The Rorty Reader

"This landmark collection presents the essential Rorty in a single volume. A must for Americanists, philosophers, and humanists of every stripe, this intelligently conceived and organized book is a fitting tribute to one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century."
—Nancy Fraser, The New School for Social Research

"In the last sentence of a posthumously published article, Richard Rorty wrote: "...individual men and women are more fully human when their memories are amply stocked with verses". Equally, we might say that they are more humane and wide-ranging thinkers when their minds are amply stocked with Rorty's subtle thoughts. We should be grateful for the editors of this anthology for giving us so many."
—Philip Kitcher, Columbia University

"The Rorty Reader is a remarkable editorial accomplishment. By bringing together a wide variety of Richard Rorty's controversial and yet inspiring writings, Bernstein and Voparil provide an excellent introduction to this important thinker. The addition, their own insightful introductory chapter, makes the collection essential reading for everyone who wants to gain a better understanding of not just the significance of Rorty's philosophical contribution, but that of modern thought in general."
—Alan Malachowski, University of Stellenbosch

"This collection of Rorty's papers brings together some of the best known and most influential works of this American original with lesser known but crucially important papers, and even one previously unpublished paper, to stand as the most authoritative selection of Rorty's writings to date. Richard Bernstein, Rorty's lifelong friend, and Chris Voparil, perhaps the best Rorty scholar alive today, have created a work that will be of lasting interest to scholars and to the general public for years to come. A priceless gem."
—Charles Guignon, University of South Florida