Would sophies world be too difficult for an inquisitive sevenyearold. Philosopher longshoreman, eric hoffer, was the author of the above quote, which struck me the first time i read it. Sophies world a novel about the history of philosophy. Sophie amundsen is fourteen years old when the book begins, living in norway. A genrecrossing european bestseller file under fiction, philosophy, and young adulthood with nearly a million copies sold to date, jostein gaarders novel, at. If i had written sophies world today, is there something important i would have added. Sophies world is a mindboggling piece of literature demonstrating and questioning derridas theory on deconstruction, there is nothing outside of the text. It is not a book to be compared to christopher nolans inception. It was controversial for the way in which it framed styrons personal views regarding the holocaust. See a complete list of the characters in sophie s world and indepth analyses of sophie, alberto, hilde, and albert knag. Sophies world follows a fifteen years old ladys journey pondering the 2000 years of western philosophy. As the book moves along, sophie amundsen, a teenaged girl, learns important lessons in the history of western philosophy from her teacher, alberto knox.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This book teaches its readers about the history of philosophy, which is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge. Jostein gaarder, author, paulette miller, translator, paulette moller, translator farrar straus giroux. Jan 02, 20 would sophie s world be too difficult for an inquisitive sevenyearold. Sophie s world a novel about the history of philosophy jostein gaarder translated by paulette miller berkley books, new york if you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. Sophies world encompasses numerous time periods, cultures, discoveries, and belief systems. Sophies world definitely gave me a better udnerstanding of philosophy and the world around us. Each chapter focuses on a single philosophy or a single thought, making for a didactic reading. The uninteresting writing makes the book seem interminable for readers.
Norwegian schoolgirl hilde receives a book from her father called sophie s world on her 15th birthday, which is june 15th. I also read one of jostein gaarder s other books, the solitaire mystery, and it has a similar feel, with intertwining and vaguely supernatural story lines, but it s not a beginner s textbook as sophie s world. The novel is not at all persuasive but more threatening. The book will serve as a firstrate introduction to anyone who never took an introductory philosophy course, and as a pleasant refresher for those who have and have forgotten most of it. Sophies world belongs to the latter, but thanks to secondsight, i got back to it after 10 years. Berkeley, we already knew, questioned the objectivity of time and space. While sophies world might be a little too advanced, there are other great books for answering childrens questions about. I also read one of jostein gaarders other books, the solitaire mystery, and it has a similar feel, with intertwining and vaguely supernatural story lines, but its not a beginners textbook as sophies world. Learn by example and become a better writer with kibins suite of essay help services. Chapter summary for jostein gaarders sophies world, chapter 22 summary. Read this essay sample on sophies world reaction paper. This is a novel that tantalizes you to think and rethink till you reflect on an answer, and then yet again pushes you to rethink and question your answers.
This book teaches its readers about the history of philosophy, which is the. This study guide consists of approximately 58 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of sophies world. Sophie s world im finally trying to make time for books that have been on my wish list forever, and those that id given up on years before. It is a bildungsroman, a novel about sophies moral and psychological growth.
It goes from presocratic philosophy all the way to sartre. Start writing about sophies world reflection with this example essay. Sophies choice is a 1979 novel by american author william styron. We also learn how those philosophers ideas have shaped our own idea of reality today. I loved sophies world when i first read it in high school i should try it again now and see if it holds up. Sophies world is a novel but its essentially a 101 on philosophy disguised as a novel, a young adult or teen novel. I loved sophie s world when i first read it in high school i should try it again now and see if it holds up. The book begins with sophie receiving two messages in her mailbox and a. What if we were all just characters from a book written by major albert knag as. Sophies world is a beautifully written tale within a tale within a tale that will take you to an inspirational journey through the history of. Hilde opens the package and finds a ring binder filled with typed pages.
Spinoza classification marx was known as a historical materialist. The theme of philosophy, wisdom, and wonder in sophies. It follows the events of sophie amundsen, a teenage girl living in norway, and alberto knox, a middleaged philosopher who introduces her to philosophical thinking and the history of philosophy. Im not quite clear about how sophie comes into the real world. Would sophies world be too difficult for an inquisitive sevenyear. He taught highschool philosophy for several years before publishing a collection of short stories in 1986 and, shortly thereafter, his first two novels, the solitaire mystery and sophies world, and several others since then. His point was how we work affects our consciousness, but our consciousness also affects the way we work. While sophie s world might be a little too advanced, there are other great books for answering children s questions about. Jostein gaarders sophies world quotes archives famous. I read this book over the course of a month, while reading other books in parallel, and sometimes taking a break from it on purpose. While sophies world might be a little too advanced, there are other great books for answering childrens questions about the world. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of sophie s world and what it means. Dec 26, 2016 start writing about sophies world reflection with this example essay.
See plot diagram summary sophie in a small town in norway, 14yearold sophie amundsen walks home from school one day in early may to find a note asking philosophical questions. This was my very first indepth reading on philosophy. Mar 20, 2007 a pageturning novel that is also an exploration of the great philosophical concepts of western thought, sophie s world has fired the imagination of readers all over the world, with more than twenty million copies in print. A novel about the history of philosophy addeddate 20160324 07. Find a summary of this and each chapter of sophies world. He taught highschool philosophy for several years before publishing a collection of short stories in 1986 and, shortly thereafter, his first two novels, the solitaire mystery and sophie s world, and several others since then. The symbol of the brass mirror in sophies world from. In which i talk about a really great book in a really short amount of time. He emphasized that it was the economic forces in society that created change. I read this book over the course of a month, while reading other books in. Find books like sophies world from the worlds largest community of readers. Jostein gaarder does a very good job not just by writing a concise history of philosophy, but also by writing a very accessible book for as far as early teenagers, which in itself is. Nov 18, 2014 in which i talk about a really great book in a really short amount of time.
A summary of hume, berkeley, and bjerkely in jostein gaarder s sophie s world. Sophies world by jostein gaarder is a novel about the history of philosophy, just like the cover says. One day a few weeks before her fifteenth birthday norwegian schoolgirl sophie amundsen looks inside her mailbox and finds a mysterious letter addressed to her. Sophies world big paper sophies world presents the history of philosophy in the form of a novel. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Does reading a novelor any bookconstitute a philosophical project. It is a bildungsroman, a novel about sophie s moral and psychological growth. It contains the major themes of his previous fiction, embodying his loves of the south and of literature, his experience of war, and his quest. Topics a novel about the history of philosophy collection arvindgupta. But the history of philosophy is very well done and informative. Sophies world is a novel by jostein gaarder that was first published 1991.
What other book might you compare sophies world to and why. Jun 10, 2009 sophie s world belongs to the latter, but thanks to secondsight, i got back to it after 10 years. Mar 20, 2007 jostein gaarder was born in oslo, norway, in 1952. I believe that god create the world from the beginning. By 2011 the novel had been translated into fiftynine languages, with over forty million print copies sold. She sees a large package by her bed and grows agitated because it might be the strange present she expects from her father. Sophie s world belongs to the latter, but thanks to secondsight, i got back to it after 10 years.
A novel about the history of philosophy fsg classics is a history of philosophy written in the format of a mystery novel by. For there will always be an element of chance in the creative process. Sophie s world was a long, strange, and most unpredictable novel. Madeleine lengle sophies world a novel about the history of philosophy jostein gaarder translated by paulette miller berkley books, new york if you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. Its interesting that in sophies world the mirror, a traditional symbol of selfcontemplation, is depicted as a tool for interpersonal communicationa magical device that allows sophie to see another part of the world. It does seem that that is the way the world truly works. They provided a way of answering the question asked by one bookgrouper which is what is philosophy. Gaarder here reading to schoolchildren tapped into. The defining theme of sophie s world is, pretty clearly, philosophy. I wasnt particularly interested in the story as such. It is one of the most commercially successful norwegian novels.
It is probably possible to slip in knowledge that would normally be above a child s level using this writing style i. Which aspects did you most want to research further. In many ways, his worldview corresponds most closely to the world weve seen in this book. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher, and.
Review of sophies world, by jostein gaarder richard gehr levity. Sofies verden sophies world, jostein gaarder sophies world is a 1991 novel by norwegian writer jostein gaarder. Sophies world presents a story in which three texts are at work. Sophies lessons in philosophy and her quest to find hilde made jostein gaarders novel sophies world. Sophies world is an outline of western philosophy that is beautifully set in a fictional story. Sophie wouldve disappeared like her friends joanna and the rest of her world if it wasnt for her enlightenment. Thus begins her course in western philosophy, taught by a mysterious mentor who chooses not to reveal himself quite yet. Alberto, an intelligent man, guides sophie through the ancient greeks, the medieval thinkers, and enlightenment and romantic idealists. Goodreads members who liked sophies world also liked. I enjoyed the whole mystery of the book and tryign to figure out the different things. Sophies world is a 1991 novel by norwegian writer jostein gaarder.
Dec 05, 1991 sofies verden sophie s world, jostein gaarder sophie s world is a 1991 novel by norwegian writer jostein gaarder. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary. There may be other books like sophies world, but it was unique to me, which makes it hard to compare to other books. The novel was the basis of a 1982 film of the same name. I learned some really interesting things about many philosophers and even ones ive never heard of. Books similar to sophies world goodreads share book.
The book tells sophie s story, and hilde rapidly moves through the chapters. This novel not only teaches the main ideas of many philosophers, but also their views on reality and history. Sophies world was a long, strange, and most unpredictable novel. Browse essays about sophies world and find inspiration. The english translation was published in 1995, and the book was reported to be the bestselling book in the world in that year. Hilde loves the novel and starts to believe sophie really exists. Daily mail what is admirable in the novel is the utter unpretentiousness of the philosophical lessons, the plain and workmanlike prose which manages to deliver western philosophy in accounts that are crystal clear. There may be other books like sophie s world, but it was unique to me, which makes it hard to compare to other books. A novel about the history of philosophy new ed by jostein gaarder isbn. The book is saying that those who are ignorant suffer by leaving their world with no mark. Please note that the words in the third section are. Dec 22, 2007 sophies world was a long, strange, and most unpredictable novel.
Sophies choice won the us national book award for fiction in 1980. What other book might you compare sophie s world to and why. In the novelwithinthenovel, sophie amundsen discovers a strange brass mirror that allows her to see her reallife counterpart, hilde moller knag. Jostein gaarder, sophies world a compositionand every work of art is oneis created in a wondrous interplay between imagination and reason, or between mind and reflection. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading sophies world. A novel about the history of philosophy fsg classics kindle edition by gaarder, jostein, moller, paulette. Meditations by marcus aurelius and sophies world provided a really interesting way in to philosophy. History is made by the best of us and the worst of us over the heads of the rest of us. Sophie s world became a bestseller in norway and won the deutscher jugendliteraturpreis in 1994.
Sophie s lessons in philosophy and her quest to find hilde made jostein gaarders novel sophie s world. It is probably possible to slip in knowledge that would normally be above a childs level using this writing style i. How many of the novels terms and references were you already familiar with. Sophies world by jostein gaarder is, in my view, a highly successful attempt to write a history of philosophy together with a story. Would sophies world be too difficult for an inquisitive. Sophies world a novel about the history of philosophy jostein gaarder translated by paulette miller berkley books, new york if you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. Sophies world by jostein gaarder is a novel about the. See a complete list of the characters in sophies world and indepth analyses of sophie, alberto, hilde, and albert knag. When learning about most of the philosophers from previous chapters most of their upbringings have been much the same cliche such as generally catholic or very religious. Sophies world became a bestseller in norway and won the deutscher jugendliteraturpreis in 1994. Sophie s world follows a fifteen years old lady s journey pondering the 2000 years of western philosophy.
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