The Sartre Dictionary - (Continuum Philosophy Dictionaries) by Gary Cox (Paperback)

About the Book

A concise and accessible dictionary of the key terms used in Sartre's philosophy, his major works and philosophical influences.

Book Synopsis

"[This book] offers lucid and thorough explications of key Sartrean concepts and even phrases, and it contains revealing accounts of the numerous thinkers and writers who influenced Sartre...This book will open doors."-David Pugmire, Department of Philosophy, University of Southampton, UK

The Sartre Dictionary is a comprehensive and accessible guide to the world of Jean- Paul Sartre. Meticulously researched and extensively cross-referenced, this unique book covers all of his major works, ideas and influences and provides a firm grounding in the central themes of Sartre's thought. Students will discover a wealth of useful information, analysis and criticism. More than 350 A-Z entries include clear definitions of all the key terms used in Sartre's writings and detailed synopses of his key works, novels and plays. The Dictionary also includes entries on Sartre's major philosophical influences, from Descartes to Heidegger, and his contemporaries, including de Beauvoir and Merleau-Ponty. It covers everything that is essential to a sound understanding of Sartre's existentialism, offering clear explanations of often complex terminology.

Review Quotes

"Most reference books are read for information not pleasure, their purpose being to impart information in the quickest and clearest way possible. This volume does not fit that genus. Written with an eye on readability and understanding, and with the easy style of a novelist, the author of this A-Z dictionary has woven Sartre's life and works with the threads of personal and world history, ideational analysis, and the published works and important people of his time, people to whom Sartre responded and interacted. With a short introduction, voracious bibliography, and a timeline that permits historical connection, the author places Sartre's books, ideas, and changes in view point in a historical context of people and events that lend intelligibility to the development of his thoughts...This is a volume for every Sartre student or scholar." - Joseph P. Hester, American Reference Books Annual, Vol. 40, 2009

."..a useful and generally reliable guide for contemporary readers of Sartre's philosophy and literature. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level graduates through faculty/researchers; general readers." - J. A. Gauthier, CHOICE, October 2008

"[This book] offers lucid and thorough explications of key Sartrean concepts and even phrases, and it contains revealing accounts of the numerous thinkers and writers who influenced Sartre...This book will open doors." - David Pugmire, Department of Philosophy, University of Southampton, UK

"Combining a translation manual for Sartre's idiosyncratic terminology with summaries of his central works, this book will prove a key reference work for students of his philosophy, his fiction, and his wide range of other writings." - Jonathan Webber, University of Bristol author of "The Existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre"

"For those seeking a clear and consise way into the labyrinthine complexity of Sartre's philosophy, Gary Cox's Sartre Dictionary will come as a welcome addition to the library of Sartre criticism... The philosophical rigour and clarity which characterize much of Cox's writing in The Sartre Dictionary will ensure its lasting value for Sartre scholars and enthusiasts alike." Sam Coombes, MLR, 2009.

Mentioned in Times Higher Education Supplement, 24 January 2008

About the Author

Gary Cox has a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Birmingham, UK, where he is also an Honorary Research Fellow.