Princeton University Publishing

Think Least of Death – Spinoza on how to live and how to die

Essentially, Spinoza did not waste any mind on the mundane or belief systems – be it religious or otherwise – that humanity relies on to make sense of the mess we are in. What Spinoza had a different outlook, which culminates in the notion that nature in itself is perfect and humans should apply themselves to follow suit to reach their full potential.

Steven Nadler, the philosopher who penned the book, examines Spinoza closer to arrive at the conclusion that individual strife for perfection ultimately serves the betterment of humanity at large, which results in a responsibility and makes Spinoza both a psychological ego- and altruist.

What I like about Nadler’s elaborations is that his intricate knowledge of Spinoza and his oeuvre enables him to explain his core tenets in layman’s terms and thereby makes them accessible in a way that helps to relate them to one’s personal circumstances.

Needless to say, given the nature of Spinoza’s complex constructs, the book still demands attention and interest to really decipher the nuances, which is gratifying as oxymorons start to make sense and point towards ways to lead a more ethical life.

The Marquis de Sade and the Avant-Garde

If your interest for Marquis de Sade goes a tad further than the lyrics of Kickback, this is the book for you as it goes beyond the vile pornography and madness de Sade has become known for.

In a scholarly engaging manner, Alyce Mahon takes a step back and discusses de Sade in the context of sexual freedom, power and resulting conflicts, which unveils deeper layers of the human experience.

Being an expert on the subject of sexuality, Mahon not only examines de Sade’s life and his relationship to women but his significance at large, the rebellions he spurned with his ideas and sheds light on the intellectuals who championed him.

What would be interesting for the uninitiated is the fact that de Sade advocated equality and perceived women to be in positions to be harbingers of change. Needless to say, his ideas did not find a wide audience during his lifetime as his controversial emissions were forbidden and censored up until almost the midst of the twentieth century.

Mahon meticulous research arrives at the conclusion that essentially fulfilling desire drives us to find peace and if you are remotely interested in such endeavours, this compelling tome dedicated to the political and aesthetic Sadean power is bound to inspire you.

Bosch and Bruegel: From Enemy Painting to Everyday Life 

Easily two of my all-time favourite artists that have influenced my from an early age are Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel. Needless to say, I was excited to get my hands on skilled wordsmith’s Joseph Leo Koerner book on the two, to experience his wordplays to describe the commonalities and his findings pertaining to selected works by each artist.

With each chapter being dedicated to a single masterpiece, a microscopic view is taken which is specifically interesting when Koerner zeroes in on parallels when he compares and contrasts each artists’ emissions.

Apart from being an opulently illustrated feast for the eyes, Koerner’s research results in an account that not only helps to contextualise the artworks but juxtaposes them, thereby eliciting further findings about their musings on the devil’s enmity with god, the differentiation between medieval times and the renaissance as well as the original sin.

Packaged in an engaging narrative and infused with Koerner’s idiosyncratic points of view and his enthusiastic observations, the tome is a welcome and captivating addition to my library.