Quote (BustArt @ 20 Mar 2010 21:10)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/411T1GQSXDL._SX200_.jpg
this book will give you a general overview and greatly help you decide which philosopher interests you most.
it is also written in understandable language ( i read it first when i was 13 years old.. )
If you start with Karl Marx or Hegel the chances are high that you will never even touch another philosophy book again, since they're amongst the worst authors that have ever been printed and distributed.
perhaps they have been poorly translated?
the english language is not very good at expressing complex philosophical concepts
so it needs a very good translator to get the message of continental european philosphy across
and btw, while i like russell, hegel's history of philosophy is categories better