Tough-O-Meter

We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)

(3) Base Camp

This is a straightforward book aimed at a mass readership. You'll have no problem with it; in fact, you can probably breeze through in two or three sittings. There are some slightly confusing philosophical passages at times, but we explain plenty of them in our Themes section, and so many of the ideas are repeated that if you don't get something once, it's bound to turn up again and again in different words.

So have no fear! Don't worry; be happy.