Home › Books › Devil's Contract: The History of the Faustian Bar…
Devil's Contract: The History of the Faustian Bargain
by
41/99
Critics
17/99
Readers
n/a
Scholars
16/99
Rating
66/99
Volume
7/99
Rating
27/99
Volume
—
Sign in to add to your shelf, rate, or review this book.
About This Book
A fascinating and accessible guide to the Faustian bargain throughout the ages, written in a lively and engaging style. From ancient times to the modern world, the idea of the Faustian bargain -- the exchange of one's soul in return for untold riches and power -- has exerted a magnetic pull upon our collective imaginations. Scholar Ed Simon takes us on a historical tour of the Faustian bargain, from biblical themes to the Charlie Daniels Band, and illustrates how the instinct for sacrificing our principles in exchange for power models all kinds of social ills, from colonialism to nuclear warfare, and even social media, climate change, and AI. In doing so, Simon conveys just how much the Faustian bargain shows us about power and evil ... and about ourselves.
Preview
Reviews
"Simon is an erudite, insightful guide to a story that spans centuries but still speaks to our times."
"Simon's style, moreover, can sometimes veer into the over-emphatic ..."
"tends to see the Faustian myth as more liberatory than punitive."
"Simon's probing curiosity conjures up an enjoyable grab-bag of arcane knowledge."
"Provocative, if clunky ..."
"One might wish for it to be expressed through slightly less heated rhetoric and a more limited focus ..."
Reader Reviews
0 reviewsSign in to write a review.
No reader reviews yet. Be the first!