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Tom asked:

I am interested in biographical and autobiographical information about philosophers. I am aware of
many of the popular books of this genre, but I was wondering if there were some very detailed works
that exist which have offered insights into the everyday lives of the great thinkers. I am especially
interested in contemporary philosophers, although I am aware that many living philosophers are
concerned with their privacy, which I can respect. I also enjoy seeing data and analysis, (the
frequency of depression, musical tendencies, birth order, married or single, eccentricities, etc.). Does
anything really striking come to mind?

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Yes, one particular book does come to mind: Ben-Ami Scharfstein The Philosophers: Their Lives and
the Nature of Their Thought(Blackwell 1980). It is an amazing book. You'll never look at the activity of
philosophy in quite the same way again. The book is rich in revealing anecdotes and biographical
detail. There are plenty of references to Freud. Scharfstein is not afraid to make some bold
generalizations, for example, comparing different philosophical theories with various forms of
madness. There is even a comparative table showing when each philosopher's father died, whether
or not the philosopher married and so on. I found the section on Kierkegaard particularly poignant.

In summary, not a book that would win Professor Scharfstein many friends within the stuffy world of
academic philosophy, but a great read.

Geoffrey Klempner