The Metaphysical Club

By: Louis Menand

Narrated by: Henry Leyva

Hardly a club in the conventional sense, the organization referred to in the title of this superb literary hybrid (part history, part biography, part philosophy) consisted of four members and probably existed for less than nine months. Yet its impact upon American intellectual life remains incalculable. Louis Menand masterfully weaves pivotal late 19th- and early 20th-century events, colorful biographical anecdotes, and abstract ideas into a narrative whole that both enthralls and enlightens.©2001 Louis Menand (P)2001 Highbridge Company

Critic reviews

• Pulitzer Prize winner, History, 2002

"The Metaphysical Club is a compellingly vital account of how the cluster of ideas that came to be called pragmatism was forged from the searing experiences of its progenitors' lives." (Daniel Kevles, Yale University)
"The Metaphysical Club is a brilliant reanimation of American pragmatism." (Richard Poirier)

Entertaining overview

OK, "entertaining" is relative for any history of philosophy, but this book does a decent job of weaving together the lives and ideas of American thinkers at a critical period of American philosophy. The narrative flowed well (most of the time), and shed some light on both the personalities and ideas of these philosophers. I hadn't known much about Oliver Wendell Holme's life, and I found that section particularly interesting.

A good selection if you're looking for an enjoyable overview. Not so good if you're looking for in-depth understanding of these men's ideas (but in that case, you probably wouldn't go to a audio book summary anyway).

Missing information

I really enjoyed many parts of this book. However, I was hoping the author would go a little deeper and provide a richer story. There were so many threads he could have followed but didn't.

Fascinating subject

Would you consider the audio edition of The Metaphysical Club to be better than the print version?

While the performance was quite good, Menand's text is what really makes this book worth listening to.

Very interesting listen

I really liked this book! Menand provides a compelling narrative that connects history, philosophy and notions of culture and society together in a way that I found fascinating. I was particularly interested in his treatment of Wendel Holmes; his ability to weave together biography and history create a picture of the profound effect this dynamic figure had on American culture. My only criticism of this book is the choice of narrator Henry Leyva. He is the worst narrator of any book i have ever listened to. His bizarre inflections make me cringe. I would give the book 6 stars and his narration one star, but if this is a period of time that you are interested in, the book is a must read (or listen?).

One reading mistake

The reader mispronounces Charles Sanders Peirce’s name throughout. It’s kind of a big mistake, actually—surprising.....