Key Ideas in Human Thought

This A-to-Z guide to intellectual history, boasting more than 4000 entries by 40 academic experts, is at once a handy reference, a marvelous companion for home and bedside, and a conversation-starter. Covering philosophy, religion, art, music, literature, mathematics, linguistics, computer science, economics, anthropology, psychology and many other fields, the entries vary greatly in depth, ranging from one- or two-paragraph capsules to thoughtful, provocative mini-essays that stimulate readers to make fresh connections and broaden their perspectives. One of the book's assets is that it lets readers quickly pinpoint a host of phenomena, terms and such concepts as the Chicago School of social thought, ecofeminism and The Method (the popular system of training actors originated by Russian director Konstantin Stanislavsky). A valuable resource. Newbridge Book Club selection. (Oct.)