'Witty, thoughtful, entertaining ...a stylish book, which manages to make philosophy both enjoyable and relevant, at the same time providing a very sensible digest of consolations for many of our current psychological ills' - Anthony Clare, "LiteraryReview".
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"It is common," Alain de Botton writes in The Consolations of Philosophy, "to assume that we are dealing with a highly intelligent book when we cease to understand it. Profound ideas cannot, after all, be explained in the language of children." While his easygoing exploration of philosophers from Socrates to Nietzsche isn't exactly written for the Blue's Clues set, few readers will cease to understand it. Furthermore, it's a joy to read. De Botton's 1997 How Proust Can Change Your Life forged a new kind of lit crit: an exploration of Remembrance of Things Past, delivered in the sweet-gummed envelope of an advice book. He returns to the self-help format here, this time plundering the great thinkers to puzzle out the way we ought to live.
What was stunning about the Proust book was de Botton's brazen annexing of a hallowed novelist to address lite emotional problems. That format is less arresting when applied to the philosophers, since which earnest philosophy major has not, from time to time, tried to apply the alpine heights of thought to his own humble worries? Usually, sophomoric attempts to turn to, say, Kant for advice on love tend to be unmitigated disasters. In de Botton's case, however, he is able to find consolation for a broken heart in Schopenhauer, consolation for inadequacy in Montaigne. Epicurus, usually associated with a love of luxury, is a solace for those of us without much money--and de Botton learns from him that "objects mimic in a material dimension what we require in a psychological one. We need to rearrange our minds but are lured towards new shelves. We buy a cashmere cardigan as a substitute for the counsel of friends."
Lest the reader become burdened by all this philosophizing, the book is peppered with illustrations--the section on Nietzsche of course includes a DC Comics drawing of Superman. And it's further leavened by the author's personal anecdotes and winning confessional tone. Early on, for instance, he admits his own gnawing need for popularity: "A desire to please led me to laugh at modest jokes like a parent on the opening night of a school play." Before he became a medicine man for the soul, de Botton was a first-rate novelist, and it shows in his writing. --Claire Dederer
"An enjoyable read... In clear, witty prose, de Botton...sets some of [the philosophers'] ideas to the mundane task of helping readers with their personal problems.... The quietly ironic style and eclectic approach will gratify many postmodern readers."
-- Publishers Weekly
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Paperback. Condition: Good. THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER One of the most influential voices in modern philosophy - the author of The Course of Love, Religion for Atheists, The Art of Travel and The School of Life Alain de Botton presents a one-stop shop for solving the problems of everyday life through the wisdom of history's great philosophers 'Singlehandedly, de Botton has taken philosophy back to its simplest and most important purpose: helping us live our lives' Independent 'Few discussions on the great philosophers can have been so entertaining. An ingenious, imaginative book' The Sunday Times 'Witty, thoughtful, entertaining. It manages to make philosophy both enjoyable and relevant' Anthony Clare, Literary Review 'No doubt about it, philosophy is the new rock and roll and Alain de Botton is its Colonel Tom Parker. A pleasure to read. And good writing, like good philosophy, is always a consolation' John Banville, Irish Times Alain de Botton has set six of the finest minds in the history of philosophy to work on the problems of everyday life. Find out what Socrates, Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche would say about the things that bother us all the most: lack of money, the pain of love, inadequacy, anxiety, the fear of failure and the pressure to conform. The book has been read but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact and the cover is intact. Some minor wear to the spine. Seller Inventory # GOR001302630
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER One of the most influential voices in modern philosophy - the author of The Course of Love, Religion for Atheists, The Art of Travel and The School of Life Alain de Botton presents a one-stop shop for solving the problems of everyday life through the wisdom of history's great philosophers 'Singlehandedly, de Botton has taken philosophy back to its simplest and most important purpose: helping us live our lives' Independent 'Few discussions on the great philosophers can have been so entertaining. An ingenious, imaginative book' The Sunday Times 'Witty, thoughtful, entertaining. It manages to make philosophy both enjoyable and relevant' Anthony Clare, Literary Review 'No doubt about it, philosophy is the new rock and roll and Alain de Botton is its Colonel Tom Parker. A pleasure to read. And good writing, like good philosophy, is always a consolation' John Banville, Irish Times Alain de Botton has set six of the finest minds in the history of philosophy to work on the problems of everyday life. Find out what Socrates, Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche would say about the things that bother us all the most: lack of money, the pain of love, inadequacy, anxiety, the fear of failure and the pressure to conform. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR001230426
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