Oof. That was a long book. I don't really have any background in historical philosophy, which is why I wanted to check out this highly rated book. I'm rating it 3 stars because I don't have anything to compare it to. I'll agree with the other reviews that I read. In addition to giving the historical background to different philosophers and their views, Russell also adds his own two cents. He also views most philosophies as either leading to or leading away from fascism, which is understandable given that this was written in the middle of WWII.