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How to Blurb Hegel
July 25, 2009
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Behold this wonderful endorsement on the old Hackett edition of Hegel's Introduction to the Philosophy of History:

It suggests an amusing party game for philosophers (or academics of all kinds): devise the most subtly derisive quip possible for a given book.

(thanks to Mark Nelson)

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That's nice.

I've seen an even worse one, but can't cite it until both parties are deceased... The blurbist is a friend of the author, and it's painful/funny to watch the blurbist, who clearly despises the book, try to come up with some trace of faint praise.

doctorzamalek on July 25, 2009 4:49 PM

That's got to rank as among the best backhanded compliments I've ever read.

tclark on July 25, 2009 7:43 PM

The best one I heard was, "This book fills a much-needed hole."

Read it again if you don't get it--it took me a minute the first time I heard it.

Lee Braver on July 26, 2009 5:59 PM

Since the professor who assigned this edition in a class I took didn't think much of Hegel, but was teaching a class in which Hegel needed to be included, perhaps the derisive blurb served its purpose in selling the book--- it seems almost tailor-made to speak to a "don't like Hegel, but need to pick the least bad edition" audience.

Mark J. Nelson on July 27, 2009 4:26 PM

Personal favorite: "You'll be very lucky if you can find all the wisdom contained in this slim volume."

Jim Preston on July 27, 2009 11:06 PM
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