“Tophilosophizeistolearnhowtodie.”—Cicero;assassinatedbyorderofMarkAntony
“Onewhonolongeriscannotsuffer.”—Lucretius;suicide,allegedlydrivenmadbyalovepotion
“Lifeissolitary,poor,nasty,brutish,andshort.”—Hobbes;diedinbed,age91
Inthiscollectionofbrieflives(anddeaths)ofnearlytwohundredoftheworld'sgreatestthinkers,notedphilosopherSimonCritchleycreatesaregisterofmortalitythatistragic,amusing,absurd,andexemplary.Fromtheself-mockinghaikusofZenmastersontheirdeathbedstothelastwordsofChristiansaintsandmodern-daysages,thisirresistiblebookcontainsmuchtoinspirebothamusementandreflection.
InformedbyCritchley'sacuteinsight,scholarlyintelligence,andsprightlywit,eachentrytellsitsowntale,butcollectedtogethertheyadduptoaprofoundandmovinginvestigationofmeaningandthepossibilityofhappinessforusall.