Christopher Phillips - Socrates café: A fresh taste of philosophy

In this era of sound bites and talk-show quips, its good to have someone who prefers the true exchange of ideas, whether philosophical or practical. Thats what Chris Phillips achieves in this stimulating book.

Walter Anderson, publisher of Parade magazine

A compact and compelling account of some of those [philosophical] discussions threaded with the authors personal story of venturing into a cultural no-mans land. Socrates Caf is a testament to Phillipss conviction that Americans are hungry to start probing questions the way Socrates did more than two millennia ago in Athens.

The Arizona Republic

I loved reading the lively, morally energetic and introspective exchanges with children and adults from all walks of life. With Christopher Phillips, they teach the rest of us what it means to think about life and its meaning, its purpose Socrates Caf is a wonderful gift to the reader!

Robert Coles, Harvard University

A modern-day Socrates in a turtleneckwhos chosen the world, not just the agora, for his stage. [A] model discourse that elevates working lives and reduces intellectualisms pretensions.

Richmond (Virginia) Times-Dispatch

[Christopher Phillips] has dedicated his life to teaching small groups of people how to use the Socratic method to revolutionize their everyday lives. Wandering about the republic, Phillips reaches out to anyone willing to engage with him in a common quest to lead the examined life.

Joshua Glenn, Utne Reader

How are we to change our lives? Christopher Phillips has given us this dramatic account of how heand now many others along with himare changing their lives through Socratic dialogue. In Socrates Caf , he has shown us how one can take that most difficult step of all, the first step, and for that we owe him our gratitude.

Matthew Lipman, Ph.D., Montclair State University

Is the unexamined life worth living? Posing this question can lead to thoughtful discussions of what we value and, ultimately, of who we are. Such topics, raised by Christopher Phillips and other participants in meetings of Socrates Caf, cultivate a self-aware climate of ongoing inquiry and reflection. A commitment to life-long learning may not answer all our questions, but it does make us more fully alive.

Science of Mind

Christopher Phillips is a fine writer, a fine thinker. In his engaging, accessible book, he leads us on a journey to find ourselves.

James Morgan, author of The Distance to the Moon

[An] amusing, thoughtful, and often touching chronicle of [Phillipss] work leading others to discover the joys of philosophical inquiry. His tales of the discussions he facilitated read like witty, stimulating chats with good friends.

Palo Alto Daily News

I am excited about Christopher Phillipss effort to bring philosophy out of the ivory tower and back into the lives of ordinary people, where it belongs.

Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Phillips plants and nurtures nascent questions and heralds the merits of inquiry. [A]nimated, never-less-than-accessiblePhillips mixes the fresh, unscripted dialogue of his subjects with the texts of Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, and so many others; he weaves his own personal history into the larger history of ideas; and introduces us to the friends he has made throughout his travels. [A] hopeful, energetic book, one that never loses sight of its purpose.

Book (Summit, New Jersey)

For the philosopher at heart, this is an inspiring title indeed, especially because it shows how you can become directly involved, gathering friends or even total strangers together to join your own hearts passion.

The New Times (Seattle, Washington)

An entertaining blend of memoir and philosophical reflection. [Phillips] winningly showcases a tantalizing method for getting philosophy to thrive more widely.

Publishers Weekly

Both this book as well as the web site that it complements provide inspiration guidance for those who want to investigate wisdom beyond the halls of academia or at least read about the efforts others are making in this regard.

Library Journal

A noble, accessible tome to enliven the philosophy shelf.

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