Review: 'The Philosophers' Library' by Adam Ferner, Chris Meyns

 I'm not a good philosopher but I am very interested in philosophy. I love seeing the different trends of thoughts emerging and fading away, the way some ideas get picked up again decades, even centuries, later. The Philosophers' Library is a great introduction to some of the major publications in philosophy, spanning centuries. Thanks to Quarto Publishing, Ivy Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 10/12/2021
Publisher: Quarto Publishing - Ivy Press

The Philosophers' Library features the most important philosophy manuscripts and books as stepping stones to take your through the history of philosophy. 

By cataloguing the history of philosophy via its key works, this book reflects the physical results of human thinking and endeavour; brilliant thought manifested in titles that literally changed the course of knowledge, sometimes by increments, and sometimes with revolutionary impact.
 
This is a unique book of books, all as beautiful as they are important, whether they be ancient, modern or those in-between. Eye-catching antique fonts on leather covers, inked illustrations on vellum, and inspiring graphics on well-worn jackets draw the reader in. 
 
Each book is detailed with publication date and title, the author is described, his or her key work outlined, and its context highlighted. The text brings these books as artefacts to life, telling the story of what philosophy was and is, how it appeared and when.

Philosophy is not the province of just one region or one group of people. Humans have wondered about the meaning of life, the way nature works, etc. for millennia. What is really beautiful about The Philosophers' Library is how Ferner and Meyns do their best to not just highlight philosophy texts that have received less attention so far, but also to make clear their own blind spots. Whether it is commenting on the lack of available translations of Ethiopian texts, preventing them from discussing it, or discussing the way in which imperialism crucially influenced philosophy, Ferner and Meyns do not hide away from the underbelly of philosophy. Contemplating the nature of life can be difficult, but I found that reading a few chapters here or there and taking the time to let them sink in was a very valuable experience.

Covering the entire history of philosophy is a daunting task. There is just... so much of it. We get the Indian Vedas, the long history of Ruist thought in China, the flourishing of philosophy in Iraq, the influence of Christianity upon Western thought, the role of imperialism, the rise of women's rights, and the threads of antisemitism and racism running through centuries of philosophy. The book is split into clear time periods, which don't necessarily fall along the expects time periods like "Antiquity" or "the Middle Ages". Alongside the history, we get beautiful images of the key texts representing these movements. I loved seeing the manuscripts of the Vedas, for example, or the earliest editions of Marx' Das Kapital. For me, reading The Philosophers' Library, was more about the history of philosophy, with the images being more of an enhancement than the core of the book itself, even if the blurb makes these images sound like the key point. I did very much enjoy the final chapter discussing the current state and potential future of philosophy and how they highlighted the way in with the Internet and social media has made philosophy more accessible. (Shout out to the History of Philosophy Without Gaps podcast!)

Ferner and Meyns do a great job at discussing a very wide variety of schools of thoughts. Philosophy can be very intimidating, especially as it gets ever more specialized or esoteric. Ferner and Meyns ground the reader with clear explanations and by connecting thoughts across time. The division of time periods is explained very clearly and I felt guided. As mentioned above, I was also very impressed by the way Ferner and Meyns take a role in the book. They highlight the downsides of their own Western education, the difficulty in accessing certain texts, and the ways in which many group were gatekept out of the philosophic community. It makes The Philosophers' Library a very modern book, one that is comfortable addressing difficult topics and asking hard questions. One downside came at the start for me, however. The Introduction starts off with a discussion of book burning, which felt a bit odd. While technically it is relevant, as it brings up discussions of which books are allowed, the power of books, the power of ideas, etc., it never once becomes relevant in the book itself. It felt like a topical hook upon which to hang the book, yet it wasn't relevant to the heart of the book itself. I definitely felt like I learned a lot by reading The Philosophers' Library and I can't wait to personally engage with some of the texts discussed.

I give this book...

3 Universes!

While The Philosophers' Library does require you to already be a least a little bit interested in philosophy, it is nonetheless a great introduction full of stunning illustrations and useful guidance.