Sophie's World: A Graphic Novel About the History of Philosophy Vol I: From Socrates to Newton
Jostein Gaarder, by (artist) Nicoby, adapted by Vincent Zabus
One day, young Sophie finds a letter addressed to her which contains only one question: “Who are you?” Then there’s another one asking, “Where does the world come from?” The sender of these letters remains a mystery, but the questions intrigue Sophie. This is the beginning of a strange correspondence that will lead the young girl on a comingofage quest to meet major figures of philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Descartes, Hegel, Sartre, etc.). In the first volume, Sophie begins by questioning the philosophers of Antiquity and goes all the way to those of the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods. This is the first of two volumes. In the second volume, she discovers metaphysical doubt while continuing on her way to modern times. This comic book adaptation of Jostein Gaarder’s original book breaths new life into a cult classic.
Jostein Gaarder was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1952. After teaching philosophy and the history of ideas in Bergen, he devoted himself to writing. His 1994 worldwide bestseller Sophie’s World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy was hailed as a masterpiece by critics and readers alike. Afterwards, he put a significant portion of his rights earnings toward establishing a foundation for sustainable environmental development. Playwright and comics writer Vincent Zabus lives in Namur, Belgium. He became wellknown penning children’s series for the longrunning and beloved Spirou magazine. He went on to imagine the prizewinning tales Les Ombres and then Incroyable! which debuted as plays and then became graphic novels with artist Hippolyte. His adaptation of Sophie’s World combines his passions for storytelling and philosophy. A product of the mid’70s, artist Nicoby has published over 40 works in a variety of genres, styles, and formats ranging from memoir to humour, adventure to reportage to observations of social foibles, in both book form and periodicals such as La Revue Dessinée and Spirou, where he is a regular contributor. He lives in the Breton countryside near Rennes, far from car exhaust and electric scooters.