Book Review: Either/Or – Søren Kierkegaard

Either/Or: A Fragment of Life was published by Søren Kierkegaard in 1843, making it his first major work. The book was written under the pseudonym Victor Eremita “Victorious Hermit”. In the preface, Victor Eremita tells us that he has found two papers in an old desk. They express the viewpoints of two distinct figures withContinue reading “Book Review: Either/Or – Søren Kierkegaard”

Book Review: The Gay Science – Nietzsche

The Gay Science is one of Nietzsche’s most beautiful and important books. He describes it as “the most personal of all his books”. When inquired on why he chose this title to his book, he wrote in a letter: “As for the title ‘Gay Science’, I thought only of the gaya scienza of the troubadoursContinue reading “Book Review: The Gay Science – Nietzsche”

Book Review: Nausea – Jean Paul Sartre

Jean Paul Sartre’s first novel, Nausea, gave a name for existential angst. He considered it as one of his best works. It is a philosophical novel with existentialist vibes, that delves into the pure absurdity of the world with Sartre’s wild imagination and explores the randomness and superfluity of the world. Everything that we takeContinue reading “Book Review: Nausea – Jean Paul Sartre”

Book Review: Genealogy of Morals – Nietzsche

Nietzsche wrote On the Genealogy of Morals: A Polemic, in response to a book by his former friend Paul Rée, on the origins of morality. This book is among Nietzsche’s most sustained and cohesive works. In the first essay, titled “Good and Evil”, “Good and Bad”, Nietzsche sets up a contrast between what he callsContinue reading “Book Review: Genealogy of Morals – Nietzsche”

Book Review: Notes from the Underground – Fyodor Dostoevsky

Notes from the Underground is a novel published by Dostoevsky in 1864. It remains as one of the most important works of existentialist literature. In this work Dostoevsky attempts to justify the existence of individual freedom as a necessary part of humankind. The novel consists of two parts. The first one, titled simply “Underground” isContinue reading “Book Review: Notes from the Underground – Fyodor Dostoevsky”

Book Review: Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoevsky

Crime and Punishment remains the single most widely known Russian novel as well as one of the greatest works in world literature. It is first and foremost a fascinating detective novel, but one in which we know from the very beginning who committed the heinous crime. It focuses on the mental anguish and moral dilemmasContinue reading “Book Review: Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoevsky”

Book Review: The Art of War – Sun Tzu

“The supreme act of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting” – Sun Tzu. Fascinating book, more like a guide to perfection of war. War has been and still is the result of every conflict of humanity. It is quite amazing how advanced and way ahead of his time Sun Tzu was! To haveContinue reading “Book Review: The Art of War – Sun Tzu”

Book Review: 1984 – George Orwell

George Orwell, perhaps one of the most influential English novelists of the 20th century, was a heavy opponent of totalitarian regimes, especially after what had happened in Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. Rating He depicts what a world could possibly look like under an authoritarian regime in his dystopian novel 1984, coining neologisms such asContinue reading “Book Review: 1984 – George Orwell”