--- product_id: 10928101 title: "Existentialism For Beginners" price: "€ 36.51" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.at/products/10928101-existentialism-for-beginners store_origin: AT region: Austria --- # Illustrations that deepen engagement Comprehensive 200-year philosophical journey Simplifies complex existentialist ideas Existentialism For Beginners **Price:** € 36.51 **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > πŸ“– Unlock the philosophy that shapes your world β€” don’t just read it, live it! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Existentialism For Beginners - **How much does it cost?** € 36.51 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.at](https://www.desertcart.at/products/10928101-existentialism-for-beginners) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Accessible Yet Rigorous:** A concise synthesis that distills two centuries of philosophy without the academic overload. - β€’ **Cultural Impact Unveiled:** Understand how existentialism shapes modern politics, art, and psychology. - β€’ **Engaging Visuals Included:** Unique illustrations invite active interpretation and deeper reflection. - β€’ **Master the Minds Behind Existentialism:** Explore seminal thinkers from Kierkegaard to Sartre with clarity and depth. - β€’ **Perfect for the Thoughtful Professional:** Ideal for millennials seeking intellectual edge and cultural literacy. ## Overview Existentialism For Beginners is a well-researched, illustrated introduction to existentialist philosophy, tracing its evolution from the 19th to the 20th century. This used book offers a clear, engaging overview of key thinkers and their influence on contemporary culture, making complex ideas accessible for professionals eager to deepen their understanding of politics, art, and human psychology. ## Description Existentialism For Beginners is an entertaining romp through the history of a philosophical movement that has had a broad and enduring influence on Western culture. From the middle of the Nineteenth Century through the late Twentieth Century, existentialism informed our politics and art, and still exerts its influence today. Tracing the movement's beginnings with close-up views of seminal figures like Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky and Nietzsche, Existentialism For Beginners follows its intellectual and literary trail to German philosophers Jaspers and Heidegger, and finally to the movement's flowering in post-World-War-II France thanks to masterworks by such giants as Jean Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Simone de Beauvoir, plus many others. Illustrations throughout -- at once lighthearted and gritty -- help readers explore and understand a style of thinking that, while pervasive in its influence, is often seen as obscure, difficult, cryptic and dark. Existentialism For Beginners draws the movement's many diverse elements together to provide an accessible introduction for those who seek a better understanding of the topic, and an enjoyable historical review packed with timeless quotes from existentialism's leading lights. Review: A brilliant synthesis of existentialism, concise and comprehensive - I studied existentialism in college as part of a philosophy minor. I also designed and taught an undergraduate course entitled "Topics and Problems on Humanistic/Existential Psychology." You might reasonably conclude that I know something significant about the subject area. So did I until I read David Cogswell's clear, concise and rigorous examination of existentialism, from its precipitating rebellion against the philosophies of Friedrich Hegel to the disarming impact of existentialism on today's arts, politics and culture. Between these two bookends, David Cogswell examines all the great thinkers and writers who have propelled this philosophy, helping his readers understand comparisons and contrasts within such an eclectic group. In this most readable book he accomplishes what my college studies did not: a synthesized, 50,000 ft. overview across two centuries and the work of fifteen great philosophers. What I found to be most remarkable about the author's accomplishment is the extent to which he simplifies an enormous body of writing, teaching his readers fundamentals while not forcing us to wade through nonessential details, digressions and debates (so characteristic of the movement). It takes a keen mind to condense so much information in an accessible and interesting expose, and David Cogswell certainly has accomplished this. The author has done an enormous amount of research to bring life to these philosophers, augmented by interesting historical and biographical details that make them more human--more men and women in the context of the times in which they lived and thought and wrote. Illustrations by collaborator Joe Lee are surprisingly helpful because they invite the reader to think more deeply--a form of "hot medium" that Marshall McLuhan described, requiring active engagement on the part of the receiver to lend interpretation and meaning to the message. My only regret is that the author's book was not available when I was in college so that I could have seen the larger picture and gained deeper appreciation of the whole. The book is well worth reading today for any serious professional focused on contemporary politics, creative arts, sociology, psychology and culture. As you finish the final pages of the book, you will be impressed with how extensively existentialism has pervaded our lives today and how entertainingly this author has taken you on a thought-provoking journey into the most essential questions about human life. Review: Good Overview - I felt like this was a decent primer on the subject. Pointed me toward some philosophers I might not otherwise have considered. Could have used a few more rounds of editing though. Occasional missing words, typos. Confusing the usage of 'too' and 'to' is a hard one to overlook if it happens more than once. ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #987,595 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #23 in Existentialist Philosophy | | Customer Reviews | 4.2 out of 5 stars 80 Reviews | ## Images ![Existentialism For Beginners - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71OPydGRLmL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A brilliant synthesis of existentialism, concise and comprehensive *by B***N on May 10, 2010* I studied existentialism in college as part of a philosophy minor. I also designed and taught an undergraduate course entitled "Topics and Problems on Humanistic/Existential Psychology." You might reasonably conclude that I know something significant about the subject area. So did I until I read David Cogswell's clear, concise and rigorous examination of existentialism, from its precipitating rebellion against the philosophies of Friedrich Hegel to the disarming impact of existentialism on today's arts, politics and culture. Between these two bookends, David Cogswell examines all the great thinkers and writers who have propelled this philosophy, helping his readers understand comparisons and contrasts within such an eclectic group. In this most readable book he accomplishes what my college studies did not: a synthesized, 50,000 ft. overview across two centuries and the work of fifteen great philosophers. What I found to be most remarkable about the author's accomplishment is the extent to which he simplifies an enormous body of writing, teaching his readers fundamentals while not forcing us to wade through nonessential details, digressions and debates (so characteristic of the movement). It takes a keen mind to condense so much information in an accessible and interesting expose, and David Cogswell certainly has accomplished this. The author has done an enormous amount of research to bring life to these philosophers, augmented by interesting historical and biographical details that make them more human--more men and women in the context of the times in which they lived and thought and wrote. Illustrations by collaborator Joe Lee are surprisingly helpful because they invite the reader to think more deeply--a form of "hot medium" that Marshall McLuhan described, requiring active engagement on the part of the receiver to lend interpretation and meaning to the message. My only regret is that the author's book was not available when I was in college so that I could have seen the larger picture and gained deeper appreciation of the whole. The book is well worth reading today for any serious professional focused on contemporary politics, creative arts, sociology, psychology and culture. As you finish the final pages of the book, you will be impressed with how extensively existentialism has pervaded our lives today and how entertainingly this author has taken you on a thought-provoking journey into the most essential questions about human life. ### ⭐⭐⭐ Good Overview *by S***S on October 30, 2023* I felt like this was a decent primer on the subject. Pointed me toward some philosophers I might not otherwise have considered. Could have used a few more rounds of editing though. Occasional missing words, typos. Confusing the usage of 'too' and 'to' is a hard one to overlook if it happens more than once. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good for the basics *by B***N on October 9, 2018* Basic, informative, easy to read, brief --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.at/products/10928101-existentialism-for-beginners](https://www.desertcart.at/products/10928101-existentialism-for-beginners) --- *Product available on Desertcart Austria* *Store origin: AT* *Last updated: 2026-07-06*