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Earlier this year I picked up Russell’s “A History of Western Philosophy” (mistakenly) thinking it would be a good, scholarly but accessible guide through philosophical thought. While I swear I’ll return to it, I found that a) it was less an interesting read than I hoped and b) I’m not terribly interested in the ancient Greek philosophers that for all the obvious reasons start the book. I had the opposite reaction to Bakewell’s “At the Existentialist Cafe.” Driven mostly by the fact that Bakewell is a fabulous writer, capable of making dense themes feel accessible and able to narrate through decades of thought, personalities and themes with an enjoyable ease. While the topic didn’t capture me in the ways it did during my college philosophy class taking years, the book was an delightful read. Particularly at points during the growing German occupation which felt more akin to a spy novel. In the end, a very strong starting point where I’ve already wishlisted the author and her subjects other novels.