lexiesophocli's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
some useful insights into the cynic mind.. fun stories along the way
*there were a few spelling errors and in accurate language substitutes (eg. ‘lugged around’ instead of ‘carried’ or another ancient-greek translation’)
*there were a few spelling errors and in accurate language substitutes (eg. ‘lugged around’ instead of ‘carried’ or another ancient-greek translation’)
krissy_'s review
2.0
It was interesting and provided a lot of food for thought. It left me wanting to learn more about philosophy (as I am a massive beginner). Because of this I do recommend it for someone who doesn’t know much about philosophy and wants to see if maybe they may like it. The only thing I don’t like from it is that some of the sections are hard to find the direct source (or at least for me). So when I wanted to read more of the sections and get more of the context, I was unable to. Although they did provide the philosophers name so I can begin with searching them up. But that is just one thing I thought I should mention, in case you wanted to do further research like myself.
urlphantomhive's review
3.0
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
2.5 Stars
Only three more Little Black Classics to go.
Anecdotes of the Cynics contains just what it promised on the cover, but for me it was a little an odd collection. There is one longer piece, which was best, complemented with a lot of very short anecdotes from different authors who try to showcase the cynic way of life. This might be good for a first introduction, but ultimately I was missing something here.
~Little Black Classics #124~
2.5 Stars
Only three more Little Black Classics to go.
Anecdotes of the Cynics contains just what it promised on the cover, but for me it was a little an odd collection. There is one longer piece, which was best, complemented with a lot of very short anecdotes from different authors who try to showcase the cynic way of life. This might be good for a first introduction, but ultimately I was missing something here.
~Little Black Classics #124~
j_hx's review
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
plnodwyer's review
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
tehuti's review against another edition
3.0
A succinct set of Anecdotes pertaining to the Cynic philosophers of Ancient Greece, as relevant today as they were back then. The Cynics were a wildly countercultural, extreme, colourful (if a little smelly), rambunctious group of Philosophers. They held that the only way to true happiness and self fulfillment, was to gained by radically accepting nature (the way things are) and to work towards virtue. Now I know that doesn't sound very extreme, in doing so, they essentially rejected all material gains, fame, status, bodily desires and even possessions they saw as superfluous (there is a story included in the text regarding the noteworthy philosopher Diogenes, who upon watching a man drink with his hands - angrily threw away his water bottle
mveldeivendran's review
4.0
In today's world cynical person could be described as full of pessimistic motives and has understanding of world as merely misanthropic.
I had doubts that whether the ancient philosophers associated with the similar name had anything to do with it. Those ancient philosophers, too, believed in the worst of human nature and impulses and so they wouldn't and couldn't believe in anything other than emulating the cycle of survival least disturbing the natural order. They who do not find comfort in any kind of social constructs. They believed its natural for women to mate with men, and the resulting children would the children of that particular mass. They disowned properties, luxury, grooming.
There are lots of interesting bits of mentions by other philosophers, kings, historians and some fabricated stories to grasp the essence of the values they stood for or, perhaps, the values they thrown into the sea.
As for the book, it includes discontinuous brief anecdotes of only five cynics such as Lucian (125-180 CE), Diogenes(410-323 BCE), Crates (365-285 BCE) and Hipparchia(350-300 BCE), and Bion (325-250 BCE).
Personally, I felt that understanding and relating with the contends of this book better, one may require knowing on similar philosophies like Epicureanism, Platonism and Stoicism on the top layer level.
This very brief book would help one find whether (s)he feels relevant with the philosophy. If yes, there's a better coherent work compiled as 'The Cynic Philosophers' by Penguin Classics.
The book insufficiently helped me understand that 'Cynicism with capital C' somehow evolved or devolved in the medieval, modern times to 'cynical' characteristics. Probably the bigger book would help understand the philosophy's evolution better.
I had doubts that whether the ancient philosophers associated with the similar name had anything to do with it. Those ancient philosophers, too, believed in the worst of human nature and impulses and so they wouldn't and couldn't believe in anything other than emulating the cycle of survival least disturbing the natural order. They who do not find comfort in any kind of social constructs. They believed its natural for women to mate with men, and the resulting children would the children of that particular mass. They disowned properties, luxury, grooming.
There are lots of interesting bits of mentions by other philosophers, kings, historians and some fabricated stories to grasp the essence of the values they stood for or, perhaps, the values they thrown into the sea.
As for the book, it includes discontinuous brief anecdotes of only five cynics such as Lucian (125-180 CE), Diogenes(410-323 BCE), Crates (365-285 BCE) and Hipparchia(350-300 BCE), and Bion (325-250 BCE).
Personally, I felt that understanding and relating with the contends of this book better, one may require knowing on similar philosophies like Epicureanism, Platonism and Stoicism on the top layer level.
This very brief book would help one find whether (s)he feels relevant with the philosophy. If yes, there's a better coherent work compiled as 'The Cynic Philosophers' by Penguin Classics.
The book insufficiently helped me understand that 'Cynicism with capital C' somehow evolved or devolved in the medieval, modern times to 'cynical' characteristics. Probably the bigger book would help understand the philosophy's evolution better.
tamzinlittle's review against another edition
3.0
Iconic ancients strike again. Will I ever read anything about the ancients that is not entertaining (except the Iliad