Collected Essays on Philosophers

Reviews / Votes

'"Like many others," writes John Shand in a warmly personal introduction, "I was partly inspired to study philosophy at university by having read [Colin Wilson's] books, in particular The Outsider - not that when one turned up at university the manner in which philosophy was done was anything like that found in the book." This collection of Wilson's essays on 17 philosophers ranging from Russell and Husserl to Sartre and Spinoza attests to the plain speaking and persuasive arguments of "England's only home-grown existential philosopher" and a scholar who was, concludes Shand, "in some manner a great man".'Times Higher Education, 5.5.2016'Wilson's philosophical work certainly deserves much more serious attention and reflection. This Collected Essays on Philosophers is an excellent way of entering Colin Wilson's new existentialist world, for, above everything else, it intersperses his own considered thoughts with his measured estimations of philosophers who have already been afforded such recognition.'Dr Vaughan RapatahanaPhilosophy Now, April/May 2017'The volume is surprisingly coherent for an anthology drawing on occasional material from across four decades. The many references to Husserl contribute to this coherency. I, for one, hope that Stanley continues to make public unpublished or hard-to-find items by Wilson whose stance, at ninety degrees to everything, makes him ever a refreshing commentator on issues of importance. The introduction by John Shand rounds off an eminently readable volume.'Dr Thomas F. BertonneauVisiting Professor, SUNY-OswegoThe University Bookman, 12.6.2016'Colin Stanley has done a very good job in editing the book; John Shand ... contributes an excellent introduction that is informative about Wilson and his work. It is a lively collection of essays; a joy to read, with gems of insight. It is partly period piece, but mostly a 'voice off' that gives us a way of enriching our view about what we think we understand.'Derek MatraversThe Open UniversityBritish Journal of the History of Philosophy, 24: 4 (2016)'The idea of a new existentialism based on Wilson's insights into the 'intentionality' of consciousness informs this important, needed, and very readable collection of Wilson's writings on different philosophers. Some of the material has appeared in other collections, but many of these are now out of print and difficult to acquire. This handsome hardcover, edited by Wilson's bibliographer Colin Stanley and with an Introduction by the philosopher John Shand, brings together some of Wilson's most important strictly philosophical work with some lighter, journalistic pieces. This makes for a very wide range, spanning 'Spinoza the Outsider', and 'Derrida and Deconstruction', with much else in between.'Gary LachmanNew Dawn 157 (2016)'Colin ... does open up important new dimensions of human freedom and makes some very significant criticisms of the limitations of existentialist thought.'David LorimerNetwork Review: Journal of the Scientific and Medical Network, 121 (2016/2)