Plot Summary

Janus: A Summing Up

Arthur Koestler
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Janus: A Summing Up

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1978

Book Brief

Arthur Koestler

Janus: A Summing Up

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1978
Book Details
Pages

354

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

1970s

Publication Year

1978

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Janus: A Summing Up by Arthur Koestler is a 1978 philosophical work where Koestler reflects on the past thirty years of his writings, exploring human intelligence, creativity, biology, and philosophy. The book synthesizes his ideas into a systematic model for human achievement and critical thinking, organizing physical and social sciences into a single metaphysical framework.

Contemplative

Inspirational

Informative

Challenging

Mysterious

Reviews & Readership

4.3

144 ratings

86%

Loved it

8%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Arthur Koestler's Janus: A Summing Up offers a thought-provoking exploration of human consciousness and scientific philosophy. Praised for its intellectual depth and interdisciplinary approach, the book is engaging yet dense, often challenging readers with complex arguments. Critics admire Koestler's erudition but note that some concepts may feel inaccessible to the general public.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Janus: A Summing Up?

Readers who enjoy Janus: A Summing Up by Arthur Koestler are typically interdisciplinary thinkers, fascinated by philosophy, science, and psychology. Comparable to fans of Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions and Carl Sagan's The Dragons of Eden, they appreciate deep, integrative insights into human consciousness and the evolution of ideas.

4.3

144 ratings

86%

Loved it

8%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

354

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

1970s

Publication Year

1978

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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