Sophie's World presents the history of philosophy in the form of a novel. A young girl learns about life and philosophy. One day a few weeks before her fifteenth birthday Norwegian schoolgirl Sophie Amundsen looks inside her mailbox and finds a mysterious letter addressed to her. Opening it, she discovers a single piece of paper with two questions written on it: Who are you? And where does the world come from? Sophie is surprised and intrigued and begins to ponder these questions, first with frustration at their apparent childishness and then with a growing interest. Soon the first letter is followed by more communication from this mysterious correspondent, this time in the form of a whole chapter from a book on introductory philosophy. Strangest of all, the book seems to be written specifically to her.
Soon Sophie finds herself taking a complete course in philosophy from an anonymous philosopher. Then, Sophie and the philosopher finally meet and he reveals his Secret Purpose to her. Suddenly, Sophie's whole world is turned upside-down and the fun really begins.
The teenage girl, Sophie leans so much from the philosophy that is given about each philosopher from long ago with each of the lessons that she is given from
Sophie's World teaches philosophy and it explains basic philosophical ideas better than any other reading book or textbook that I have ever read. The many philosophical lessons of the different thinkers of their own time were easily understood. The author has a wonderful flair for finding the heart of a concept and putting it on display. For example, he transforms Democritus' atoms into Lego bricks and in a stroke makes the classical conception of the atom easily accessible. He relates all the abstract concepts about the world and what is real with simple everyday things that everyone can relate to which makes this whole philosophy course much easier.
As days pass on, Sophie begins receiving more mail, this time addressed to a girl named Hilde, but really it seems as though it were to be written in Sophie's name. Some of the correspondence comes as postcards, others are short birthday greetings. All are from the unknown Hilde's father, who seems to be all seeing and all knowing and intent on stirring up Sophie and Alberto's lives. As the philosophy lessons come and go Hilde's world and Sophie's World seem to intersect and merge more and more until the Grand and Mysterious Revelation that is at the center of Sophie's "World" finally arrives.
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