The Dream Weaver: One Boy's Journey Through the Landscape of Reality

This is a terrific introduction to philosophy. Plato found the origins of philosophy in the experience of wonder. Bowen does a great job conveying all that is wonderful about philosophy in a way that is welcoming rather than elitist. The strength of the book lies in the thoughtfully crafted storyline and characters. The narrative structure allows the reader to explore a number of ideas which if presented on their own, without any guidance, would be too challenging for new philosophers. While the content of the book is sophisticated enough for anyone with an appreciation for ideas, the artful presentation of The Dream Weaver makes it an especially good choice for a bright young adult. This is what they'll want to read when they realize that Harry Potter's magic doesn't really work. A good follow up is Lavine's book From Socrates to Sartre or Spiro's The Creed Room.

A friend recommended this book to me and I think it is a great introduction to philosophy. The author does a great job of setting forth in simple terms the fundamental arguments for and against dozens of theories in philosophy. Although written as a novel, I think it might be better used as a fountainhead for generating small group discussion. It really offers a very accessible and inviting way to identify meaty discussion points that apply to people of all ages. Highly recommended for parents or teachers who want a roadmap for engaging their kids or students in rich discussions about many issues facing society today, from cheating to religion to the meaning of life.

Throughout my reading of "The Dream Weaver" I was struck by how delicately Mr. Bowen walked the line of objectivity. Through the various characters the reader is exposed to different perspectives; is made to think for him or herself. My approach to the book was one of interest in how the information would be presented, without expecting "answers" or some 200+ page treatise on the intricacies of philosophy. The "dream device" was unique in terms of its result, and I was pleasantly surprised that the story itself was not predictable. The text is filled with numerous quotations in the margins and I found those to be supportive and relevant. I did have to save many for re-reading later, in order to avoid "breaking up" the flow of the story. The most important function of this book is as a tool for initiating explorations for those new to philosophy. This is especially true of readers who are at the high school level (or philosophy beginners) who would be able to use this as a spring board for discussion. Each reader is able to read this book and make his or her own decisions. Each reader can come away with different perspectives and a foundation from which to delve deeper into what they personally believe. It is, to me, the most important message of this book: that philosophy extends in all things and that we are often trapped by our own mental, physical, and lingual limitations when considering the world around us. "The Dream Weaver" encourages us to think beyond the obvious or readily accepted, to see a new perspective. It suggests a mental "walking in another man's shoes", so to speak. For any reader who has been taught to follow instructions implicitly , to believe dogmatically, to understand life through a very limited scope, this book will open up some new perspectives and some new ideas. For others, it provides many vantage points for viewing the "landscape of reality."

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who hasn't taken philosophy, but is the least bit curious about that world. This book is an easily digestible look at LOTS of topics and LOTS of famous philosophers. While a lot of these types of books are a pedestal for the author to preach their views, this one seems to be completely neutral...the author does a great job of arguing multiple sides, exposing you to the issue and showing all points of view, but letting you make your own conclusion. Very interesting, very informative, and very broadening...highly recommend.

This is one of those books which makes you sit back in your chair and forces you to think about what you just read. While other books achieve this effect on the reader 3 or 4 times in the book, Jack Bowen's book does that every chapter, sometimes every page. With every new encounter Ian faces, there is something meaningful to be found, that often is directly relevant to life today. Interestingly enough, one of the resounding messages of the book is that we, as humans, actually don't know anything. This is a pretty depressing thing to find out. All those years at school for nothing! But everything is explained in a way that is clear, concise, and understandable for just about anyone. This book is not written for a specific audience, but it is accessible for anyone. And you don't have to have any knowledge of philosophy to understand at least most of it. This book is neither a textbook, nor a novel. It is a curious combination of the two, as the story is intertwined with quotes from famous philosophers and extracts from literature/movies. I highly recommend it.