I suppose you can't please everyone, but this anthology provides a good overview of the field. The essays chosen for inclusion are thoughtful and varied. Just take a look through the table of contents and you'll understand its breadth. Its first chapter pays homage to some classical thinkers and their works. Its a respectful gesture that proves the enduring importance of works like The Republic, written in another context and before the style of modern academia came into its own. The next chapters deal with how we define and classify literature. More focused segments on the components of literature itself follow. The collection manages to maintain coherence and focus, so you feel the works were chosen intentionally. Best of all, the texts are condensed to be more focused and straightforward. It's a gift to be able to actually get through a piece in one sitting. The end result is that you can cover a variety of subjects and navigate adjacencies as you please. The goal of philosophy instruction, as I see it, should be to encourage exploration. This book allow that, meanwhile giving students a working knowledge of notable theorists and their works.
It's also a rather significant volume, with a great deal of different texts. I could see it being used as a catch-all reference for beginning and intermediate students of the field. It gives you the foundation you need to advance to more specialized books related to your interest or academic focus. Since it's clearly marketed as an anthology, I am not going to insult the editors by pointing out minutia I would have liked to seen included. Frankly, I am nowhere near the level of expertise necessary to do so. I would prefer a general overview to obscure and narrowly-targeted pieces that were frankly never intended for mass audiences, and woud lose their intricacy if given a fleeting treatment.
The font is readable and definitely aided by the two-column layout. Once again, the presentational approach foregrounds the content and gives it the attention it deserves. The book, because of its readability and core value, has deepened my interest in the field. I see reason for average people - especially those who value the arts in their daily lives - to pick this one up. It's thorough and comprehensive. It begs important questions about fiction, characterization, criticism, and more. Take a look, and think critically about what you read - in this volume, and everywhere else.
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