"Well-written, clear, and informed, they have a breezy wit about them.
I find them hard to stop reading."New York Times

"Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise."Wall Street Journal

"I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one's friends to Western
civilization."Boston Globe

Confucius knew all about life and told us how to behavebut we can't find out
precisely what he was up to. His well-meaning platitudes, quaint maxims, and quasi-enigmatic
anecdotes combined to produce an ideal philosophy for civil servants. It would appear that his
aim was to turn his pupils into good government officials, but his teachings succeeded beyond
his wildest expectations, providing rules of conduct and spiritual fodder for more than two
thousand years.

In Confucius in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Confucius's
life and ideas and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the
world. The book also includes selections from Confucius's work, a brief list of suggested readings
for those who wish to delve deeper, and chronologies that place Confucius within his own age
and in the broader scheme of philosophy.

Paul Strathern earned a degree in philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin, and has lectured in philosophy and mathematics. A Somerset Maugham prize winner, he has written books on history, philosophy, and travel as well as five novels. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including the Observer (London) and the Irish Times. He lives and writes in London.

Earphones Awards recipient Robert Whitfield was born in England and worked for the BBC for ten years as a radio news announcer and also worked as a narrator for the Royal National Institute for the Blind in London. In addition to narrating for Blackstone Audiobooks, he involves himself in numerous stage-acting projects in the United States and Europe.