NONFICTION

American Philosophy: A Love Story

by John Kaag
Farrar. Oct. 2016. 272p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780374154486. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780374713119. PHIL
COPY ISBN
Kaag (philosophy, Univ. of Mass., Lowell; Thinking Through the Imagination) has written a book that is part memoir and part historical analysis of early American philosophy. The work is organized into three sections: Hell, Purgatory, and Redemption. These headings reflect the mood of Kaag's life during the time that he discovered the library of the American philosopher William Ernest Hocking (1873–1966). Through telling the story of his discovering the library and then cataloging its contents, Kaag examines the ideas of Hocking along with the Transcendentalists, and philosophers William James, Charles Peirce, Josiah Royce, and others. He interweaves these sections with episodes from his life to explain the themes of self-reliance and personal experience that appear in many of the works of American philosophers.
VERDICT This title offers a unique combination of memoir and the history of American philosophy that is a joy to read. Kaag ably presents both subjects in a way that keeps readers engaged as he shows the value of developing a personal philosophy that can help individuals find meaning, or at least some guidance, in their lives.
Reviewed by Scott Duimstra, Capital Area Dist. Lib., Lansing, MI , Sep 15, 2016
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