Book Review

The Life and Times of Aristotle by Jim Whiting
(Biography From Ancient Civilizations: Legends, Folklore And Stories Of Ancient Worlds; 2007, Mitchell Lane Publishers, Hockessin, Delaware.)

While our bookstores and school library shelves are filled with biographies on sports heroes and politically correct figures for young readers, there are few books on Western Civilization’s greatest lives. For every twenty books on Kobe Bryant you might possibly find one on, for instance, on Julius Caesar.

The small, but extremely concise, hardbound book The Life And Times of Aristotle changes that ratio slightly. It would be a perfect gift for a grandchild, especially in today’s world.

Published in 2007 as part of a series of biographies on famous lives, The Life And Times of Aristotle does a remarkable job of conveying the times and main philosophic and scientific points of, arguably, the greatest thinker who ever lived.

In fact, author Jim Whiting (himself a prolific and versatile photojournalist) begins his book posing the very idea that Aristotle is the smartest man who ever lived. The rest of the book goes on to demonstrate why that claim is very possibly true.

Written for young people between the ages of 9 and 12, Whiting skillfully blends biographical and historical accounts of Aristotle’s life and world with the philosopher’s own theories. Whiting also shows how Aristotle’s influence still extends into our world today in examples that never pander and are quite helpful for this young of an audience. His side section, “Aristotle and the Movies”, for example, quotes Seabiscuit director and producer Gary Ross as saying that Aristotle’s Poetics “is the best book on screenwriting.”

Another side section (which Whiting calls “FYInfo”—For Your Information) is called “Aristotle Influences the U.S. Constitution” and demonstrates how Aristotle’s political writings influenced the Founders. One rarely finds such salient integration and observation in college texts let alone a book for children.

The final chapter, “Aristotle’s Awesome Afterlife” goes into great detail about the Greek thinker’s long lasting influence on Western Civilization. Whiting follows this with a timeline of events in Aristotle’s life, a chronology, a glossary of Greek terms, suggestions for further reading and a final “FYI” on what happened to Aristotle’s famous school, The Lyceum.

This impressive book deserves the widest young audience possible. Adults will find it an informative and entertaining refresher, as well. Attractively designed and nicely illustrated, at 48 pages it is the perfect length for today’s student wishing to learn about whom Dante called “the master of those who know”.