ARISTOTLE'S CHILDREN

Rubenstein explains Aristotle's influence on Western culture. The author meticulously traces how the Greek philosopher's work was woven into Jewish and Islamic secular and religious cultures and then absorbed into a wide range of medieval Christian contexts. Nelson Runger's clear narration does a fine job with this complicated story. The philosophical concepts involved are complex and still debated; Runger's delivery slows appropriately when he's reading these sections, as it does when he introduces names or terms from other languages. At other times, however, the story grows dramatic, as in the fate of Abelard, and Runger's delivery at those points is that of an experienced storyteller. G.T.B.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 04]