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133 reviews for:
Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope
Sarah Bakewell
4.08 AVERAGE
133 reviews for:
Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope
Sarah Bakewell
4.08 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
inspiring
This book was okay, but also too long. If you don't know a lot about this school of thought this is a good place to start, otherwise it may drag on for you.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Following up on her terrific Montaigne and Existentialist books, Bakewell again takes on a philosophy and philosophers and makes the history of thought entertaining and meaningful. She really dives into the humanists and pre-humanists (before they called themselves that) and without banging the reader over the head makes us understand the importance of this kind of thought in our increasingly inhumane age. A fun and worthwhile read.
informative
medium-paced
NYT Notable Books 2023: 47/100
I think this book would have been more interesting if it had focused on modern humanists, who identify themselves that way, rather than people who were what we might consider humanists based on modern terms, but themselves did not identify with the term. I feel like there is probably enough content (especially if you focus on humanism as a more modern definition) from when humanists started to self-identify as such into the modern age, rather than focusing on folks who just simply did not believe in God at a time where it was less common to do so. This book just kind of felt like it missed the mark, which was disappointing, since it was an interesting topic.
I think this book would have been more interesting if it had focused on modern humanists, who identify themselves that way, rather than people who were what we might consider humanists based on modern terms, but themselves did not identify with the term. I feel like there is probably enough content (especially if you focus on humanism as a more modern definition) from when humanists started to self-identify as such into the modern age, rather than focusing on folks who just simply did not believe in God at a time where it was less common to do so. This book just kind of felt like it missed the mark, which was disappointing, since it was an interesting topic.
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
This is an excellent book on the history of Humanism. I feel that in both the US and Europe we teeter on the brink of some turbulent and regressive times. Whether or not these times do indeed come to pass, this book contains some important and relevant history and pointers for a better future.
"Happiness is the only good.
The time to be happy is now.
The place to be happy is here.
The way to be happy is to make others so."
The time to be happy is now.
The place to be happy is here.
The way to be happy is to make others so."
informative
medium-paced