EasterBlack-owned or founded brands at TargetGroceryClothing, Shoes & AccessoriesBabyHomeFurnitureKitchen & DiningOutdoor Living & GardenToysElectronicsVideo GamesMovies, Music & BooksSports & OutdoorsBeautyPersonal CareHealthPetsHousehold EssentialsArts, Crafts & SewingSchool & Office SuppliesParty SuppliesLuggageGift IdeasGift CardsClearanceTarget New ArrivalsTarget Finds#TargetStyleTop DealsTarget Circle DealsWeekly AdShop Order PickupShop Same Day DeliveryRegistryRedCardTarget CircleFind Stores

Descartes' Bones - by Russell Shorto (Paperback)

Descartes' Bones - by  Russell Shorto (Paperback) - 1 of 1
$13.73 sale price when purchased online
$21.00 list price
Target Online store #3991

About this item

Highlights

  • Sixteen years after René Descartes' death in Stockholm in 1650, a pious French ambassador exhumed the remains of the controversial philosopher to transport them back to Paris.
  • About the Author: Russell Shorto is the author of five books and is a contributing writer at the The New York Times Magazine.
  • 336 Pages
  • History, Modern

Description



About the Book



"A fascinating, colorful, and very readable account of early modern ideas and personalities. Shorto has a gift for storytelling. He brings the 17th century to life while doing justice to the philosophy."--Professor Steven Nadler, author of "Rembrandt's Jews."



Book Synopsis



Sixteen years after René Descartes' death in Stockholm in 1650, a pious French ambassador exhumed the remains of the controversial philosopher to transport them back to Paris. Thus began a 350-year saga that saw Descartes' bones traverse a continent, passing between kings, philosophers, poets, and painters.

But as Russell Shorto shows in this deeply engaging book, Descartes' bones also played a role in some of the most momentous episodes in history, which are also part of the philosopher's metaphorical remains: the birth of science, the rise of democracy, and the earliest debates between reason and faith. Descartes' Bones is a flesh-and-blood story about the battle between religion and rationalism that rages to this day.

A New York Times Notable Book



Review Quotes




"Smart, elegantly written. . . . A feat of intellectual story-telling." --The New York Times Book Review"A kind of intellectual adventure story.... Fanciful and beguiling.... Shorto writes with wit, verve and style. On every page, he offers up some new bafflement, curiosity or delight." --Los Angeles Times"Shorto's insights are keen.... He delves into the oddest and most unappetizing aspects of Descartes' story along with the inspiringly lofty ones."--The New York Times"Shorto is a skilled raconteur. He distills centuries of scientific and religious debate while keeping his story brisk and engaging."--San Francisco Chronicle"Shorto is a skilled raconteur. He distills centuries of scientific and religious debate while keeping his story brisk and engaging." --San Francisco Chronicle"Beautifully written. . . . The reader will find [Shorto's] intellectual insights entertaining, enlightening, and, perhaps, disturbing." --Lisa Jardine, Nature"With the fascinating Descartes' Bones, Russell Shorto has produced another compelling intellectual detective story, one that illuminates the present as much as the dusty past."--Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Nine"This is a beguiling book about the architecture of the way we live now. As Russell Shorto points out, Descartes is claimed by both the ferociously secular and the ferociously religious, but the truth is more complicated. The sooner we recognize that the world is too wild to be reduced to glib categorization, Shorto writes, the sooner we may be able to find ways to talk to, rather than yell at, one another."--Jon Meacham, author of Franklin and Winston and American Gospel"A fascinating, colorful, and very readable account of early modern ideas and personalities. Shorto has a gift for storytelling. He brings the seventeenth century to life while doing justice to the philosophy."--Professor Steven Nadler, author of Rembrandt's Jews and Spinoza: A Life



About the Author



Russell Shorto is the author of five books and is a contributing writer at the The New York Times Magazine. His books have been published in fourteen languages and have won numerous awards. From 2008 to 2013, he was the director of the John Adams Institute in Amsterdam.
Dimensions (Overall): 7.98 Inches (H) x 5.28 Inches (W) x .69 Inches (D)
Weight: .7 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 336
Genre: History
Sub-Genre: Modern
Publisher: Vintage
Theme: 17th Century
Format: Paperback
Author: Russell Shorto
Language: English
Street Date: August 25, 2009
TCIN: 91286584
UPC: 9780307275660
Item Number (DPCI): 247-10-9517
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details above aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.69 inches length x 5.28 inches width x 7.98 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.7 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO

Return details

This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, shipped, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or made ready for pickup.
See the return policy for complete information.

Related Categories

Get top deals, latest trends, and more.

Privacy policy

Footer

About Us

About TargetCareersNews & BlogTarget BrandsBullseye ShopSustainability & GovernancePress CenterAdvertise with UsInvestorsAffiliates & PartnersSuppliersTargetPlus

Help

Target HelpReturnsTrack OrdersRecallsContact UsFeedbackAccessibilitySecurity & FraudTeam Member Services

Stores

Find a StoreClinicPharmacyOpticalMore In-Store Services

Services

Target Circle™Target Circle™ CardTarget Circle 360™Target AppRegistrySame Day DeliveryOrder PickupDrive UpFree 2-Day ShippingShipping & DeliveryMore Services
PinterestFacebookInstagramXYoutubeTiktokTermsCA Supply ChainPrivacyCA Privacy RightsYour Privacy ChoicesInterest Based AdsHealth Privacy Policy