This page will consist of titles of really useful books, together with comments about what makes them useful.

Eventually, I will classify them according to topic, and probably have to create sub-pages.

If you know of a really useful book, please send me the full reference (author, year, title, city, publisher) along with your comments.

Topic based.

General introductions.

Warburton,  Nigel.   (2004)  Philosophy: The Basics.  Routledge, U.K.

(The best introduction to the subject.   Do not miss this one.  Not absolutely perfect in every way, but aside from me, nothing is.  If your library hasn’t got the 2004 edition, then read an earlier edition

And have a look at his website:

http://www.nigelwarburton.typepad.com )

History based.

General introductions.

Cooper, David E. (2002) World philosophies: an historical introduction.  Blackwell.

(Wonderfully clear introduction to Great Philosophers all over the place.  In spite of Cooper’s best efforts, the emphasis is still on the Western tradition, but still a great place to start.  If your library hasn’t got the 2002 edition, then read an earlier edition)

Melchert, Norman.  (2007)  The Great Conversation: a Historical Introduction to Philosophy. 5th edition.  Oxford: & New York , Oxford University Press.

(I base many of my lectures on this!  Melchert shows in a clear and accessible way how many of the Great Philosophers (from the Pre-Socratics to Derrida and Quine) constructed their arguments, and how they tok the work of other philosophers into account.  In the editions I am familiar with, he doesn’t give much space to Plotinus, Spinoza, Lebniz,  or the great Muslim philosophers.  However, I see from the blurb (I haven’t got a copy of the book) that he has included some Muslim philosophers in the latest edtions, so clearly he’s filling in the gaps.)