I've been reading a lot more lately too. And doing a lot more rereading. Have been trying to put my own library to good use by reading several books in the same subject area. The books were purchased at different times, but now I'm trying to read them back to back, etc.
I highly recommend the following:
At the Existentialist Cafe, by Sarah Bakewell.
[
www.otherpress.com]
Excellent history of the key existentialist philosophers. Camus, Sartre and de Beauvoir, primarily. Accessible. Moves well.
Betraying Spinoza, by Rebecca Goldstein.
[
rebeccagoldstein.com]
Probably my favorite philosopher. Very accessible book. Short. Well-written. Goldstein is also a novelist, and it shows.
The Courtier and the Heretic, by Matthew Stewart. Fascinating history of the nexus between Spinoza and Leibnitz.
[
mwstewart.com]
October, by China Mieville. One of the best histories of the Russian Revolution I've ever read. He's a Sci-Fi novelist, and crafted a very readable book. Shows the twists and turns almost on a daily basis. The nuances, complexities, etc. etc. Blasts through the stereotypes.
[
www.penguinrandomhouse.com]
Also really loved
Literature and the Gods, by Roberto Calasso. The translation from the Italian is amazing. Beautifully written.
[
www.barnesandnoble.com]
