The Republic

By Plato, Desmond Lee (translator),

Book cover of The Republic

Book description

The classic translation of the cornerstone work of western philosophy

Plato's Republic is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential works in the history of philosophy. Presented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, it is an inquiry into the notion of a perfect…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Republic as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

The key to understanding our lives is to enlarge our perspectives, and human behavior hasn’t changed much in 2000 years.

Plato gives several suggestions for maintaining stability in organized society, including guarding against the influence of Sophists, who manipulate language to manipulate their listeners, reminding me of our salesmen today.

Especially valuable is his allegory of the cave, where educators present images to an audience chained in place since early childhood. The glare of the sun awaits anyone who manages to leave the cave, and coming back in won’t be easy, but those who leave and find genuine truth need…

Want books like The Republic?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Republic.

Browse books like The Republic

Book cover of Pride and Prejudice
Book cover of Look Homeward, Angel
Book cover of Children of Alcoholism a Survivor's Manual

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,225

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in utopian, political, and dysfunctional families?

Utopian 72 books
Political 3,830 books