I was about 13 when an uncle gave me a copy of Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World. It was full of ideas that were new to me, so I spent the summer with my head in and out of that book. It spoke to me and brought me into a world of philosophy.

That love for philosophy lasted until I got to college. Nothing kills the love for philosophy faster than people who think they understand Foucault, Baudrillard, or Confucius better than you - and then try to explain them.

Eric weiner's The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers reawakened my love for philosophy . It is not an explanation, but an invitation to think and experience philosophy.

Weiner stara each chapter with a scene on a train ride between cities and then frames each philosopher's work in the contextof one thing they can help us do better. The end result is a read in which we learn to wonder like Socrates, see like Thoreau, listen like Schopenhauer, and have no regrets like Nietzsche. This, more than a book about understanding philosophy ,is a book about learning to use philosophy to improve a life.

He makes philosophical thought an appealing exercise that improves the quality of our experiences,and he does so with plenty of humor. Weiner enters into conversation with some of the most importantphilosophers in history,and he becomes part of that crowd in the process by decodingtheir messages and adding his own interpretation.

The Socrates Express is a fun, sharp book that draws readers in with its apparent simplicity and gradually pulls them in deeper thoughts on desire, loneliness, and aging. The invitation is clear: Weiner wants you to pick up a coffee or tea and sit down with this book. I encourage you to take his offer. It's worth your time, even if time is something we don't have a lot of.

Questions:
question_stem: Who opened the door to philosophy for the author?
choices: tag: A
text: Foucault.

tag: B
text: Eric Weiner.

tag: C
text: Jostein Gaarder.

tag: D
text: A college teacher.
answer_key: C

question_stem: Why does the author list great philosophers in paragraph 4?
choices: tag: A
text: To compare Weiner with them.

tag: B
text: To give examples of great works.

tag: C
text: To praise their writing skills.

tag: D
text: To help readers understand Weiners book.
answer_key: D

question_stem: What does the author like about The Socrates Express?
choices: tag: A
text: Its views on history are well-presented.

tag: B
text: Its ideas can be applied to daily life.

tag: C
text: It includes comments from readers.

tag: D
text: It leaves an open ending.
answer_key: B

question_stem: What does the author think of Weiners book?
choices: tag: A
text: Objective and plain.

tag: B
text: Daring and ambitious.

tag: C
text: Serious and hard to follow.

tag: D
text: Humorous and straightforward.
answer_key: D