Socrates in a Nutshell, is one of those small books which aims to give one a snapshot of some of the great thinkers. Clearly, reading a few extracts from Plato's works is not quite the same as wading through the "Euthyphro". But it is probably better than not having read any of Plato's works. A short biography of Socrates is included and a reasonable contextual introduction. The passages chosen to illustrate Socrates ideas are a bit of a mixed bag. There are the ideas about love and the concept of the perfect forms which underlines Plato's thinking. (I guess we must assume that this is Socrate's thinking also). The sections that are easiest to understand are the latter sections about Justice and death and also the piece about the death of Socrates. I have read most of the books of Plato so this book was really a refresher. And of course, I had forgotten most of what I had read, so it was good to have the refresher. I think the book is great for what it purports to do. But just don't expect to be an expert on Socratic thought after just reading this book. ( )

Is preparation for death the real purpose of life? Can we only enjoy true happiness apart from the body? Socrates, the great teacher of ancient Athens, was a philosopher and a mystic. He wrote nothing down, and our only reliable witness is the work of his disciple, Plato. Condemned to death by his enemies, the account of his final hours is one of the highlights of philosophical literature.