Review: Philosophy: From the Ancient Greeks to Great Thinkers of Modern Times by Alice Rooney
Rating: 4 stars
Philosophy is one of those things that I really don’t know a lot about but I knew lots of people who chose to study it at university so it always intrigued me to learn more. This book traces the historical development of philosophical thought from the Ancient Greeks through the Enlightenment to the present day.
This book worked really well for giving me an intro into famous philosophers and what they were on about. It was a really good introduction into the genre and does make you think. Because it’s a non-fiction I did read this over 2 months I think, casually dipping in and out of it alongside other reads which I would say is the best way to read it!
It has definitely prompted me to do more reading on the parts that I was most interested in, and I really enjoyed the quotes included in each chapter because I LOVE a good quote.
I really did enjoy reading it and would recommend to others who are in the same position as me and don’t know much about this topic at all!

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I've always wanted to learn more about famous philosophers and this book worked well. This is a great introduction to philosophy and many great thinkers over time. It works well read in small doses and would be a great book for discussion with high school students or homeschoolers.

I read a digital ARC of this book via the publisher.

A very useful book for anyone who wants to get a broad understanding of the history of philosophy. it's a good grounding and offers a useful jumping off point for further study.

This is such an accessible and thought-provoking book for anyone who is looking for an introduction to schools of philosophy. Many times, I feel that such introductions end up watering down great thinkers' ideas, to the point of them being incorrect. This does not suffer from such a problem.

It can be read it order, or in a different one, depending on what your goal is. Rooney does a great job including philosophers several times. For instance, Heidegger is brought up with regards to both metaphysics and epistemology, so readers won't pinhole each thinkers as belonging to a specific branch.

There are really great quotes sprinkled throughout each chapter, which helps readers really think about the words that are written, without having to digest pages of incomprehensible writing. Furthermore, Rooney does a nice job with specific thought experiments, either ones created for the book, or significant ones from the literature.

I think this is a great source to use for teachers in the classroom, who are hoping to build student inquiry and help them critically think, but do so in a way that they can interact with ideas in a straightforward way. It also is great if you are just interested in giving your mind a mental workout but don't know where to begin, or if you want to know what is so significant about names like Descartes or Socrates.

In this title’s introduction, Anne Rooney points out that philosophy is about the big questions in life. She notes that the kinds of issues that we grapple with today are, in many ways, the same as those that the ancient Greeks wrestled with. Over the centuries, beginning with the Greeks, philosophers have engaged with concepts related to being, justice, beauty, ethics, politics and more.

If you are a person who thinks about life’s deepest issues this book will be sure to engage you. The author’s style is readable and the topics that she covers are broad and interesting. Read with her as you think about whether there is a god, how should we live, what makes a good society and more.

I recommend reading this book slowly so that there is time to engage with the concepts and issues raised. It will be time well spent.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.