There are many Goodreads reviews saying the book was repetitive and too long. I found the book just long enough and the repetition helpful for me to understand Lear's thesis, which is that a radical hope is reasonable, practical, and courageous response to an ontological uprooting of one's culture.

My favorite part is this passage on the difference on courageous and confident person:

[M]erely confident persons are so because they just assume they are strongest and no harm will come to them (112).

Also, I found the endnotes particularly helpful for their recommendations on good English translations of philosophical classics. I'm particularly excited to try this translation of Aristotle's N.E., [b:Nicomachean Ethics|19071|Nicomachean Ethics|Aristotle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388602827l/19071._SX50_.jpg|2919427], after I gave up on it with this translation ([b:The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle|12494235|The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle|Aristotle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387701933l/12494235._SY75_.jpg|2919427]).