Spinoza: A Life

as he was described by a German romantic a century later. An advocate of freethinking whilst loving one's neighbour as oneself, a dislike for organised religion coupled with a respect for civil authority and social cohesion, and the forerunner of liberalism and democracy. This book has great insights into his life and his thinking and deserves to be widely read.

This is a properly academic treatment of the life of Spinoza and all the better for it. The level of research is impressive, especially given the paucity of material on Spinoza's early life. That being said, I could have done without the long back-story of the development of Jewish life in Amsterdam. At times, the level of detail on this topic made me feel as though I was reading another book, one on wider cultural history. It probably needed one final edit, as well, to pick up occasional repetition and some infelicities in the writing. Those minor points aside, this is a book with many strengths. The author's interweaving of the details of Spinoza's life and views with the intellectual life of the Dutch Republic and wider Europe is rich and seamless. The coverage of his friendships, social networks and writing gives us a rounded picture to compliment a reading of Spinoza's works. This is an immensely valuable book for those interested in Spinoza's life and character. It is substantial, balanced and erudite.

A very fine biography still. But if you have the first edition you want to check to see if the changes are substantial enough to warrant replacement.