Classical Philosophy: A history of philosophy without any gaps, Volume 1
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

This is the first in what presumably will be a series of books based on Adamson's podcast, History of Philosophy without Any Gaps (http://historyofphilosophy.net). In the podcast, which is currently well into the Middle Ages, Adamson (Ludwig-Maximilians-Univ., Munich) audaciously attempts to present the entirety of philosophy. Admirably, this means that neglected philosophers in the Western philosophical tradition, as well as philosophers in the Islamic world, receive much more consideration than usual. Students have access to analyses of the key Pre-Socratics, the Sophists, and the Hippocratic corpus. Plato and Aristotle remain the main event, but Adamson's completist approach serves him well in these chapters too, for the book offers discussions of Platonic dialogues and Aristotelian texts that other introductions might miss. For example, in chapter 16, the author discusses Plato's Charmides and Euthydemus, placing these neglected dialogues within the context of Plato's project. In the Aristotle section, chapters are devoted to the key concepts in Aristotle's corpus. This book was written in the same lively style as the podcast and should appeal to both general readers and scholars of ancient philosophy. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. --Corey Randall McCall, Elmira College

Adamson's (philosophy, Ludwig Maximilian Univ. of Munich) series opener is based on his podcasts of the same name. As the title suggests, the author takes on the respectable task of using the series to tell the entire history of philosophy as completely as possible. By complete, he explains, his work covers not only the philosophers themselves but also the prevailing political, social, and religious beliefs that might have influenced their theories. In this volume, Adamson addresses the pre-Socratics, Sophists, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Chapters are connected by Adamson's ability to explain the influences philosophers had on their later counterparts. This is especially apparent in the last section on the followers of Plato and Aristotle. VERDICT Adamson does a wonderful job of creating an enlightening history of classical philosophy. This reviewer couldn't help but think of the podcasts when reading each segment because they're written in such a casual yet engaging way. Any reader with an interest in philosophy will enjoy this work.-Scott Duimstra, Capital Area Dist. Lib., Lansing, MI (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Adamson's (philosophy, Ludwig Maximilian Univ. of Munich) series opener is based on his podcasts of the same name. As the title suggests, the author takes on the respectable task of using the series to tell the entire history of philosophy as completely as possible. By complete, he explains, his work covers not only the philosophers themselves but also the prevailing political, social, and religious beliefs that might have influenced their theories. In this volume, Adamson addresses the pre-Socratics, Sophists, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Chapters are connected by Adamson's ability to explain the influences philosophers had on their later counterparts. This is especially apparent in the last section on the followers of Plato and Aristotle. VERDICT Adamson does a wonderful job of creating an enlightening history of classical philosophy. This reviewer couldn't help but think of the podcasts when reading each segment because they're written in such a casual yet engaging way. Any reader with an interest in philosophy will enjoy this work.—Scott Duimstra, Capital Area Dist. Lib., Lansing, MI