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Distributed for DIAPHANES

Mister Descartes and His Evil Genius

Translated by Anna Street and Illustrated by François Schwoebel
At its most basic, philosophy is about learning how to think about the world around us. It should come as no surprise, then, that children make excellent philosophers! Plato & Co. introduces children—and curious grown-ups—to the lives and work of famous philosophers, from Socrates to Descartes, Einstein, Marx, and Wittgenstein. Each book in the series features an engaging—and often funny—story that presents basic tenets of philosophical thought alongside vibrant color illustrations.

On a peaceful winter night while the rest of the town sleeps, Mister Descartes stays up late reading the great books of the world. Suddenly, by the light of the moon, he sees a strange and fearsome shape in the shadow of his pet parrot, Baruch. Is it an illusion, or could it be that his faithful pet is but a figment of his imagination? Could the same be true of his room and all of sleepy Holland? Quite obviously, he cannot rely on his senses, so how can Mister Descartes arrive at any certainty about the world around him? How will he determine what is a clever trick and what is real?

Plato & Co.’s clear approach and charming illustrations make this series the perfect addition to any little library.

64 pages | illustrated in color throughout | 6 x 8 2/3 | © 2016

Plato & Co.

Children's Books

Philosophy: General Philosophy


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Reviews

 “Where existing philosophy books for children typically focus on surveys of ideas or broad historical overviews, the Plato & Co. books take a more ‘storied’ approach. They take isolated events in the lives of the philosophers to illustrate their theories, aiming to teach a philosophical theory through the experience of reading a traditional picture book.”

Publishers Weekly, on the Plato & Co. series

“Great thinkers viewed from unusual angles.”

Kirkus Reviews, on the Plato & Co. series

“Damn cool coffee table books.”

A. V. Club, on the Plato & Co. series

Table of Contents

Mister Descartes and his Evil Genius

Narrated by Jean Paul Mongin

Illustrated by François Schwoebel 

Translated by Anna Street

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