growing up, I had always heard vague disapproval of the Catholic Church; lots of unspecific allusions to Mary-worship, "working your way to heaven", etc. Reading this book, however, lifted the veil and revealed the beauty, depth and truth that is the Catholic faith. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to lay aside preconceived biases and begin an open-minded examination of the Catholic faith. I'm confident that in so doing you will be surprised by truth.

This book 9is a very valuable and useful guide to what the Catholic Church ACTUALLY teaches, rather than what her more vocal opponents would like us to THINK she teaches. It adds "muscle" to the "skeleton" of the Catechism. I would certainly recommend this book for RCIA classes.

Most people will find plowing through the Catechism of the Catholic Church a hardy task. Professor Kreeft comes to the rescue presenting the material faithfully but in his usual light and compact way. A great reference tool!

This book, which appears to be about the only surviving scientific text from Kropotkin's work, is very interesting and insightful. The first two chapters which deal with animals I found most interesting, because they address the roots of the falsehood of social-darwinism. Kropotkin then proceeds to move through the different stages of human society and describes the mutual aid a compassion fetures therein. It is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it. It is a scientific text, but it has major political implications and is very accessible.

This book is great.It crushes social "darwinism" to the ground.Brilliant.Next time a Libertarian(the right wing kind) tells you that the only way a species can survive is by bitter competition.Point out this book.This book is a godsend.Being a biochemist(and a left libertarian),one of the hardest things I've had to deal with(except pomos) is racist,capitalist "scientists" or sociobiologists.This book makes a powerful,scientific argument for cooperation,mutual aid and compassion.All I can say is BRILLIANT!5 stars!

This book shows how Darwin's findings were all too influenced by Malthus and were a direct reflection of the Capitalistic political area he was from. Kropotkin witnessed in Siberia that animals rather than competing to stay alive, had to work together to stay alive.

Kropotkin stresses that cooperation is the main factor in evolution, not competing forces that Darwin and his contemporaries thought.

Kropotkin gives a number of examples of inter and intra-species working together to survive and thus evolve.

Kropotkin explores a number of societies. Steven J. Gould has given credence to Kropotkin, yet he is largely ignored in evolution texts.

This book changed the way I think about evolution and helped me to realize how a study as influencial as Darwin's could be biased.

This is a brilliant book which goes far toward explaining why racism still exists nearly 150 years after the end of slavery. It explains that racism does not persist because of ignorant, uneducated white people, but because the capitalist rulers of America find racism too useful and profitable to part with. To prove this thesis, Camejo goes into fascinating detail about how Radical Reconstruction began to transform the American south, as Blacks, armed with guns and the right to vote, began to direct their own destiny. He then shows how the Republican Party abandoned Blacks as the Party consolidated its economic grip on the south, and "reconstructed" it in their own capitalist image. His analysis of the "Myth of the 1877 Compromise," which historians have mystified for so many years, is particularly helpful. Finally, Camejo does a great job of showing how and why other historians have failed to explain these truths clearly to generations of students. Don't miss this book!!!

Anyone interested in combating the horrors of racism should read this book. To fight effectively it is necessary to understand who or what is reponsible for keeping racial bigotry and oppression alive. This book explains that the roots of racism in the United States are bound up with the history of capitalist development and the needs of the ruling capitalist class.
The ideology of white supremacy was developed as a justification for slavery in the Americas in the 17th and 18th centuries. But the civil war, 1861 to 1865, put an end to the trafficking in human commodities, undermining the social basis for racism. In the aftermath of that revolutionary conflict, a dynamic upsurge of emancipatory activity swept through the communities of the newly-freed slaves throughout the South. Rapid progress was achieved in jobs, education and political representation. This was Radical Reconstruction, which for about two decades headed in the direction of complete equality in the political and social conditions of Blacks and whites.
But the achievement of full equality by Black workers and farmers was seen as a threat to the interests of the high-riding class of wealthy money-grubbers based in the North. Radical Reconstruction was overthrown to make way for Jim Crow segregation-for nearly a century a pillar of capitalist exploitation in North America. Black workers were pitted against white workers for the sake of Mr. Moneybags' bottom line. Camejo sums up this lesson saying, "the responsibility for this defeat and continued racial oppression rests with the industrial and finance capitalists who still dominate the United States. That is the foremost lesson of the defeat of Radical Reconstruction."
This book is a penetrating Marxist explanation of the historical events that laid the basis for the democratic and social struggles of working people that came later, and are still to come.

The U.S. Civil War was not a "War Between the States." It was a revolutionary war that replaced the rule of the plantation-based slaveowners with that of the rising capitalist class. But these capitalists could only overthrow the slaveowners by allying themselves with small farmers and, most importantly, with the slaves themselves. Camejo tells the story of the struggles of these freed slaves. They were the key factor in the Union?s victory, and continued their fight for freedom in its aftermath. The initial post-slavery governments in the South reflected the revolutionary power of the freed people. They saw some of the broadest democratic reforms in American history in education, civil liberties, and many other fields. But the ruling northern capitalists turned back the freed slaves? struggles for a genuine land reform and for armed self-defense. The Republican establishment set the ground for a new and bizarre form of white supremacy: the vile Jim Crow system, which kept the descendents of slaves in a form of legal inequality for three quarters of a century. This book is an irreplaceable guide to this crucial period of U.S. history.

You should buy it if you are into mountaineering at all. This should be on the shelf of every would-be, aspiring or armchair mountaineer.
It's long, but worth it.

This book delivers one of the most comprehensive perspective on climbing in the Himalayas. With vivid descriptions of successful (and unsuccessful) climbs of a variety of peaks in the Himalayas plus descriptions of the North Face of the Eiger and the Snow Mountains of New Guinea, this book demonstrates the versatility of these two gentlemen.

The drama and imagery shines through the writing of both Tasker and Boardman. With details on the first ascents of the West Face of Changabang, the Southeast ridge of Dunagiri, the Northwest ridge of Kangchenjunga and more, this book is a treasure trove of great climbing. There are occasional technical terms but they demonstrate the effort and intensity of these two climbers. A great choice.

Having read inumerable books on mountaineering, I wasn't prepared for the impact of this one. I've read "Fragile Edge" by Maria Coffey, (it is excellent, she was Tasker's girlfriend)about her and Hillary Boardman's experiences following the deaths of Boardman and Tasker, and wasn't prepared for the emotional impact of this book. It is probably one of the best I've read. Boardman's style gripped me, and brought home what a terrible tragedy his death was for the literary community. I believe there are "writing climbers" and "climbing writers"; Boardman was definitely a gifted climber who wrote beautifully. This book should be in anyone's library who loves mountains and adventure travel.

An excellent book, one of the defining classics of the genre. It does have a few minor factual errors here and there, but overall a great book on the subject matter. Put simply, it is overflowing with information. It's also a very entertaining read, which makes it more than a simple reference. Worth the investment, even for those who are already well versed in the topic.

This book is perfect in every way, there is no drug war propaganda, it is pure facts, experience, and knowlege. If Psychedellics interest you then you absolutly must have this book otherwise you really have no idea what you are missing.

This book is a simply amazing in4mational text, and the forward was written by a close personal friend.

If a person has questions regarding psychedelics, this is most likely the place 2 find the answers!!

When I purchased this book, I thought it would focus solely on the history of the Bible and, more particularly, on the Church's role of forming the canon. To my chagrin, this book is quite light on Bible history.

However, I don't judge a book on my expectations, however misguided, but on its content. I was very pleased with the work. This book provides a short, yet thorough introduction of the place of Holy Scripture within the Church. Having accomplished that goal in a very readable and understandable style, Stravinskas then provides a brief glimpse of salvation history and how the Old Testament is completed by the New Testament and the New Testament is hidden in the Old Testament.

The "meat" of this book is in its explanation of the use of scripture during the Mass. Each line of the Mass is supported by reference to a biblical text. In short, Father Stravinskas utterly refutes any argument that the Mass is not "biblical."

Father Stravinskas concludes this work with a short appendix in which the Fundamentalist approach to scriptures, man's condition etc. is compared to that of the Catholic. It is hardly a thorough treatment of the subject, but it would not appear to me that either a Fundamentalist or Catholic Christian would dissaprove of the treatment of their respective theologies found in the latter portion of this book.

All total, Father Stravinskas' work is a good introduction into the Church's veneration, protection and use of scripture. It is concise, balanced in treatment and would make an excellent resource for Adult or Youth Religious instruction.

Fr. Stravinskas succeeds splendidly in showing that the Catholic church is not, nor has ever been, allergic to the Holy Scriptures. For those who doubt it, please read the book.
Nicely organized into sections that deal with various issues, the book concludes with a chapter giving a line-by-line analysis of the Biblical content of the mass followed by a chapter of questions and answers--the format in which Fr. Stravinskas shines.

Fr. Stravinskas has an intellect like a steel trap. It shows in this book. This book is an excellent outline and introduction to the subject of the Catholic Church and the Bible. Thankfully Fr. Stravinskas does make references to Holy Scripture and the new Catechism of the Catholic Church, along with a few excellent suggestions for further reading, which will be of help to the curious. Not polemical, the work will be useful to both Catholics and non-Catholics who are looking for an introduction to Holy Scripture and the Church which has so carefully preserved and guarded the Word of God for two millenia. If you are not familiar with the history of the Catholic Church and the Bible, or have only been exposed to anti-Catholic propaganda, this is the book for you. Fr. Stravinskas' love of God's Word is evident in his writing.

I've been gym climbing off and on for years, mostly in the last three months as there is an excellent wall at the school I go to, and found this book to be quite helpful in getting me ready for the trip outside. I have been able to climb outside in the past only with the help of other more experienced climbers, and thanks to the help of this book and other resources, I am beginning to feel comfortable going out without the help. However, do not let this book be your only resource. There are many terms not adequately defined and several concepts are not introduced, but are referenced. For instance, the author refers to the "magic X", a method of attaching to anchors, but never defines it, and doesn't even say anything more than "use the magic x method of equalizing the anchors" for many pages. However, if you have other available sources of information, this guide can fill the gaps.

Any gym climbers who are aspiring to climb outside must buy this book. It is a very comprehensive book that helps guide the transition from gym climbing to outdoor climbing. There are detailed exercises on proper top rope placement, rappelling, self-rescue, and a number of other safety issues. The advice is clear and safe. You really should go with someone more experienced when you try these techniques, but the book makes an excellent case for being safe and going beyond what is normally done. For example, you should back up your rappel with an autoblock or a fireman's belay. Why not do this easy thing that may save your life? Your friend that teaches you how to climb may not show you these lifesaving techniques. I rarely see people back up their rappel!
As you get more experienced and want to make the transition to trad climbing, it teaches important techniques like making a multi-directional anchor for your first trad anchor by using a sliding girth hitch. It takes extra time, but it may save your life by preventing all your gear placement from zippering (popping out) after your fall. Happy climbing and safe climbing to you!

One book every climber must have. Much more specific to rock climbing than "the bible", "Mountaineering: the Freedom of the Hills".

If you and a partner go through the exercises you will be better skilled than most of the climbers on the rocks.

Covers basic skills, and has great sections on setting up Toprope anchors and placing protection on Lead.

ONLY problem is the casual use of girth-hitched slings. Girth hitching seriously reduces rope strength.