Martin Jay's *Songs of Experience* is a comprehensive exploration of the concept of 'experience' in European and American thought, tracing its evolution from Montaigne to 20th-century poststructuralists. Jay presents a map of the multifaceted meanings of experience, decomposing it into cognitive, religious, aesthetic, political, and historical dimensions, before moving to the idea of fading experience and the concept of experience without a subject. The book critically engages with various philosophical and historical perspectives, including Kant, Hegel, and Heidegger, while also addressing the influence of pragmatism and critical theory. Jay's work is characterized by a quasi-Hegelian structure, though he avoids a general synthesis, instead highlighting fragmented and specialized approaches to experience. Critics have noted the lack of a clear selection criteria for the concepts analyzed and the absence of phenomenology, which is crucial for a new anti-psychological and anti-positivist understanding of experience. Despite these shortcomings, Jay's study offers a rich and nuanced analysis of experience, challenging traditional notions and proposing a more holistic view. The book is praised for its breadth and depth, though some critics argue that it lacks a systematic approach to Freudian and psychoanalytic concepts, as well as the influence of Husserl and Wittgenstein. Overall, *Songs of Experience* is a significant contribution to the history of ideas, offering a critical and reflective examination of the concept of experience across different historical and philosophical contexts.Martin Jay's *Songs of Experience* is a comprehensive exploration of the concept of 'experience' in European and American thought, tracing its evolution from Montaigne to 20th-century poststructuralists. Jay presents a map of the multifaceted meanings of experience, decomposing it into cognitive, religious, aesthetic, political, and historical dimensions, before moving to the idea of fading experience and the concept of experience without a subject. The book critically engages with various philosophical and historical perspectives, including Kant, Hegel, and Heidegger, while also addressing the influence of pragmatism and critical theory. Jay's work is characterized by a quasi-Hegelian structure, though he avoids a general synthesis, instead highlighting fragmented and specialized approaches to experience. Critics have noted the lack of a clear selection criteria for the concepts analyzed and the absence of phenomenology, which is crucial for a new anti-psychological and anti-positivist understanding of experience. Despite these shortcomings, Jay's study offers a rich and nuanced analysis of experience, challenging traditional notions and proposing a more holistic view. The book is praised for its breadth and depth, though some critics argue that it lacks a systematic approach to Freudian and psychoanalytic concepts, as well as the influence of Husserl and Wittgenstein. Overall, *Songs of Experience* is a significant contribution to the history of ideas, offering a critical and reflective examination of the concept of experience across different historical and philosophical contexts.