From beginner-friendly introductions to comprehensive textbooks on phenomenology, this page features books to suit any learning style. It’s important to note that there is no single best book on phenomenology. The best book for you will depend heavily on your preferred learning style and the amount of time/energy you’re willing to spend reading.
It’s also worth noting that it is not a list of personal recommendations. Personal book recommendations tend to be highly subjective, idiosyncratic, and unreliable. This list is part of a collection of over 100 philosophy reading lists which aim to provide a central resource for philosophy book recommendations. These lists were created by searching through hundreds of university course syllabi, internet encyclopedia bibliographies, and community recommendations. Links to the syllabi and other sources used to create this list are at the end of the post. Following these links will help you quickly find a broader range of options if the listed books do not fit what you are looking for.
Here are the best books on phenomenology in no particular order.
Phenomenology: The Basics – Dan Zahavi
Category: Short Introduction | Length: 168 pages | Published: 2018
Publisher description: Phenomenology: The Basics is a concise and engaging introduction to one of the dominant philosophical movements of the 20th century. This lively and lucid book provides an introduction to the essential phenomenological concepts that are crucial for understanding great thinkers such as Husserl, Heidegger, and Merleau-Ponty. Written by a leading expert in the field, Dan Zahavi examines and explains key questions such as:
- What is a phenomenological analysis?
- What are the methodological foundations of phenomenology?
- What does phenomenology have to say about embodiment and intersubjectivity?
- How is phenomenology distinguished from, and related to, other fields in philosophy?
- How do ideas from classic phenomenology relate to ongoing debates in psychology and qualitative research?…
Introduction to Phenomenology – Dermot Moran
Category: Comprehensive Introduction | Length: 592 pages | Published: 2000
Publisher description: Introduction to Phenomenology is an outstanding and comprehensive guide to phenomenology. Dermot Moran lucidly examines the contributions of phenomenology’s nine seminal thinkers: Brentano, Husserl, Heidegger, Gadamer, Arendt, Levinas, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty and Derrida.
Written in a clear and engaging style, Introduction to Phenomenology charts the course of the phenomenological movement from its origins in Husserl to its transformation by Derrida. It describes the thought of Heidegger and Sartre, phenomonology’s most famous thinkers, and introduces and assesses the distinctive use of phenomonology by some of its lesser known exponents, such as Levinas, Arendt and Gadamer. Throughout the book, the enormous influence of phenomenology on the course of twentieth-century philosophy is thoroughly explored.
This is an indispensible introduction for all unfamiliar with this much talked about but little understood school of thought. Technical terms are explained throughout and jargon is avoided. Introduction to Phenomenology will be of interest to all students seeking a reliable introduction to a key movement in European thought.
The Oxford Handbook on Contemporary Phenomenology – Dan Zahavi
Category: Overview | Length: 632 pages | Published: 2015
Publisher description: The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Phenomenology presents twenty-eight essays by some of the leading figures in the field, and gives an authoritative overview of the type of work and range of topics found and discussed in contemporary phenomenology. The essays aim to articulate and develop original theoretical perspectives. Some of them are concerned with issues and questions typical and distinctive of phenomenological philosophy, while others address questions familiar to analytic philosophers, but do so with arguments and ideas taken from phenomenology. Some offer detailed analyses of concrete phenomena; others take a more comprehensive perspective and seek to outline and motivate the future direction of phenomenology.
The handbook will be a rich source of insight and stimulation for philosophers, students of philosophy, and for people working in other disciplines of the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, who are interested in the state of phenomenology today. It is the definitive guide to what is currently going on in phenomenology….
The Phenomenology Reader – Timothy Mooney & Dermot Moran
Category: Anthology | Length: 624 pages | Published: 2002
Publisher description: The Phenomenology Reader is the first comprehensive anthology of seminal writings in phenomenology. Carefully selected readings chart phenomenology’s most famous thinkers, such as Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre and Derrida, as well as less well known figures such as Stein and Scheler. Ideal for introductory courses in phenomenology and continental philosophy, The Phenomenology Reader provides a comprehensive introduction to one of the most influential movements in twentieth-century philosophy.
The following sources were used to build this list:
University Course Syllabi:
- Phenomenology – PHI 353 | SUNY New Paltz
- Introduction to Phenomenology – University of Jerusalem
Bibliographies:
- Bibliography for the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy article on Phenomenology
- Bibliography for the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy article on Phenomenology
Other Recommendations:
- Recommend a good introductory book on phenomenology?
- Can anyone recommend some good books for starting with phenomenology?
- How to approach Phenomenology?
- What is a good introduction to phenomenology?
Additional Resources
You might also be interested in the following reading lists:
- The Best Introductory Philosophy Books
- The Best Books on Existentialism
- The Best Books on or by Martin Heidegger
- The Best Books on or by Edmund Husserl
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A History of Western Philosophy in 500 Essential Quotations – Lennox Johnson
Category: Reference | Length: 145 pages | Published: 2019
Publisher’s Description: A History of Western Philosophy in 500 Essential Quotations is a collection of the greatest thoughts from history’s greatest thinkers. Featuring classic quotations by Aristotle, Epicurus, David Hume, Friedrich Nietzsche, Bertrand Russell, Michel Foucault, and many more, A History of Western Philosophy in 500 Essential Quotations is ideal for anyone looking to quickly understand the fundamental ideas that have shaped the modern world.