An entertaining and accessible introduction to the radical philosopher
of freedom of thought and religion is the only biography of Spinoza for
young adults.
The second title in the Philosophy for Young People series.
Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for Children's and Young
Adult Literature
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Books
"Clarity, accessibility and spot-on relevance to issues facing modern
society make this a must read." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review
A brilliant schoolboy in 17th-century Amsterdam, Bento Spinoza⏤formally
Baruch and later Benedict de Spinoza⏤quickly learns to keep his ideas to
himself. When he is 23, those ideas prove so scandalous to his own
Jewish community that he is cast out, cursed, and effectively erased
from their communal life. The scandal shows no sign of waning as his
ideas spread throughout Europe. At the center of the storm, he lives the
simplest of lives, quietly devoted to his work as a lens grinder and to
his steadfast search for truth, striving to embody a philosophy of
tolerance and benevolence. Spinoza does not live to see his ideas change
the world.
What caused such an uproar? Spinoza challenged age-old ideas about God,
the Bible, and religion. His God was the sum total of nature, not a
father-figure who created the world and takes care of humankind. His
bible was a book like any other, not a holy text to be interpreted only
by religious authorities. His religion was a commitment to basic moral
behavior, not a collection of superstitions or rituals. For such ideas,
Spinoza was reviled, but he emerged from his experience as one of
history's most articulate voices for freedom of thought, freedom of
expression, and freedom of religion. Those of us who enjoy the
fundamental rights of modern democracies are the beneficiaries of
Spinoza's quiet bravery.
Spinoza: The Outcast Thinker is the second book in the new Philosophy
for Young People series, introducing readers to seminal philosophers
from ancient times up through the present day.
