In late twelfth-century England, a thirteen-year-old boy named Arthur recounts how Merlin gave him a magical seeing stone which showed him images of the legendary King Arthur, the events of whose life seem to have many parallels to his own.
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...