As a teenager, Lucy McBride, is woken by the sound of classical music, and from that moment she devotes herself to the study of the cello. Her fascination later leads her to Venice, and to Fortuny, the master cellist. They begin an intense, ill-fated affair, but as emotions and desires tangle with hopes and dreams, they must struggle to decide how their symphony must end.
Bertrand Russell's A History of Western Philosophy serves as the perfect introduction to its subject; it remains unchallenged as the greatest account of the history of Western thought. Charting philosophy's course from the pre-Socratics up to the early twentieth century, Russell relates each philosopher and school to their respective historical and cultural contexts, providing erudite commentary throughout his...