Thacker s introductory essay insightfully sketches the biographical and intellectual context of Schopenhauer s distinctly zestful reflections on the vanity of life, the fear of death and humankind s place in the universe. -- The Washington Post Here, finally, is a version of Schopenhauer which feels condensed enough to approach. No longer does one have to sacrifice too much of one s life to find out why it s not worth living. --The New Humanist