Letter to Lily: About the Way of the World

Author: (English) Alan Macfarlane
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Lily is the granddaughter of the author, Professor Alan Macfarlane, who is 17 years old and deeply curious about the world. She often asks him, "What?" "Why?" "How?" As a result, the professor wrote this monograph in the form of 30 letters, answering some of Lily's questions. As an anthropologist, sociologist, historian, and teacher, the author uses his extensive knowledge and experience to provide insightful and highly creative answers to Lily's inquiries. These 30 letters span human history and survey world civilizations, with the author's pen reaching from the personal level to more macro domains such as philosophy, religion, and politics. Lily's questions are timeless—they are the eternal dilemmas of every thinker, from teenagers to adults. Similarly, the professor's answers are timeless, representing the possible responses of every intellectual. Therefore, upon its release, the book caused a huge sensation in the UK, with critics unanimously agreeing that it is either on the verge of or has already joined the canon of classics, becoming another masterpiece contributed by the UK to the world. Currently, the book is being translated into multiple languages and is considered a must-read for understanding the world.