Book description
The Consolations of Philosophy is Alain de Botton's internationally
bestselling guide to life
The inspiration for the TV series Philsophy: A Guide to Happiness
Alain de Botton, bestselling author of How Proust Can Change Your
Life, has set six of the finest minds in the history of philosophy to
work on the problems of everyday life. Here then are Socrates,
Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, Schopenhauer and Nietsche on some of the
things that bother us all: lack of money, the pain of love,
inadequacy, anxiety; the fear of failure and the pressure to conform.
'Singlehandedly, de Botton has taken philosophy back to its simplest
and most important purpose: helping us live our lives' Independent
'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
'Few discussions on the great philosophers can have been so
entertaining . . . an ingenious, imaginative book' Humphrey Carpenter,
Sunday Times
'Witty, thoughtful, entertaining . . . a stylish book, which
manages to make philosophy both enjoyable and relevant' Anthony Clare,
Literary Review
'Gentle, helpful and humane . . . De Botton's instinct is surely
right: if we are to bring philosophy to life we should look again at
those thinkers who have sought to be not clever or paradoxical, but
simply wise' Roger Scruton, Mail on Sunday
Alain de Botton was born in 1969 and is the author of
non-fiction essays on themes ranging from love and travel to
architecture and philosophy. His bestselling books include Essays
in Love; The Romantic Movement; Kiss and Tell;
Status Anxiety; How Proust Can Change Your Life; The
Pleasures and Sorrows of Work; The Art of Travel; The
Architecture of Happiness and Religion for Atheists. He
lives in London and founded The School of Life (www. theschooloflife.
com) and Living Architecture (www. living-architecture. co. uk). For
more information, consult www. alaindebotton. com.
Alain de Botton was born in 1969. He is the author of three novels
and the bestselling HOW PROUST CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
