Sarah Bakewell
Sarah Bakewell is a London-based writer. She became obsessed with the philosophy of Martin Heidegger and started—but never finished—a PhD in philosophy. Her book on Michel de Montaigne, How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography in 2011, and the Duff Cooper Prize for Non-Fiction in the UK. Her group biography of the existentialist philosophers, At the Existentialist Café, was also widely acclaimed and is a great way into existentialism. Her book on the history of humanist thought, Humanly Possible already looks set to be one of the best books of 2023.
Books by Sarah Bakewell
Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope
by Sarah Bakewell
Humanly Possible is a book covering seven centuries of humanistic thought, written by one of the best philosophy writers for a general audience around, Sarah Bakewell. It's a brilliant book, done with Bakewell's characteristic elegance and intelligence.
At The Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails
by Sarah Bakewell
***🏆 A Five Books Book of the Year ***
“This is the best philosophy book that I’ve read this year. What Sarah Bakewell has managed to do is combine the story of predominantly French existentialism (focusing on Sartre and de Beauvoir as well as Merleau-Ponty) with digressions about Heidegger and others. She’s combined that with some autobiographical elements and a real passion for the subject…only a truly exceptional writer could combine that many biographies, that many different, sometimes quite complex, philosophical positions, and still tell a plausible and engaging story. She’s done that, which is quite remarkable. In doing this she is resurrecting Sartre and the existentialism of the 1940s, which, in some ways, is considered passé, particularly in France. The result is empowering for people to read. So I think this is a superb book. Everyone should read it.” Read more...
Nigel Warburton, Philosopher
“How to Live is the story of the quirky 16th-century genius Montaigne, who was transformed by a narrow escape from death and by the early loss of a friend and became a reflective writer, retiring to his study to write brilliant and sometimes strange essays that can seem peculiarly modern. His digressive writing, often intimately confessional, playful, and challenging, all at the same time, is completely compelling. I challenge you to read Bakewell’s book without turning to the essays themselves. She gives their flavour and context, and discusses the best of them in a way that is both true to her subject, and is immensely satisfying to read.” Read more...
Philosophy Books to Take On Holiday
Nigel Warburton, Philosopher
The English Dane
by Sarah Bakewell
The English Dane by Sarah Bakewell explores the extraordinary life of Jørgen Jørgensen (1780-1841), the son of a Danish clockmaker whose up-and-down life included stints as a British prisoner of war as well as King of Iceland.
The Smart
by Sarah Bakewell
The Smart by Sarah Bakewell tells the story of Margaret Caroline Rudd (1745-1798), an Irish woman who became a high-class courtesan in London, also getting involved in a number of swindles. The book is also a nice snapshot of the goings-on in 18th-century London, that wild century before Victorian prudishness kicked in.
Interviews with Sarah Bakewell
The best books on Existentialism, recommended by Sarah Bakewell
Existentialist philosophy isn’t about bringing despair and angst into our lives, it’s about discovering our inner freedom, explains Sarah Bakewell, the author of At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails. She recommends books to learn more about existentialism.
Interviews where books by Sarah Bakewell were recommended
-
1
Socrates in Love: The Making of a Philosopher
by Armand D'Angour -
2
How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer
by Sarah Bakewell -
3
The Complete Philosophy Files
by Stephen Law -
4
The Prince
by Niccolo Machiavelli -
5
The Path: A New Way to Think About Everything
by Christine Gross-Loh & Michael Puett
Philosophy Books to Take On Holiday, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Philosophy Books to Take On Holiday, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Sea, sun and Socrates: what more could you want for the perfect holiday? Our philosophy editor Nigel Warburton, whose own book has had considerable success as a beach read, unveils his philosophy book holiday reading list.
The best books on Midlife Crisis, recommended by Kieran Setiya
It’s an observable phenomenon that the gap in life satisfaction between the very young and the very old with those in their 40s is equivalent to that associated with getting a divorce. Kieran Setiya, the MIT philosopher and author of Midlife: A Philosophical Guide, chooses the best books to counsel you through this difficult period.
-
1
At The Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails
by Sarah Bakewell -
2
Ethics in the Real World: 90 Brief Essays on Things That Matter
by Peter Singer -
3
The Dream of Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Philosophy
by Anthony Gottlieb -
4
Anger and Forgiveness: Resentment, Generosity, and Justice
by Martha Nussbaum -
5
The Path: A New Way to Think About Everything
by Christine Gross-Loh & Michael Puett
Best Philosophy Books of 2016, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Best Philosophy Books of 2016, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Philosophy raises fundamental questions about the world around us and how we should live our lives. Fortunately, a range of popular books now available mean you too can grapple with some of these issues. Philosopher and author Nigel Warburton picks his favourite philosophy books of 2016.
-
1
Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope
by Sarah Bakewell -
2
The Dangerous Life and Ideas of Diogenes the Cynic
by Jean-Manuel Roubineau, Malcolm DeBevoise & Phillip Mitsis -
3
Parfit: A Philosopher and His Mission to Save Morality
by David Edmonds -
4
The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality
by Andy Clark -
5
For F*ck's Sake: Why Swearing is Shocking, Rude, and Fun
by Rebecca Roache
The Best Philosophy Books of 2023, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2023, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The genre of philosophical biography is flourishing, as we pay attention not only to what philosophers said and wrote but also to how they lived and the intellectual context in which they developed their ideas. Nigel Warburton, our philosophy editor, picks out some of the best philosophy books of the year, from the man who lived in a storage jar in 5th century Athens to the latest contributions of cognitive science to our understanding of how we experience the world. Read more philosophy book recommendations on Five Books
-
1
A Stranger in Your Own City: Travels in the Middle East's Long War
by Ghaith Abdul-Ahad -
2
Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope
by Sarah Bakewell -
3
Travels with Tocqueville Beyond America
by Jeremy Jennings -
4
The Earth Transformed: An Untold History
by Peter Frankopan -
5
The Wife of Bath: A Biography
by Marion Turner
Notable Nonfiction of Early 2023, recommended by Sophie Roell
Notable Nonfiction of Early 2023, recommended by Sophie Roell
As 2023 gets underway, Five Books editor Sophie Roell looks at some of the interesting nonfiction books coming out in the early months of the year (January-March).
