With his unusual powers of imaginative re-creation, Berlin brings to life original minds that swam against the current of their times, and in the process offers a powerful defence of variety in our visions of life. Roger Hausheer’s new introduction survey’s Berlin’s whole oeuvre, and the full bibliography of his publications has been updated for this edition. ‘A most remarkable intellectual achievement. There are few books published in our time which more dazzlingly illuminate some of the most crucial problems of western culture and civilisation. ’ ENCOUNTER ‘Berlin expounds with idea of half-forgotten thinkers with luminous clarity and imaginative empathy… exhilirating to read. ’ OBSERVER