Spinoza on Philosophy, Religion, and Politics

Susan James's book on Spinozaâs Theological-Political Treatise is a magnificent work of historical and contextually focused philosophical scholarship. Anyone interested in Spinoza, the Dutch Republic, or early modern philosophy would profit by reading it. James richly situates Spinozaâs Treatise in its proper context and thereby illuminates Spinozaâs thought in a profound way. The Spinoza that emerges here is not the abstract metaphysician of the Ethics, but a savvy political thinker addressing the particulars of his time and place. In all, this book should fundamentally alter the way we think of this great text and, more broadly, the issues it addresses. * Journal of the History of Philosophy *
Though countless scholars have written about the Theologico-Political Treatise, none have covered it so clearly and comprehensively. This is a valuable book on an important text. It is that rare thing: an impressive work of research and philosophical thinking which can also function as a guide for students and a resource for scholars. It should be the first book consulted by anyone who seeks to understand what Spinoza is arguing for, and why he argues for it, in his most puzzling text. * Beth Lord, The Philosophical Quarterly *
Susan James's new book is a fresh and welcome contribution ... James's style is elegant, and her reading of Spinoza's text is both perceptive and thorough ... I would highly recommend James's book. It is a serious and important work in which the author reads Spinoza's text very closely. It uses early modern and classical texts to contextualize Spinoza's work in a very sensitive manner. It is a thoughtful and illuminating work that should become part of the canon of scholarship on Spinoza's Theologico-Political Treatise. * Yitzhak Y. Melamed, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *