Russell Shorto

The best-selling author of The Island at the Center of the World chronicles the more than three-hundred-year debate between religion and science as revealed through the long and momentous odyssey of the skeletal remains of French philosopher René Descartes, creator of the famous phrase "I think, therefore I am." 75,000 first printing.

A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason

Descartes' Bones

Jeni Enjaian

This was one of those audiobooks I snapped up on my "get all the nonfiction audiobooks possible from the library" spree a few months back. From the brief description on the jacket I was intrigued but knew nothing more than that. 

I wish I had passed it up. It's not that it is a bad book; I simply learned nothing from it. It's not actually a good book either. 

First, the narrator was fairly decent though a bit boring. 

I knew from the start that I would be frustrated by this book. The word "skeletal" is on the (sub)title. In this case, the author certainly provided a skeletal history that also lacks the crucial connecting bits. 

(As an aside, after my experience with a History of Philosophy class I should have known better than to read a book involving Medieval philosophical proofs and discussions. So boring!)

My list of issues with the book is fairly long but I'll book it down to the essentials. 

First, for a book purportedly about the father of reason, the author uses a tremendous amount of religious language.

Second (and most importantly) the two "halves of the book (philosophical discussion and "history" Descartes' remains) never really come together even when the author makes a Hail Mary attempt in the final chapter to connect them.

Ultimately, the author fails to prove his point. This is a disappointing book because the author wastes such rich material.

I don't recommend it.

Descartes' Bones A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason

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