Author:Margaret Gullan-Whur
The seventeenth-century philosopher Spinoza was expelled from the Jewish community of Amsterdam the age of twenty-four for 'horrendous heresies', and was eventually reviled by all religious authorities for claiming that human beings are parts of a single, unified nature, that God is identical with nature, and that reason, not revelation, supplies the truth of any aspect of God. Undeterred, he made this thesis the basis for a rational crusade against superstition and prejudice. Dr Gullan-Whur's biography, the first for twenty-eight years, shows how Spinoza's central philosophical beliefs developed within the context of his own life. Drawing on very recent scholary research and making detailed reference to primary sources, some not previously explored, the author focuses on the philosopher's attempt to act solely through reason in the face of turbulent personal and national circumstances. This new approach demolishes the myth that Spinoza was a lofty ascetic. It exposes his emotional and sexual vulnerabilit arrogance and misogyny, yet shows his living philosophical experiment to be shrply relevant today.
Sumptuous and rigorously scholarly account of the much-loved seventeenth-century philosopher and lens-grinder
—— GuardianAstonishing... Breathtaking... The sad history of heresy-hunting starts here
—— Paul CartledgeFreeman has a talent for narrative history and for encapsulating the more arcane disputes of ancient historians and theologians
—— Mary Beard , IndependentAslan is a superb narrator, bringing each century to life with vivid details and present tense narration that makes popular history so enthralling... A terrific read
—— Glasgow HeraldOutstandingly useful ... always balanced, vivid and readable
—— The IndependentGrippingly narrated and thoughtfully examined . . . a literate, accessible introduction to Islam
—— The New York TimesAslan offers an invaluable introduction to the forces that have shaped Islam [in this] eloquent, erudite paean to Islam in all of its complicated glory
—— Los Angeles Times Book ReviewWise and passionate . . . an incisive, scholarly primer in Muslim history and an engaging personal exploration
—— The New York Times Book ReviewAcutely perceptive . . . For many troubled Muslims, this book will feel like a revelation, an opening up of knowledge too long buried
—— The IndependentThoroughly engaging and excellently written . . . While [Aslan] might claim to be a mere scholar of the Islamic Reformation, he is also one of its most articulate advocates
—— The OregonianA revelation, an opening up of knowledge too long buried, denied and corrupted by generations of men ... Muslim keepers of the latter will rage against Reza Aslan as his careful scholarship and precise language dismantles their false claims and commands ... Aslan is acutely perceptive
—— The IndependentA rather beautiful account of the birth and evolution of Islam ... Lucid and illuminating ... Fascinating
—— MetroAslan is an engaging writer, his strength lies ... as an observer of contemporary challenges facing Islam ... Sensitive and generous
—— FT MagazineEnthralling. A book of tremendous clarity and generosity of spirit
—— Jim Crace
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