This is the story of the author's discovery of philosophy which, at the same time, acts as an introduction to the subject for the reader. The thread of the narrative follows the author's life, so problems and philosophers are discussed in the order in which Magee encountered them, not in chronological order. The experiences of daily life, any of which we have all had, provoke discussion of philosophers and philosophical questions which we may have all asked ourselves at some point. This results in an easy understanding of what philosophers do, so that by the end of the book, Magee has acquainted the reader with all the outstanding figures in Western philosophy, from the pre-Socratics to the 20th century, including Bertrand Russell and Karl Popper, both of whom Magee knew personally.