Confessions of a Young Philosopher by Abigail L. Rosenthal
I wanted to be conscious of the purposes behind my choices, not let them guide me unawares. It was a point of honor not to profess views if I was not prepared to put them to the test of living them. Was I fearful? Did I anticipate tragedy, or great suffering at this moment of setting forth? No. I was filled with desire and thought I was ready for anything.
Author
Abigail L. Rosenthal
Pulitzer-nominated author of A Good Look at Evil, Professor of Philosophy Emerita at Brooklyn College, CUNY, and author of a weekly blog at: dearabbie-nonadvice.com
What Others are Saying
What follows are just a few of the responses to Abigail L. Rosenthal’s Confessions of a Young Philosopher. These reviews, drawn from both literary and philosophical circles, highlight the book’s unique depth, voice, and impact. These perspectives, each offering a distinct perspective, when taken together reveal a powerful and lasting contribution to the genre of philosophical memoir.
David M. Armstrong, Author, Sketch for a Systematic Metaphysics (2010) and Truth and Truthmakers (2004):
“Since the Enlightenment, a number of people have tried to tell the truth about their own lives … Boswell, Rousseau, Stendahl, Celine—are there other women who have tried to do the same? I suppose Augustine was a pioneer. … I think what [Abigail L. Rosenthal has] done is a most splendid and courageous addition to the literature of trying to tell the truth about oneself.”
Cynthia Ozick, Author, Antiquities (2021) and Critics, Monsters, Fanatics, and Other Literary Essays (2016):
“This powerful book will gradually make its way into Bildungsroman-like permanence.”
Bernard Harrison, Author, Blaming the Jews: Politics and Delusion (2020) and What is Fiction For? Literary Humanism Restored (2015):
“In this remarkable and deeply instructive book, a gifted woman philosopher records and criticizes her youthful attempt, as strenuously lived as it is argued, to frame a path through life capable of engaging her talents without denying or distorting her female identity. She explores to the limits of liveability a string of contemporary world-views ranging from romantic love in the French literary manner, by way of Marxist/Castroist political commitment, to a disastrous engagement with a charismatic advocate of ‘Christian Gnosticism.’ … Profoundly philosophical as her argument is, Rosenthal writes with a vigor and liveliness that owe little to the drowsy circumlocutions of much academic prose. The book is a page-turner.”
Kirkus Review:
“A young intellectual comes of age while grappling with philosophy, femininity, and her Jewish identity in this memoir. A Jewish girl raised in Manhattan with an insatiable curiosity for history and philosophy, Rosenthal won a Fulbright scholarship to Paris to study aesthetics. There, she was immersed in a world of intellectually curious expats questioning the effects of World War II, the Holocaust, and rising waves of communism. Rosenthals own inner dialogue was dominated by questions of love, marriage, and sex, however, after meeting the charming fellow foreign student Pheidias (Id never met a modern Greek, though I felt I had met many ancient ones, she thinks to herself, revealing her consistent preoccupation with the classics.) As Pheidias slowly wore down her resolve to preserve her chastity, Rosenthal cycled through Voltaire, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Simone de Beauvoir, desperate to understand her place as a woman within the context of romantic love. …”
Kirkus Review Continued:
“Her memoirs second section details her return to New York, where she began to develop her perspectives on religion and femininity as American culture shifted around her. Just as Rosenthal felt comfortable no longer believing in God, she returned to Europe. There, in London, she would meet Suzanne, an imposing American with powerful ideas whose belief in Gnostic Christianity quickly spun Rosenthals mind out of its habitat in space and time (the authors strange, almost cultlike experiences with Suzanne can read as chaotic and confusing).
Rosenthals command of philosophy is dazzling; even the smallest of comments can set her off on impressive disquisitions that easily draw from centuries of thought and literature. Her work is most accessible when she assumes a more contemporary perspective on herself, contextualizing her responses within her time period and her personal history. Those willing to follow her will be rewarded with gems of intriguing insight. A challenging memoir full of thought-provoking philosophy.”- Kirkus Reviews
Juliana Geran Pilon, New English Review
In a beautifully written review, Pilon calls the book “a remarkable confession in the tradition of Augustine and Rousseau” and praises Abigail’s ability “to think and love as a woman, with all that implies, for good and ill.”
Read the full review in New English Review »
Barry Cooper, Haultain Research
Cooper reflects on the philosophical and spiritual courage in Abigail’s memoir, describing it as “her account of a pilgrimage” through love, deception, and moral clarity.
Read the full review on Haultain Research »
Phyllis Chesler, New English Review
Feminist warrior Phyllis Chesler describes Confessions as “a very unique work as self-revealing as Augustine’s [Confessions]….Rosenthal’s understanding of antisemitism is unexpected–and unexpectedly profound.”
Read the full review in New English Review »
Lee Trepanier, VoegelinView:
“In this remarkable and deeply instructive book, a gifted woman philosopher records and criticizes her youthful attempt, as strenuously lived as it is argued, to frame a path through life capable of engaging her talents without denying or distorting her female identity. … Profoundly philosophical as her argument is, Rosenthal writes with a vigor and liveliness that owe little to the drowsy circumlocutions of much academic prose. The book is a page-turner.”
Read the full review in VoegelinView »
Critical Praise
Together, these voices speak to the richness and significance of Abigail’s story. Whether celebrated for its honesty, clarity, or emotional depth, one thing is clear: this memoir resonates. As a result, we invite reviewers, podcasters, and scholars to add their voices to the conversation.
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If you’re interested in thoughtful memoirs that blend story and philosophy, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you run a blog, host a podcast, or contribute to academic journals, this book invites reflection and conversation.
Free copies of Confessions of a Young Philosopher are available.
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Explore the Preface: A Conversation Between Philosophers
Whether through video or text, this intimate and thought-provoking video between Dr. Abigail L Rosenthal and Dr. Jerry L Martin reflects on the preface to Abigail’s memoir. As a result, they open the door to the book’s central questions- philosophical, personal, and spiritual.
Along the way, they ask:
- For instance, what does it mean to live sincerely?
- Additionally, can philosophy truly guide how we live?
- Likewise, how does the idea of God as Witness shape moral choices?
- Also, what role does true love play in the examined life?
In other words, their dialogue reveals the heart of Confessions of a Young Philosopher: a life of thought, courage, and conviction, lived out in love, truth, and moral integrity.
