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smonxk's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mveldeivendran1'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.
sarahbc93_'s review against another edition
5.0
A funny collection of anecdotes and quotes from some of Ancient Greece’s Cynics.
Including quotes from Diogenes as well as moments of his life, this a a humorous look at an interesting way of thinking in Ancient Greece. What makes some of these anecdotes all the more interesting, is that many of them would not be out of place in a modern conversation!
Including quotes from Diogenes as well as moments of his life, this a a humorous look at an interesting way of thinking in Ancient Greece. What makes some of these anecdotes all the more interesting, is that many of them would not be out of place in a modern conversation!
mark_von_oink's review
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
fast-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
4.0
feistyflamingo's review
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bookworm79's review
funny
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
mariekev's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nlusson'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
2.5