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Time of the Magicians

Wittgenstein, Benjamin, Cassirer, Heidegger and the Great Decade of Philosophy
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( 2,212 ratings, 300 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Time of the Magicians by Wolfram Eilenberger delves into the vibrant world of early 20th-century philosophy. It explores the intellectual journeys of four pivotal thinkers—Heidegger, Benjamin, Cassirer, and Wittgenstein—during a period marked by profound upheavals and innovations. The narrative beautifully captures their personal lives, complex philosophies, and the significant impact they had on modern thought.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the way philosophical thought shapes human experience and understanding. It delves into the turbulent lives and groundbreaking ideas of four brilliant philosophers who revolutionised European intellectual life between the World Wars. Perfect for anyone intrigued by how rich philosophical concepts intertwine with historical events and personal narratives.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'Weaves together the biographies and the developing thought of the four philosophers with great bravura and wit' (Sunday Telegraph)

The year is 1919. Walter Benjamin flees his overbearing father to scrape a living as a critic. Ludwig Wittgenstein signs away his inheritance, seeking spiritual clarity. Martin Heidegger renounces his faith and aligns his fortunes with Husserl's phenomenological school. Ernst Cassirer sketches a new schema of human culture on a cramped Berlin tram. The stage is set for a great intellectual drama.

Over the next decade, the lives and thought of this quartet will converge and intertwine as each gains world-historical significance, between them remaking philosophy.

Time of the Magicians brings to life this unparalleled burst of intellectual creativity and with it an entire era, from post-war exuberance to economic crisis and the emergence of National Socialism. It becomes an intellectual adventure story, a captivating journey through the greatest revolution in Western thought told through its four protagonists, each with their own penetrating gaze and answer to the question which has animated philosophy from the very beginning — What are we?

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Reviews of Time of the Magicians praise it as a scholarly and technical achievement, skilfully weaving together the personal and philosophical lives of four philosophers during the Weimar Republic. It is described as highly entertaining and beautifully narrated, offering a gripping look at the intellectual and political climate of the 1920s. The book is noted for making complex ideas accessible while drawing the philosophers vividly into the spotlight.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141988580

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 24 February 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Contributors:

  • Translated by Shaun Whiteside
  • Translated by Shaun Whiteside
  • Translated by Shaun Whiteside

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 340g

Pages: 432

About the Author

Wolfram Eilenberger (Author) Wolfram Eilenberger is a founding editor of Philosophie Magazin and host of the Sternstunde Philosophie television programme. He has taught philosophy at the University of Toronto, Indiana University, the Berlin University of the Arts and ETH Z rich. His most recent book, Time of the Magicians, was a runaway bestseller on publication in Germany, where it won the prestigious Bayerischer Buchpreis, as well as in Spain and Italy, and has been translated into more than thirty languages.

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