Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$16.99

Available instantly

Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial

Paperback
$12.69

Audio CD
$112.03

$12.69 with 45 percent savings

List Price: $22.99

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Saturday, June 8 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or fastest delivery Thursday, June 6. Order within 7 hrs 53 mins

Arrives before Father's Day

Select delivery location

In Stock

$$12.69 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.

Read full return policy

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Details

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

$11.41

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery June 12 - 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or fastest delivery June 10 - 12

Arrives before Father's Day

Select delivery location

In Stock

$$12.69 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by Martistore and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (132) from $3.18 + $3.98 shipping

Follow the author

Allan Bloom

Follow

The Republic of Plato Paperback – November 22, 2016

by Allan Bloom (Translator), Adam Kirsch (Introduction)

4.7 879 ratings

See all formats and editions

Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. Try again.

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$12.69","priceAmount":12.69,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"12","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"69","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"P7PMPujF2pMB233b6OTG12ycPC0SpBEnf9oUOL9dhOA%2BF%2FASvGmYAtH4wLOWfsBouphI%2Bt94za%2F2S43JuHAperyZ8jmeIIzrF2JquojL%2BGW3Xxhjd7FfBKTg9ESnGRVIeRE0Y2PX3nvx%2FoL1ZuA5LA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$11.41","priceAmount":11.41,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"41","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"P7PMPujF2pMB233b6OTG12ycPC0SpBEn%2FQqf3xqiajyKe4sV7znd%2BpQKmu0GLvtPL7GN0O0U%2FlzNWFqlYFSSQS9d%2BEofdTSE2kBEhqyO%2FfsK9b1QcT1DtWphQQ%2F55bF9%2FhAdlsGpMpQidK2ZenUI3r7tXYSywipBhCFKYacFT3SYWRyfsjqjMtMBZVuHqcWY","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

The definitive translation of Plato's Republic, the most influential text in the history of Western philosophy

Long regarded as the most accurate rendering of Plato's Republic that has yet been published, this widely acclaimed translation by Allan Bloom was the first to take a strictly literal approach. In addition to the annotated text, there is also a rich and valuable essay -- as well as indices -- which will enable readers to better understand the heart of Plato's intention.

This edition includes an introduction by renowned critic Adam Kirsch, setting the work in its intellectual context for a new generation of students and readers.

Print length

528 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Basic Books
Publication date

November 22, 2016
Dimensions

6.4 x 1.75 x 9.35 inches
ISBN-10

0465094082
ISBN-13

978-0465094080
Lexile measure

1160L
See all details

Frequently bought together

$12.69

Get it as soon as Saturday, Jun 8

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

+

$11.23

Get it as soon as Saturday, Jun 8

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

+

$15.56

Get it as soon as Saturday, Jun 8

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Try again!

Details

Added to Cart

Choose items to buy together.

Aristotle
337
Paperback
63 offers from $2.13
Aristotle
685
Paperback
61 offers from $4.43
Niccolo Machiavelli
602
Paperback
135 offers from $1.99
Plato
1,991
Paperback
100 offers from $2.80
Karl Marx
502
Paperback
in Political Ideologies
141 offers from $4.45
Sophocles
2,253
Paperback
in Ancient & Classical Dramas & Plays
338 offers from $1.23

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The best available English translation....It compels intelligent readers to come to grips with what Plato actually wrote."―National Review

"The best available English translation....It compels intelligent readers to come to grips with what Plato actually wrote."―American Political Science Review

About the Author

Allan Bloom, 1930-1992, was a professor of social thought at the University of Chicago. He was the author of many books, including the number one bestseller The Closing of the American Mind.

Adam Kirsch is a poet, critic, and an editor of The Wall Street Journal’s weekend Review section. His work appears regularly in the New York Review of Books, New Yorker, Tablet, and other publications. The author of three books of poems and several books of criticism and biography, Kirsch lives in New York City.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; 3rd edition (November 22, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 528 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0465094082
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0465094080
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1160L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1.75 x 9.35 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #21,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #38 in Political Philosophy (Books)
- #56 in Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy
- #75 in Philosophy of Ethics & Morality

Customer Reviews:
4.7 879 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Allan Bloom

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5

879 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

See all photos

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

study

A book every student who is interested in philosophy and politics should read

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2024

Verified Purchase

I started to read Plato's Republic roughly during the college years. I continued to read it for many years, on and off, but I still didn't think I actually understood even a bit of it, until now: Bloom's interpretive essay is tremendously helpful.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Excellent translation

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2024

Verified Purchase

The author’s translation philosophy and explanation of it are exceptional. With his introductory material and translator’s notes, you get a real feeling for what Plato (and Socrates) were trying to do and how they thought.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

FloridaMan

Hard but rewarding

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2024

Verified Purchase

In Adam Kirch’s introduction to Allan Bloom’s translation of “The Republic,” he writes “Plato intended his works essentially for the industrious and intelligent few, a natural aristocracy determined neither by birth nor wealth, and his translation attempts to do nothing which would contradict that would contradict that intention.” Further on in his introduction, he relates stories of students in Mr. Bloom’s university classes where he taught Plato. He often assigned essays based upon his translation and, to his delight, would receive responses from his students that he thought quite excellent. Notwithstanding the intended difficulty of the work- deliberately unmitigated by Mr. Bloom- a surprising number of these youngsters had the right stuff be guardians in Plato’s idealized city. Could Mr. Bloom justly claim success in teaching such a hard book?
Hardly.
It turns out, Kirch informs us, the students merely repackaged the conclusions in Mr. Bloom’s own masterful interpretive essay he placed at the conclusion of his translation. And who could blame them? Students will always be students; and I, like many, can commiserate with them if they felt overmatched by the task of understanding “The Republic.” For I found nit to be every bit as difficult and Plato and Mr. Bloom intended.
To keep with the spirit of Plato and Mr. Bloom, I won’t provide my own cliff notes on Plato’s masterpiece. Merely, I will write that Plato gives his most famous character, Socrates, a chance to defend philosophy against a hostile crowd, this time without a draught of hemlock awaiting him at the end of his efforts.
What I will say regards Mr. Bloom’s translation. “The Republic,” he says, was meant to be read as a conversation- dialectic. Previous translations had been too liberal in reorganizing Plato’s style to fit their own particular milieu’s tastes. They had too readily altered the words in translations to convey senses more suitable to their own time and place. Mr. Bloom sought to correct their errors. In so doing, he rendered a translation that can be difficult to follow and, speaking for myself, required rereading. But if Mr. Bloom was right (and, for what it’s worth, I incline to his view) then the reader should be pleased to be reading something closer to what Plato actually wrote.
I ended “The Republic” admiring Allan Bloom more than Plato. In reading this book, especially his interpretive essay, I discovered the answer to the question “what is a scholar?” Mr. Bloom’s love for his craft and zealous attention to detail are obvious; and his renowned skill as a writer made obvious in his concluding essay. My only recommendation to the reader is to form your own judgement of “The Republic” before reading Mr. Bloom’s, and having done so don’t be at all surprised if your judgement is left behind in the dark of Plato’s cave as you turn towards the light of his.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Charles Watt

An essential of Western thought

Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2023

Verified Purchase

Read critically and think deeply. Bloom’s notes will definitely help

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2023

Verified Purchase

Only gave this book 4 stars since it was a harder read and the actual book dident feel as well as others. The pages were different but not in a bad way. Would highly recommend if you are into philosophy.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

L. Hassell

Best translation of the Republic ... for scholars

Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2021

Verified Purchase

Faithful translation. Outstanding notes. But Shorey? Jowett? Others? They may be more readily available, cheaper (free?), but they are NOT better, or even as good. I am the kind of person who wants a consistent translation of all words. If a word can be translated in two different ways based on the context, then say so in a foot or end note. OK, so you may not like the Strauss school (I believe Bloom studied with Leo Strauss), big deal. But if you want a hard bound copy of the Republic to put on your living room book shelf, then this will do fine. It will impress people who have never read Plato ... and probably wouldn't understand him if they did.

14 people found this helpful

Helpful

Andrew McKenna

I only know that I know nothing

Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2018

Verified Purchase

Whew, that was an intense read! I gave five stars because after careful consideration I realized that Alan Blooms interpretive essay really helped me to understand the The Republic to a different degree. The first ten books are the shoes, the interpretive essay is the shoe lace and it ties all of it up very neatly. To read something over 2,000 years old that’s been translated from Ancient Greek is a task in itself, I commend this translations interpreter he did a stellar job. This book is Heavy and not a book you can just pick up and expect to read in a weekend, its not littered with images that create a perfect picture for you to burn thru, it’s page after page after page of thought, so it slows you down, a lot. Each page forces you to think about what you’re reading, sometimes you have ZERO Idea and that’s ok, that’s where Bloom’s Interpretive Essay comes in. To pick up this book and commit to finishing it is a Challenge I highly recommend, you’ll walk away a better person with a sense of accomplishment and more thoughtful mind. I’ve read over 200 books and I think it’s safe to say that this was the most challenging book I’ve ever put my mind too, if your looking for a challenge then you’ve found it. Happy reading 📖

122 people found this helpful

Helpful

strawberry girl

im not that smart but i liked this book

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

Though the book is thick, it's lightweight and smells like cookies

I bought this for class and is a really good translation. There's helpful footnotes in the back.
Plato is a story-telling genius, the whole book is irony and he makes a lot of good points about humans and how we can try to tell people the truth but sometimes they'll only know it when they experience it. I loved reading it

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Mandala

Livre tel qu'attendu.

Reviewed in Canada on January 29, 2024

Verified Purchase

Livre acheté pour étude/école.

Translate review to English

Brian Alavez

Una obra para comprender la naturaleza de la justicia.

Reviewed in Mexico on December 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

Una muy bonita edición. El ensayo de Bloom es de gran ayuda para comprender este clásico.

Translate review to English

Amazon Customer

Perfect

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2023

Verified Purchase

Really amazing service, Mona was extremely helpful! The book was in perfect condition and exactly what I was looking for!

Furtwängler

Lost in translation

Reviewed in Germany on October 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

Das Buch sieht sehr schön aus und die Einführung ist sehr gut geschrieben! Ich bin, allerdings, wirklich kein Freund der Übersetzung! Most probably very close to original text, but it sacrifices readability and flow more than I would have preferred.

Translate review to English

Isa

Passionnant !

Reviewed in France on April 16, 2017

Verified Purchase

Colis, livraison, livreur parfaits. Cette traduction de Platon est passionnante. La façon dont Allan Bloom conçoit le travail du traducteur est une bénédiction.

Translate review to English

See more reviews

Return this item for free

Return this item for free

Image Unavailable

Follow the author