Repetition and Philosophical Crumbs

So says Constantine Constantius on the first page of Kierkegaards Repetition. Life itself, according to Kierkegaards pseudonymous narrator, is a repetition, and in the course of this witty, playful work Constantius explores the nature of love and happiness, the passing of time and the importance of moving forward (and backward). The ironically entitledPhilosophical Crumbspursues the investigation of faith and love and their tense relationship with reason.

Written only a year apart, these two works complement each other and give the reader a unique insight into the breadth and substance of Kierkegaards thought. The first reads like a novel and the second like a Platonic dialogue, but both engage, in different ways, the same challenging issues. These are the first translations to convey the literary quality and philosophical precision of the originals. They were not intended, however, for philosophers, but for anyone who feels drawn to the question of the ultimate truth of human existence and the source of human happiness.