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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
reflective
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
It took me an unnecessarily long time to read this book - a whole four and a half months. Not because it was boring, on the contrary: every time I picked it up, I was straight back into it. It was entertaining, interesting and accessible, even if it was packed with information.
I learnt quite a lot - about philosophy, history, traditions of thought. The presentation of the period between the two world wars was notably memorable. The so-called ‘Golden Twenties’ no longer seem so golden after reading this book. I was also interested in phenomenology - the term was rather vague to me before, but now I've gained a clearer sense of what it's all about.
I was already reasonably familiar with many of the people introduced - Sartre, de Beauvoir, Camus. But I also remember Heidegger in particular, especially for his role in the phenomenological movement. I didn't really sympathise with any of the people portrayed - they all had their rough edges that stuck with me.
I found some specific passages in the book particularly strong: thoughts about civil courage on a small scale, about taking a closer look, about responsibility, freedom and vanity. The combination of philosophical concepts with personal anecdotes and historical events worked well for me. Even though I sometimes got confused while reading, the overall picture is coherent.
At the Existentialist Café is neither a dry non-fiction book nor a pure biography - it is a lively, narrative approach to the philosophy of the 20th century. It is about ideas, about people, about life itself. And although it was occasionally demanding, it always opened up new perspectives for me as I read.
A book that is worth reading - not because you understand everything at the end, but because you look at things a little differently than before.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
I had already read one loose history of the French existentialists, by the introduction of Camus I felt like I was retreading familiar territory
challenging
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
It was well written and interesting but I found it slow to read and I gave up in favour of a novel.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
This was a fascinating look at the history of phenomenology and existentialism, and the personalities and events that were deeply intertwined with the ideas themselves.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Antisemitism, War