"Baker (Griffith Univ., Australia) has written a historical tour de force, a meaty analysis of the development of nihilism as an approach to philosophical truth throughout the history of the great Western search for meaning . [An] ideal resource for scholars. The book is certainly a must read for those interested in historical philosophy and nihilism and its relation to Christianity . Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty." -- Choice "By situating entangled truths in time, methodically, brilliantly, Baker confronts the question of nihilism and charts the history of truth." -- Nicholas Onuf, Professor Emeritus of International Relations, Florida International University, USA "This fluently written, erudite and elegantly argued book makes a major contribution to contemporary philosophical debates on the theme of nihilism and its overcoming.

It demonstrates an impressive mastery of a remarkable range of primary figures and perspectives from across the Western philosophical tradition offering succinct, insightful expositions (of commendable clarity) and critical evaluations of (among others) the Cynics, Agamben, Badiou, Foucault, Heidegger, Nietzsche, Paul and Spinoza. This is an absorbing and significant book which stands out in a crowded field and merits a wide readership. It provides a stimulating alternative to other recent, similarly ambitious, critical overviews of the trajectory of philosophical nihilism." -- Jim Urpeth, Former Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Greenwich, UK "Just as we thought that the topic of nihilism was exhausted, Gideon Baker succeeds in breathing new life to it. And what an exciting life it is! Approaching nihilism through the problem of the two worlds-the relation between the world of fallen being and inauthenticity and a world that aspires to genuine truth-Baker masterfully shows how nihilism is a concept still relevant to our world today. This is done by a succinct and insightful excavation of the sources of the problem of the two worlds, which presents nihilism in an entirely original historical lineage." -- Dimitris Vardoulakis, author of Stasis Before the State.