The Pocket Aquinas

I can't really comment on The Pocket Aquinas' usefulness as an introduction to Thomistic philosophy and theology. I was already well-steeped in Thomistic thought before I discovered it. However, of all the books I own, this is the one I have inevitably gone to first (not exclusively, but first) when attempting to puzzle out some fine point of St. Thomas' thought. It's not that what's here is not also available elsewhere, because for the most part it is. It's that the book's editor has a keen grasp of what is essential for understanding the Thomistic and, through St. Thomas, Aristotelian principles upon which Aquinas' thought is grounded. There are no superfluous texts here. Every one of them has something important to offer. It's regrettable that even more could not have been included, of course, but there is a limit to the size of most men's pockets. This book will not "teach you Aquinas," but then again, neither will either of the Summas. Grasping St. Thomas' meaning requires long, dedicated effort that encompasses all of his writings. What this volume will do is provide you with a quick way to get at the nut of important points that otherwise might require you to spend considerable time flipping through the pages of his larger tomes. I give The Pocket Aquinas a very well-deserved five stars.

"The Pocket Aquinas" is a good introduction to the world of Thomistic thought and writing. The book is divided into eight, topically organized sections highlighting the main themes of St. Thomas' work. Within each section there are collections of his work dealing with questions pertinent to the section's subject. Each section concludes with a list of suggested readings.Overall I feel that the reading of this book I was introduced to a condensed version of Aquinas' thought. What is missing is the "feel" of Aquinas' work which one can only get from a reading of a large, unabridged section of a tome. Although I generally have little interest in abridgments, I feel that I have learned a bit of St. Thomas' wisdom. For this "The Pocket Aquinas" is a worthwhile read.