An introduction to three great philosophical traditions, namely those of India, the Middle East and the Far East.

Fifty eastern thinkers are covered. Each is placed within the context of his or her own tradition and key ideas are explored together with relevant biographical information. The book focuses on the philosophies of the East rather than on its religions and attempts to be clear and concise without over-simplification.

The Indian section covers Hindu, Buddhist and Jain thought with special emphasis on Vedanta philosophy. The Middle Eastern section is primarily concerned with Islamic thinkers. The Far East includes the three great traditions of China - Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism - as well as the Buddhist thinkers of Japan.

Born in Scotland in 1969, Kevin was educated in Ireland and in York, where he studied art before reading English at Oxford. He has worked in publishing and now divides his time between writing, teaching and lecturing, and running a sport events business. His interests include Indian philosophy, in particular Advaita Vedanta, Sanskrit and the history of ideas. Recent public lectures have included The Three Energies: A Study of the Guna Theory in Indian Thought, presented at the Sussex School for Practical Philosophy, and Who Am I? Ideas of the Self Since 1500. In May 2005 he set up the inaugural 'Art for All' event in Hove, a one-day public seminar exploring philosophy and art. Kevin sees philosophy as an essential human activity, and believes that its present status in our culture as a purely academic pursuit is a temporary aberration. Author of Eastern Philosophy, he is currently working on his second book, which tells the story of perspective in the 15th Century Italian Renaissance for an intelligent general readership. Married since 1992, he lives near Lewes, East Sussex with his wife and two children.