What a Piece of Work

This is a small book on a large subject: What is special about human beings? Hamlet mused, 'What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! how like a god!' but went on to speak of 'this quintessence of dust'. Helen Oppenheimer prefers to start with the dust and move to the glory: we really are animals - and from these animals has come Shakespeare. People are indeed 'miserable sinners' - and also magnificent creatures.

The author does not disguise that she is a Christian theologian whose subject is ethics, but she writes equally for non-Christians. Her invitation to the reader is: Here is a way of looking at things that I find exciting and convincing - I hope you do too. Read more Continue reading Read less ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Helen Oppenheimer has written widely on philosophical theology and Christian ethics and has published eleven books.

--This text refers to an alternate kindleedition edition. REVIEW
"Oppenheimer's argument is never anything less that rigorous and thorough ... a work of the utmost maturity."

-- Steven Platten

"The width of reference is wide and the treatment rigorous. The appeal seems to be more directly to fellow Christians but readers will benefit from the author's perspective."

-- The Scientific and Medical Network

"Another example of [Oppenheimer's] lucid, elegant prose in which every word, sentence,paragraph and chapter is positioned to commend her case ... one of her objects has been to leave us to struggle with further details and with the elaboration of the framework from our own points of view, to be shared with and developed in conversation with a variety of sources."

-- Ann Loades -- Studies in Christian Ethics

"Lovely book... generous and sensible. All [Oppenheimer's] work is marked by clarity of thought, generousity of spirit, and a very uncommon common sense."

-- David Atkinson -- Church Times

"Oppenheimer addresses a very broad range of issues ... interesting themes."

-- Tim Murphy -- Political Studies Review

"Helen Oppenheimer offers wise and fortifying counsel. This book is subtle, generous, positive, faithful, rigorous, and accessible."

-- Allan Doig (Chaplain) -- The Brown Book, The Journal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University --This text refers to an alternate kindleedition edition. Read more Continue reading Read less