This is a horrible book, i nearly killed my self twice while reading it

Thank you very much for sharing your opinion. We are all impressed.

I have finish today "El mundo de Sofía".. I'm from Venezuela, and I'm 24 years old... I think it's the best book that I have read... I like the way in that Sofia live in the book and outside of it.. It's very special.. I'm so sorry 'cuze I don't know how to say that I think about the Jostein Gaarder and about your book "El mundo de sofía" in english... but... I can say a think more : "Es el mejor libro que jamás se halla escrito y que te haga vivir toda la pasión y angustia de todos sus personajes"..

to the thread starter...

you should have gone on and do what you wished for. this is a great book. i'm sure it is not your fault you cannot comprehend.

Yeah, yer a butt hole, Ye Who Says Sophie's World sucks. Just because your stupid and can't understand Sophie's World doesn't mean you have to go dissing it.

I think that this book is a very beautiful piece.

Thank you, Jostein.

I am.

Well, I confess that I just read the introduction of the website and I'm really sorry that you're father already passed away, the son of Jostein Gaarder.
I hope that your family is okay and that your friends help you to overcome this loss.

Yours

To the thread starter,

I get you. I understand what you mean. (If it is what you mean.) Philosophy is so confusing. It's a great gift to discover but it's a dangerous burden to carry. It dissolves the world as you know it and gives you so much to think about in return.

It happened to me. I got into a deep depression and my philosophy classes had a lot to do with it.

It's not that you hate it because you don't understand it. You understand it well enough and that's why it has affected you.

We just have to remember Kant's balance. I think he's right about our place in the world :)

Hi Carmellie, thats an amazing way to explain philosophy and this book in general. I'm about to teach an introduction to philosophy for secondary school kids, and would like to use that as an early quote for naysayers. Would you mind?

Great site by the way :)

Hermes,

sure, i don't mind. and thank you hehe. tell me how it goes with the kids.

peace,

~carmellie

I love this book. Although the circumstances on which I arrived to discover it were somewhat odd, I have read it, and I can honestly say I truly enjoyed it. My favorite part is in the early pages where Alberto explains to Sophie what true philosophers are and how they try and climb out of the Rabbit's hair. I am sure you all remember what he says but here it is anyway,

"Only philosophers embark on this perilous expedition to the outermost reaches of language and existence. Some of them fall off, but others cling on desperately and yell at the people nestling deep in the snug softness, stuffing themselves with delicious food and drink. 'Ladies and Gentlemen,' they yell, 'we are floating in space!' But none of the people down there care."

This has to be my all time favorite quote from any book. Every time I run into someone who is so caught up in life and it's trivialities, I read them this quote in the hopes that they will realize there is so much more to life than the superficial and materialistic intricacies of life that confuse them to the point they are no longer amazed with life in general.

i've read 'sophie's world. it is an interesting idea.
one think got me very ****** though: he didn't mention any serious ideas of judaism!
he only wrote about the 'roots of christianity'...

he was also wrong when he wrote that it was j.c's idea to refer to G-od as 'Abba' - father.

this term, this way of refering to G-od as our 'father' has been often mentioned in the prophets of the Torah (that's the 'old testament' for u gentiles)

he writes that the idea of 'loving your neighbor' is jesuse's !!! bull crap!

so, while the idea of this book is ok, i am angry that he dissed judaism as an independent thought system.

the tradition of 'serving' & coming close to a loving G-od through our sanctified aftions (mitzvot) as revealed on mount sinai, is to this day a cornerstone of judaism.

he pays attention to jesus, who hasnt accomplished anything besides getting people to argue about his 'divinity'. millions died for this stupid idea. the world would be a much better place without jesus.

after a while, everyone would be believing in one common Cre-ator, without the stupid fight if jesus was god or gods son, mother or next door neighbor... it detracted from the main idea of doing good in the world and focused on hair-splitting, killing 'pagans' and daming everyone...
if u wanna write me about it, u can post on my blog:

www.xanga.com/shlomozalman

How could anyone get depressed after reading this book? It's my comfort blanket and makes me feel better! My problems are so small compared to everything else.

I agree with eco.dancer15 and with thread starter at the same time.
this book is my comfort too. because I see that someone is talking about important things. not like this fake everyday life which ppl never ask what the hell this life is. what for are wars?
but at the same time, getting out of habbit of life and thinking about it again.. yea seeking for answers and never find them is pretty depressing... well atleast in my situation it has made me depressed for years. ( since i was 14 or younger and started to "think".... who said cogito ergo sum? noo. cogito therefore i get depressed)
I adore Jostein Gaarder because he thinks about universe(life)(existance)(truth)(whatever) basic questions and he still has the ability to think geniusely and clearly .. wow..

do you think we will ever find the truth? and now define truth...
to be continued...
!

RT "my problems seem so small compared to everything else": yeahhh, very nice way of thinking about it :)

and someone have jostein gaarder email? thanks