Martin Buber's Journey to Presence

<p>What does Martin Buber mean in <em>I and Thou</em> by the claim that the one thing that matters is full acceptance of presence? An attempt to answer this question led the author on a journey of exploration through Buber's early writings to reach a clarification of Buber's predialogical concept of God. She examines Buber's first major philosophical work: <em>Daniel: Dialogues in Realization</em> drawing attention to inaccuracies in the available English translation. Buber's desire for presence she finds began with an overwhelming experience of absence. His search is for a presence that will not let him down that will not be a mis-encounter--that is for a presence that will ensure that there is meaning. </p><p><br></p><p>This book will be an invaluable text for the student looking for a readable guide to Buber's early writings. It will help readers to understand the rich depth and many layers of thought in Buber's masterpiece <em> I and Thou</em> and to appreciate the radical change that took place in Buber's concept of God prior to its publication in 1923.</p>