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ratings: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Genre: Philosophy / Metaphysics / Aesthetics

Book Review:
Schopenhauer's masterpiece is a brilliant, bleak, and utterly fascinating work of philosophy. It's not an easy read, but it's one of the most rewarding. His central idea is that the world we see is just a representation, a surface illusion. The real driving force of everything is the ''Will,'' a blind, endless, and painful striving. He sees life as a cycle of desire and suffering, and he's often called the philosopher of pessimism. But the book is not just depressing. His discussions of art, especially music, as a release from the Will are beautiful and insightful. And his writing is surprisingly clear and engaging, full of vivid metaphors and sharp observations. You can see why he influenced so many great minds, from Nietzsche to Wagner to Freud. This Everyman edition is a great introduction, with a helpful introduction and notes. If you're interested in philosophy, psychology, or the nature of existence, this is an essential book.