Philosophy by itself tends to repel many people. The field is dry, dense, and filled with a dull preoccupation with ideas like irony and metaphysics. But however dry the realm of philosophy may be, the lives of the philosophers often are more interesting than the ideas and thoughts they write about. Such is the case with the book, "The World as I Found It", by Bruce Duffy, which centers on the personalities of three famous philosophers: Bertrand Russell, G.E. Moore, and Ludwig Wittgenstein
The novel, Bruce Duffy's literary debut, liberally speculates on the lives of these three philosophers and examines how the hands of fate and history shaped their own distinctive philosophies on life. Taking place in a variety of locations from the halls of Oxford and Cambridge, to the trenches of World War I, the three philosophers try to carve out a new life according to their own radical principles. In trying to establish a sort of utopian society, Russell, for instance writes about the need for universal equality and establishes a school literally governed by kids. The mercurial and dissolute Wittgenstein enlists in the Austrian infantry and after the war, establishes himself as a major figure by writing his landmark Tractatus. G.E. Moore though, settles into a life of domestic bliss while acting as a mediator between the Wittgenstein and Russell.
For a story about philosophers, the amount of philosophy in the book is hardly apparent. Rather, the characters and interactions of the three men take the stage and this is where the book really shines. I know this sounds cliche, but Duffy's writing, a mix of Graves and Garcia Marquez, makes these characters come to life and to the point where I began to really feel for these people. Wittgenstein, who most will end up rooting for, enters philosophy shouldering a ton of emotional baggage ranging from the harsh discipline of his aristocratic father to his inability to reconcile his beliefs with the real world. Although there are some villains that do pop up in the story, the chief villain is Bertrand Russell who comes across as a hypocritical and demeaning person as the story goes on. The referee caught in the middle of these two conflicting icons is G.E. Moore who attempts to understand the enigmatic Wittgenstein by acting as a scribe for his philosophy. Moore, though, turns out to be the only normal character simply because he is a man at peace with himself and serves as an anchor of sorts in trying to make sense out of Wittgenstein and Russell's violent camaraderie. It is the relationship between these three men through two world wars that forms the plot for the entire book.
To put it bluntly, Duffy's novel is extraordinary. The story, although complex, is simply told and made all the more awesome by Duffy's lively writing. Never a dull moment in the story, it hits its high point during Wittgenstein's stint as a sergeant on the Austrian front during World War I. The visceral experience of trench fighting and the oppressive hierarchy of the military command is captured brilliantly in Duffy's writing. If there is any reason to read this book, definitely read it for this part. But then again, the entire book is awesome. Heck, just thinking about it makes me want to read it again!
All in all, I think it is a crime that a book this good is not more widely known. I came across it during a closeout sale at a local bookstore. I simply bought the book on a lark because I recognized Bertrand Russell's name and the fact that the back said "World War I", meaning that I would be in for action sprinkled with some philosophy. Call me shallow, but I think it was one of the best decisions I ever made. If you do choose to read the book, you will find a book that is extremely well written and conceived. In short, read this book now!
