In these wide-ranging essays Paul Hoffman argues that Descartes retains three Aristotelian doctrines: soul and body are related as form to matter; an agent's action is the same as the patient's passion; cognition is possible because things that exist in the world can exist in the soul in another way. Essays on Descartes is well?suited both for grazing and for focused forays into specific issues, and for that reason, it is a good thing that the essays can be read independently of each other. I hope the collection will get an audience beyond students and scholars of Descartes, if only to give the lie to prevailing stereotypes of Cartesian dualism. One doesn't have to agree with all of Hoffman's claims...to benefit from having familiar assumptions shaken up.