Fifty Major Philosophers (Routledge Key Guides) (ISBN 0415346096)

A survey of thought that set the trend:
Fifty Major Philosophers by Diane Collinson, is brief, neutral and objective, and fairly representative in its choice of the 50 key philosophers from ancient time till mid-50s/60s. For anyone who does not want to read too much to understand the important arguments in philosophy made by the most representative sample, this is the right reference work to begin. It lacks the detail of Will and Arial Durant's Story of Philosophy or richness of discussion of Frank Magill's Masterpeices of World Philosophy in Digest Form or the Range of Dagober Runes' Pictorial History of Philosophy. But this is precisely what makes it just right for lay readers. This book became the foundation for the style and format of the fifty key series published by Routledge, which has many useful volumes on thinkers and concepts.