Monarch Aristotle the Philosophy

Two things make this book great: its selection and its translation.For a pocket size selection of Aristotle, this book is tops. It has sections from all of his major works, so it is useful for survey classes, or personal study. Of fundamental import is Metaphysics, which is the meta-basis for his thought. Also included are selections from his more popular Ethics and Politics, and lesser known Poetics.What drew me to this book was the translation. Most translations are really crude transliterations. Yes, it is important to be as faithful to the text as humanly possible. But the "ivory tower academeese" sucks the life out of vibrant philosophies.Creed and Wardmen avoid this problem entirely. This text was readable, and therefore enjoyable. It reminds me of the smooth prose of J. B Phillips or Edgar J. Goodspeed. It was like talking to a good friends, rather than a Latinized statue.For a more comprehensive selection, I would recommend "Basic Works of Aristotle" (ISBN: 0375757996), or getting the books individually.I love the cover!