Sophie's World, Vol. 1: A Graphic History of Philosophy: From Socrates to Galileo - Paperback
by Jostein Gaarder (Author), Vincent Zabus (Author), Nicoby (Illustrator)
Sophie's World--Jostein Gaarder's internationally bestselling introduction to philosophy--is reimagined here as an accessible, visually rich graphic novel that explores how humans have long searched for meaning, knowledge, and their place in the world.
When fourteen-year-old Sophie begins receiving mysterious letters asking deceptively simple questions--Who are you? Where does the world come from?--she is drawn into an unexpected course of study that challenges how she thinks about identity, reality, and purpose.
Guided by a secretive mentor, her lessons unfold as a journey through ideas that have shaped how people across time have tried to make sense of existence.
This first volume traces key thinkers and movements from Socrates to Galileo, translating foundational philosophical questions--about truth, knowledge, and the nature of reality--into clear, engaging scenes through dynamic artwork and narrative storytelling. By grounding abstract ideas in story and image, the book invites readers to think alongside Sophie as she begins to form her own understanding of the world.
Volume 1 begins a two-part graphic adaptation, continuing in Sophie's World, Vol. 2: From Descartes to the Present Day, which carries Sophie's search for meaning into modern philosophy and its lasting influence.
Author Biography
Jostein Gaarder was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1952. After teaching philosophy and the history of ideas in Bergen, he devoted himself to writing. His worldwide bestseller Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy was hailed as a masterpiece by critics and readers alike. He put a significant portion of his rights earnings toward establishing a foundation for sustainable environmental development.
Playwright and comics writer Vincent Zabus lives in Namur, Belgium. He became well known penning children's series for the long-running and beloved Spirou magazine. He went on to create the prizewinning tales Les Ombres and Incroyable!, which debuted as plays and then became graphic novels in collaboration with the artist Hippolyte. His adaptation of Sophie's World combines his passions for storytelling and philosophy. A product of the mid-1970s, artist Nicoby has published over 40 works in a variety of genres, styles, and formats, ranging from memoir to humor to adventure to reportage to observations of social foibles, both in book form and in periodicals, such as La Revue Dessinée and Spirou, to which he is a regular contributor. He lives in the Breton countryside near Rennes, France, far from car exhaust and electric scooters.