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October 02, 2003
Thursday
 
 
A big, big book
Johnathan Pearce (London)  Philosophical

I am glad to see that the august publishing house, the Oxford University Press, has recently published a monster-length encyclopaedia of the Enlightenment. For those who can stump up more than three hundred pounds, this would be a most impressive addition to any library. From David Hume to Diderot, the book is a treasure trove of facts and articles about the folk who helped shape our world and mostly for the better.

Let's hope university libraries stock this book as essential item since it is bound to be beyond the financial means of most undergraduates. And perhaps the OEP could make a gesture of sending a few copies to the nascent academies I trust will be springing up in post-Saddam Iraq.

Comments

The hell with Iraq: I want one. Any idea when it would be available in the U.S.?


Posted by Kim du Toit at October 2, 2003 04:36 PM

OUP's site lets the reader know that the 'Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment' is "inclusive of new theoretical and methodological approaches, including feminist and various post-modernist reassessments alongside more traditional perspectives."

In other words, it presumably also contains quite a large proportion of squeaky-clean politically correct deconstructionist verbiage -- beautifully footnoted, no doubt. But I'd be surprised if it really constitutes a contribution to knowledge. It's not the first book on the subject.

For the moment, I'll stick to Peter Gay's acclaimed two-volume classic on 'The Science of Freedom' -- available for a mere £10.81 at amazon.co.uk:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/ref=sr_sp_go_as/202-4363405-8286247

Far more bang for your buck, I reckon, than the £395 charged by OUP.

I know, I know, I'm a natural born begrudger ....


Posted by Charles Copeland at October 2, 2003 04:52 PM

What´s up with today´s topic? It´s not interesting at all...okay, so maybe it is a little interesting, but there are tons of other books on the subject, believe me, i care more for the date of the next Harry Potter book, and I´m not kidding.


Posted by xander from honduras at October 2, 2003 09:06 PM

Gah. 500$ for a BOOK?

It better come with a case of Brandy.


Posted by ErikZ at October 2, 2003 11:15 PM

Xander and others - I don't know how "interesting" the book will be, but given that this is a liberty-loving weblog, I thought it entirely right to flag up a major publication on the subject.

Peter Gay's two-volume study of the Enlightenment is indeed a great work. I have read it and can strongly recommend it. I think it is still in print.

Xander - Harry Potter? Sheesh, give me a break!


Posted by Johnathan Pearce at October 3, 2003 11:44 AM

And it's available in the US, too.


Posted by mike at October 3, 2003 05:41 PM
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