Trailblazers in Philosophy

June 1, 2015

Gr 10 Up-Each book in this series is comprised of essays about different individuals, from ancient times to the present and from a variety of cultures (mostly Western). The books attempt to simplify complex concepts. Unfortunately, this may cause confusion for the uninitiated. While some terms and phrases are defined where they appear, many others aren't. Some volumes are more successful than others at making text comprehensible for generalists. Each entry features a boldfaced paragraph; a short factoid box providing dates and places of birth and death, and a brief summary of why the subject is important. There are a few illustrations here, but on the whole, the design is lacking. Interestingly, some individuals appear multiple times across the series (however, with different content each time), demonstrating the impact they had on various fields but mainly highlighting the interconnectedness of these disciplines. Each title also contains several general essays on topics that expand on the book's theme and provide broader context, though few women and Nobel winners are included. Politics, however, is marred by some glaring historical errors. For instance, sentences attributed to the U.S. Constitution are actually the opening lines from the Declaration of Independence, and John Locke is said to have helped write a constitution for the "U.S. state of Carolina." VERDICT This sophisticated series targets mature, knowledgeable readers, and some topics aren't within the scope of the high school curriculum. Purchase where needed.-Carol Goldman, Queens Library, NY

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