The Note-Books of Samuel Butler

"The Note-Books of Samuel Butler" by Samuel Butler is a compilation of the author's personal thoughts, carefully organized and edited by Henry Festing Jones, likely written in the late 1800s. The collection offers a window into Butler's mind as he considers diverse topics such as philosophy, books, evolution, and the challenging parts of being alive, showing the views of an intellectual who questioned social standards and who he was as a person. The book starts by explaining why Butler started keeping notes, showing he began writing down his ideas when he was young to remember quick thoughts and reflections. These notes were a place to hold his ideas and a way to improve his writing by making him explain his thoughts clearly. The start of the book talks about the many different subjects covered in the notes, from his early life and thoughts on right and wrong, to explorations of evolution and what it means to be human, setting the stage for the deep and varied philosophical ideas that come next.