Product Description

In this new collection A.C. Grayling extends the range of his previous two books to show how much understanding people can gain about themselves and their world by reflecting on the lessons offered by science, the arts (including literature) and history. The book's essays are divided into these three sections - The Arts, Science and History - and Grayling illustrates in his celebrated accessible prose what each area offers to thought. In doing so he covers subjects as wide-ranging as Jane Austen's Emma, The Rosetta Stone, Shakespeare, the Holocaust and the Brain. By extending the range of topics discussed, THE MYSTERY OF THINGS shows how far-reaching Grayling's masterly, and timely, commentary of the humanities is to the general reader.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31538 in Books
• Published on: 2004-02-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

THE TABLET
"This book is that rare bird, a volume of essays. We all love reading essays."

Review
"Here, diverting and diverse as ever, is another platter of intellectual not so dim sum from a master chef... Grayling has three gifts. He roams far beyond his philosophical brief. He is wonderfully prolific. And he writes with a wry, crafted simplicity." (PETER PRESTON OBSERVER )

"These essays on science, the arts and history examine what they offer to our understanding of ourselves and the world around us." (NEW SCIENTIST )

You could do far worse than spend an evening or three in the company of this book. Like good conversation, it engages you in a flow of topics without ever pausing long enough to bore. The essays and reviews are succinct, informative and always reasonable... The order of essays parallels the order of evenings and guests - arts, history, science - and with a similar purpose in mind. That purpose is enlightenment. Ignorance must be banished... The aim is laudable." (Lisa Appignanesi THE INDEPENDENT )

"This informative, witty collection of essays and reviews is loosely tied together by the idea that reflecting on the inner nature of things, the personal aspect of philosophy, happens most readily in the areas of the arts, history and science. As ever, Grayling, is worth reading, partly for the sheer weight of knowledge he brings to bear... Grayling's is clearly a more intelligent book than 99 per cent of others... A smashing bedside companion." (TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT )

"This book is that rare bird, a volume of essays. We all love reading essays." (THE TABLET )

About the Author
Anthony Grayling teaches philosophy at Birkbeck College, London and is a Fellow of St Anne's, Oxford. He reviews frequently in the Financial Times and has a regular column in Prospect.

Customer Reviews

A lovely collection of thought-provoking vignettes
As with Graylings other collections of thoughts, this is a lovely collection of vignettes.

Most articles run to 2-3 pages, giving enough introduction to understand the topic, and appreciate the observations being presented.

There are 3 themes : Arts (23 articles), History (14 articles) and Science (18 articles)

The topics are many & varied, my favourites ranged across :
Art : from Modern Architecture to Shakespeare;
History : from Heritage to the English Revolution;
Science : from Knowledge to Alien Abductions.

Another cherished volume to join the Grayling collection.

4 stars, but only just....
Alas, not quite up to the excellent standards set by this book's twopredecessors - The Meaning of Things and The Reason of Things. Some ofthe early pieces meander rather, whilst also seeming just a little toorecondite for the general reader. A shame, because one of the bestthings about Grayling's previous books in this series is theiraccessibility.
Nevertheless, the second and third chapters (which make up two thirds ofthe book) - Aspects of History and Spectating Science - are mostlyexcellent, with some particularly good pieces at the end on philosophy'smost fashionable conundrums - consciousness, cosmology and genetics.
All in all, still well worth the price, and Grayling's prose is as tautand incisive as ever.

The mystery is why anyone would buy this
This book is dull, dull, dull- it is meant to be philosophy but is just editorial instead, nowhere does it explain why his opinions are any more valid than anyone elses. As it droned on I lost interest. Yawnerama.