R. S. Bluck’s engaging volume provides an accessible introduction to the thought of Plato. In the first part of the book the author provides an account of the life of the philosopher, from Plato’s early years, through to the Academy, the first visit to Dionysius and the third visit to Syracuse, and finishing with an account of his final years. In the second part contains a discussion of the main purpose and points of interest of each of Plato’s works. There is a chapter on Plato’s central doctrine, the Theory of Ideas, and a translation of Plato’s
Seventh Letter
, which not only provides valuable additional material for the study of Plato’s thought but also contains a vivid account of many incidents in Plato’s life.