Books in the Guides for the Perplexed series

Postcolonialism as a critical approach and pedagogic practice has informed literary and cultural studies since the late 1980s. This book addresses the many concerns, forms and 'specializations' of postcolonialism, including gender and sexuality studies, the nations and nationalism, space and place, and history and politics.

Franz Kafka is one of the most widely taught, and read, writers in world literature. Readers encountering texts like "The Metamorphosis" and "The Trial" for the first time are frequently perplexed by his often intentionally weird writing. This guide helps the reader understand why and how perplexity has been deliberately created by Kafka's texts.

Arthur Schopenhauer is a widely read, admired and intriguing philosopher whose ideas have had a profound impact on some of the greatest minds of the last two centuries. This title presents an account of Schopenhauer's philosophy, his major works and ideas.

Tillich's main contribution to theology was to offer an account of the significance of human agency within the history of God's salvation of the world. This book analyzes, clarifies and connects some of the most central and difficult of Tillich's theological concepts.

Thomas Hobbes is one of the foremost British philosophers. This title covers those areas of philosophy where Hobbes is a key player: metaphysics; epistemology; moral philosophy; political philosophy; the philosophy of religion. It explores Hobbes' philosophical method and offers an account of the historical background to Hobbes' thought.

A clear guide to modern biblical criticism

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), utilitarian philosopher and reformer, is a key figure in our intellectual heritage. This book provides an overview of Jeremy Bentham, the widely read and studied political philosopher. It presents an account of his life and thought, and highlights his relevance to contemporary debates in philosophy, politics and law.

Offers an examination of bioethics that couples Christian and philosophical perspectives. This guide provides introduction to thinkers, writers and subjects that students and readers can find challenging.

A guide to the life and work of Augustine. It takes up the major concerns of Augustine's complex and evolving thought and accords them a form that allows readers to think with Augustine as well as about him.

John Calvin is a major theologian of the Christian Church, but one who is also the subject of widespread misunderstanding and misinterpretation. He is also a figure whom other theologians either seek to 'capture' to endorse their own or whom they seek to vilify. This guide re-situates Calvin.

Offers students an introduction to Tolstoy's literary works from his major novels to the shorter novels and texts, including "Hadji Murat" and "The Death of Ivan Ilyich". This guide also covers major themes including sex, death, authority and evil and offers an overview of Tolstoy's religious and philosophical thought.

A student's guide to the philosophy of George Berkeley, one of the most widely-studied philosophers, whose work and ideas students can find particularly challenging. It covers a range of Berkeley's philosophical work, offering a review of his views on philosophy and common sense and the nature of philosophical perplexity.

Offering an introduction to Beckett, his work and contexts, this guide looks at each of the major genres in turn, analysing key works chronologically. It explains why Beckett's texts can seem so daunting and confusing, and focuses on key questions and issues.

Wolfhart Pannenberg (b 1928) is one of the most influential theologians and philosophers of our time. He studied under Karl Barth and became Professor of Systematic Theology at Mainz and Munich. This book explains Pannenberg's thought, in which theology is not separable from a 'secular' philosophy, along the grain of his development.

The Trinity is a core area of Christian belief. This guide offers an overview of the theological history of the concept of the Trinity. It expounds different conceptual models and the technical language used to express these models. It is suitable for students of Christian Theology.

Jacques Derrida is one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. This guide provides students with an introduction to Derrida, the key concepts and ideas associated with his work and the major subjects he addresses. It also introduces Derrida's ideas, work, reception and his wider philosophical and critical influence.

Intends to answer key questions about Christian ethics. This book adopts a narrative and 'concentric ring' approach, giving the overall picture right from the start, and expanding out from there, giving progressively more detail which can then be fitted into the overall picture, so that the initial picture can be seen clearly.

Introduces one of Christianity's most important and controversial doctrines. What does a doctrine of predestination actually imply? Why has it proved appealing to so many great theologians? Jesse Couenhoven explores the difficult issues connected with the Christian understanding of predestination in this clear, concise and accessible guide.

John Wesley is one of the most enigmatic religious figures in the eighteenth century. This book identifies some of the key factors contributing to perplexity and aids students in their understanding. It presents a variety of challenges for students.

Providing ancient and modern-day examples to illustrate Stoic principles, this book guides readers through the themes and ideas of Stoic thought. It presents Stoicism as an ethically viable way of life through rejecting their notion of ethical perfectionism in favour of a type of ethical progressivism consistent with other Stoic principles.

Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the best known philosophers, whose work and ideas have proved influential to leading figures in all areas of cultural life. This book gives an account of Nietzsche's philosophy, his major works and ideas, providing a guide to the important and complex thought of this key philosopher.

Immanuel Kant's influence is difficult to exaggerate. This text is for anyone finding it difficult to make headway with this key philosopher. It offers an account of each of the three "Critiques" and the relationship between them. It ranges over Kant's epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics and philosophy of religion.

Explores the historical, philosophical and political context in which Aristotle's theories evolved. This book offers an account of the work and thought of this thinker, providing an outline of his central ideas and the ways in which they have influenced the history of western philosophy.

Celebrates the daring, humor and playfulness of James Joyce's complex work while engaging with and elucidating the most demanding aspects of his writing. This book explores in detail the motifs and radical innovations of style and technique that characterize his major works - "Dubliners", "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", and "Ulysses".

A guide to mysticism: one of the most enduring and fascinating aspects of religious life, and one of the most difficult to unpick. It enables readers to understand the nature of mysticism, and to examine in detail the traditional methods used by mystics in seeking an intimate understanding of the spiritual world.

Benedict de Spinoza is a major philosopher of enduring influence and importance. This title offers an account and analysis of Spinoza's key works and overall philosophical project. It covers his "Ethics" and political treatises. It includes an assessment of Spinoza's influence and his relevance for contemporary philosophical debates and concerns.

Paul Ricoeur was one of the giants of contemporary Continental philosophy. He also knew and drew upon the Analytic tradition. This title is a guide for anyone trying to reach a firm understanding of this important contemporary philosopher. It locates Ricoeur's output in its historical and intellectual context.