Great Thinkers: Simple tools from sixty great thinkers to improve your life today. (The School of Life Library)

I've always found phylosophy reads boring and tedious because they were written in decades and centuries when the written words were for that era. This book is written in today's language and expresses what the philosopher's through the past centuries were trying to communicate to humanity. Every adult today should read this book.

Book does what I expected and gives a basic understanding of the philosophers thinking. But also has some opinion from the writers of the book as well.

I liked that the author simplified the thoughts of his great thinkers and did so in many cases in four pages or so. I don’t understand why many famous thinkers were left out for a number of less famous thinkers. Also, why SO many thinkers who bash capitalism, but almost no supporters. And what is with the “In the most destructive and polluting country mankind has ever known.” Referring to the US. I call BS. England in its day polluted so much the moths changed color. China today pollutes on an absolute basis more than the US. And destructive? How one sided. The benefits the US more than offset the “destructive”. Still, the descriptions that are short and too the point allow me to give 4 stars. The left leaning US bashing ticked me off.

This is a wonderful selection of individuals who changed the world. It’s a great summary of their viewpoints, relevancy to culture and their belief systems. It’s highly factual and very entertaining to read.

So grateful to keep company with the superb minds of history. So much wisdom there for us if we so put the effort.

Yes, it's not as comprehensive as taking an entire semester discussing a single Philosopher's works but it is perhaps one of the better attempts at making the goal of philosophy and philosophers (wisdom) digestible for the masses. Also, the print quality is great!

For years, I have been delving into culture, science, philosophy, history and bit of The School of Life; so I bought this book. I had before read extensively about many of the thinkers mentioned, and yet this book still offered unique instruction and entertainment. The fluid selection of themes, people, and ideas seem aimed to inspire the reader by suggesting, with tools and examples, an active engagement with oneself and the world; so it serves more for orienting oneself than piecemeal reference. I imagine this will be especially good for people who did not have time for eclectic self-exposure and for those with a practical ability to profoundly act. And, although there is definitely room for a new edition/s, I am reminded why some books should be reread.

Great book summarizing the ideas of many Great thinkers... however, the book could have gone into a little more depth into the thoughts of the list of great philosophers... perfect for an introduction to the great philosophers throughout history, and from there you can read their actual work... I gave it 4 stars because I would have liked to see Jesus Christ included... not so much on His divinity, but at least on the philosophy of Christ, and perhaps Saint Paul... whether you are a believer in Christ's divinity or not, there is a lot of great philosophical points that could be applied to us today... after all He was the most loving, the most forgiving, etc... "the Sabbath was created for man not the man for the Sabbath" is a great philosophical point for example... "those of you without sin cast the first stone" etc...

Brilliant reference book about ideas and thinkers personalities

Explains what the thoughts of the great thinkers mean to us. I've read many books on philosophy but this is the first to explain their thoughts in language the layman can understand. Top read.

Excellent as source for essays or as full reading. Ideal for practical and busy people interested in thinking about more than day to day , frivolous subjects.

Great readings for those who want to be great.

In the same order, "The Great Thinkers" by The School of Life outshines its counterpart, "A Therapeutic Journey." This book offers a brilliant and accessible summary of key philosophical ideas, maintaining an engaging narrative throughout. What sets "The Great Thinkers" apart is its ability to make complex concepts understandable without sacrificing depth. It not only educates but also captivates, making it an ideal read for both newcomers to philosophy and seasoned enthusiasts. A standout feature is the inclusion of biographies of lesser-known figures, adding a layer of discovery.