Kierkegaard: A Single Life
Kierkegaard: A Single Life
Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 2016
Book Brief
304
Biography • Nonfiction
Denmark • 19th Century
2016
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Kierkegaard: A Single Life by Stephen Backhouse is a biography of Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, covering his personal and professional life, including his contributions to existentialism, his influential works, his tumultuous romance with Regine Olsen, the Corsair Affair, and his critiques of organized religion. Topics of severe depression, blasphemy, and confrontation with institutional Christianity are explored.
Informative
Contemplative
Mysterious
Melancholic
Inspirational
Reviews & Readership
707 ratings
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Mixed feelings
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Review Roundup
Stephen Backhouse’s Kierkegaard: A Single Life is lauded for making Kierkegaard’s complex ideas accessible and engagingly presenting his life. It's praised for its thorough research and readability. Criticisms include minor factual inaccuracies and a sometimes overly simplified portrayal of philosophical concepts. Overall, it's an excellent introduction.
Who Should Read Kierkegaard: A Single Life?
Readers who appreciate Kierkegaard: A Single Life by Stephen Backhouse likely enjoy in-depth philosophical biographies and existential themes, akin to those found in Walter Kaufmann's Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist and Ray Monk's Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius. Ideal for those exploring profound, introspective thinkers.
707 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
304
Biography • Nonfiction
Denmark • 19th Century
2016
Adult
18+ years
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