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philosophy

Irriducibile

While Faggin’s theories are thought-provoking, I found it challenging to understand much of the book, even though I read it in my native language. The first part was extremely difficult to grasp, requiring significant effort to stick with it. The second part was less complex and more interesting to me.  Despite the glossary at the end, I don’t believe it explains the concepts in a way that’s accessible to a broad audience. For this reason, I wouldn’t consider it a popular science book; one needs… Read More »Irriducibile

Buddhism Plain and Simple (by Steve Hagen)

If you are curious about Buddhism and seeking a simple, accessible introduction to its basic concepts, this book is for you. I really enjoyed reading it and found it insightful. My favourite part was the explanation that there’s no permanent “self”. This really got me thinking about the impermanence of everything around us. Everything changes, even the concept of “I”. Another aspect that I liked about this book was its modern and pragmatic style. While it’s rooted in ancient Buddhist philosophy, it speaks directly to… Read More »Buddhism Plain and Simple (by Steve Hagen)

As a Man Thinketh (by James Allen)

It’s probably taking me longer to write this review than to read the book, but despite being a short read, it’s packed with powerful concepts that are still relevant today. For example, the metaphor of the mind as a garden that must be cultivated, or the notion that our minds become calm in proportion to our understanding of ourselves as thought-evolved beings. The central idea of the book is that our thoughts shape our lives. A person is limited only by the thoughts that he… Read More »As a Man Thinketh (by James Allen)

A Room of One’s Own (by Virginia Woolf)

There is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind. A classic work of feminist literature, this book explores the issue of women’s place in society. Specifically, that they have faced a scarcity of opportunities – this book raises the question of what women could achieve if they were given the same opportunities as their male colleagues. Woolf argues that centuries of financial and educational disadvantages have inhibited women’s creativity. She uses vivid storytelling to paint a… Read More »A Room of One’s Own (by Virginia Woolf)

How Fear Works (by Frank Furedi)

Interesting and informative, this book smartly explores the various ways in which fear is used and manipulated in our society, from politics to media. Specifically, Frank Furedi, originally Hungarian and emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent, presents a compelling theory that we live in a culture of fear, different to the culture of courage and self-reliance of a century ago. In fact, nowadays, our values are centred around safety and risk aversion. Through thought-provoking reasoning, the author also encourages the reader to… Read More »How Fear Works (by Frank Furedi)

Maria Montessori (by Grazia Honegger Fresco)

Maria Montessori is more well-known and appreciated abroad than in Italy. There are many books about her biography written in English that seem to be very well read and reviewed. In fact, her teaching method, which focuses on the individuality and autonomy of the child, is still incredibly popular today all over the world. This book, full of references to facts and events, covers Maria Montessori’s entire life: her years of training in which she was one of the first female doctors in Italy, the… Read More »Maria Montessori (by Grazia Honegger Fresco)

The Little Book of Philosophy

The Little Book of Philosophy (by André Comte-Sponville)

The reason I chose to read this book is in its title: I was looking for something concise to read on the subject of philosophy. The author, a French philosopher, explores a variety of philosophical topics, including ethics, politics, love, death, knowledge, freedom, God, atheism, art, time, humanity, and wisdom. One aspect of the book that I particularly appreciated was its structure, with each chapter focused on a specific topic. This made the book easy to read in small chunks. Although the book is small… Read More »The Little Book of Philosophy (by André Comte-Sponville)

Peace Is Every Step (by Thich Nhat Hanh)

I kept having a smile on my face while I was reading this book. It made me feel calm and reminded me of “The wisdom of no escape” by Pema Chödrön. Thich Nhat Hanh was a Buddhist monk and peace activist who had a significant impact on Buddhism around the world and specifically he was one of the first to bring the concept of mindfulness to the West. In the 1960s, he worked to bring an end to the conflict in his native Vietnam through… Read More »Peace Is Every Step (by Thich Nhat Hanh)

The Alchemist

The Alchemist (by Paulo Coelho)

This is a story about a journey that conveys the message that if you really want something, the universe will help you to achieve it. The encouragement of following your dreams is very much in your face – there’s superficial philosophy that triggers some thoughts, but not deep ones, so I haven’t gained much from this book. Even though the story wasn’t intellectually challenging or inspiring, it was easy to read and very well-written. Overall, it was okay; however, I expected much more from this… Read More »The Alchemist (by Paulo Coelho)

The Unbearable Lightness of Being (by Milan Kundera)

This is a toughie. While I definitely loved the poetic title and the style of alternating fiction with non-fiction, I found the plot challenging to follow. It’s not a typical plotline, it’s non-chronological and non-linear. You need to be fully immersed in the book to understand its structure, otherwise you easily get lost. At some point, I even felt overwhelmed and almost guilty that I was not dedicating to it the right amount of effort. There’s lots of deep philosophy in it that triggered many… Read More »The Unbearable Lightness of Being (by Milan Kundera)