Popular philosophy Books

Book SynopsisHow to be Idle is Tom Hodgkinson''s brilliant guide to reclaiming your right to be idle''Well written, funny and with a scholarly knowledge of the literature of laziness, it is both a book to be enjoyed at leisure and to change lives'' Sunday TimesAs Oscar Wilde said, doing nothing is hard work. A burn-out work ethic has most of us in its thrall, and the idlers of this world have the odds stacked against them. But here, at last, is a book that can help. Hodgkinson presents us with a laid-back argument for a new contract between routine and chaos, an argument for experiencing life to the full and living in the moment. Ranging across a host of issues that affect the modern idler:-Sleep-Work-Pleasure and hedonism -Relationships-Bohemian living-Revolution Drawing on the writings of such well-known apologists for idleness as Oscar Wilde, Robert Louis Stevenson and Nietzsche, his message is clear: t

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Book Synopsis'A striking memoir...A must-read for anyone healing from complex trauma' Jeanette McCurdy, bestselling author of I'm Glad My Mom DiedEvery cell in my body is filled with the code of generations of trauma, of death, of birth, of migration, of history that I cannot understand. . . . I want to have words for what my bones know. By the age of thirty, Stephanie Foo was successful on paper: she had her dream job as an award-winning radio producer at This American Life and a loving boyfriend. But behind her office door, she was having panic attacks and sobbing at her desk every morning. After years of questioning what was wrong with herself, she was diagnosed with complex PTSD - a condition that occurs when trauma happens continuously, over the course of years. Both of Foo's parents abandoned her when she was a teenager, after years of physical and verbal abuse and neglect. She thought she'd moved on, but her new diagnosis illuminated the way her past continued to threaten her health, relationships, and career. She found limited resources to help her, so Foo set out to heal herself, and to map her experiences onto the scarce literature about C-PTSD. In this deeply personal and thoroughly researched account, Foo interviews scientists and psychologists and tries a variety of innovative therapies. She returns to her hometown in California to investigate the effects of immigrant trauma on the community, and she uncovers family secrets in the country of her birth, Malaysia, to learn how trauma can be inherited through generations. Ultimately, she discovers that you don't move on from trauma - but you can learn to move with it. Powerful, enlightening and hopeful, What My Bones Know is a brave narrative that reckons with the hold of the past over the present, the mind over the body - and examines one woman's ability to reclaim agency from her trauma.Trade ReviewA striking memoir...A must-read for anyone healing from complex trauma -- Jeanette McCurdy, bestselling author of I'M GLAD MY MOM DIEDAn intimate, deeply engrossing story of psychological recovery * The Australian *As Foo sheds necessary light on the little-discussed topic of C-PTSD, she holds out the hope that while 'healing is never final . . . along with the losses are the triumphs' that can positively transform a traumatized life. . . . A sharp, insightful and stirring memoir. * Kirkus Reviews *Foo's writing is shrewdly insightful. In telling her story so compellingly, she joins authors such as Anna Qu and Ly Tran in adding nuance to the 'model minority' myth, if not actively subverting it. . . . Highly recommended. -- Library Journal (starred review)This is a work of immense beauty. * Publishers Weekly *Many trauma survivors struggle to describe the seemingly indescribable sense of carrying something intangibly sharp - something there but not there - inside. But in What My Bones Know, Stephanie Foo details that and more. Her achingly exquisite memoir takes us on a journey through complex trauma, illuminating her path of self-discovery and providing real hope for those who long to heal. -- Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONEWhat My Bones Know is an absolute triumph. Foo's beautifully written memoir is a balm and a light for anyone afraid that their early traumas have permanently stunted their capacity for connection, love, and purpose. This book is a must-read for anyone hungry for hope. -- Christie Tate, New York Times bestselling author of GROUPStephanie Foo's incredible memoir speaks to so many things at once: the horrors of an abusive childhood, the enduring power of trauma, the messy science of the brain and the lifelong quest for meaning and healing. Funny and tragic, unflinchingly honest and relentlessly hopeful, What My Bones Know is a marvel of a book. -- Ed Yong, New York Times bestselling author of I CONTAIN MULTITUDESFoo's journalistic eye serves her generously through a hard-won examination of trauma and its aftermath. I cried while turning the pages; I knew that I was witnessing an astonishing literary endeavour. For others who live with C-PTSD, this is a crucial, life-changing book. -- Esmé Weijun Wang, New York Times bestselling author of THE COLLECTED SCHIZOPHRENIASAt turns funny and devastating, terrifying and transcendent, Foo's quest for understanding should be relevant not just to someone with C-PTSD but to anyone seeking to grow and be present in this one life. -- Jenny Odell, New York Times bestselling author of HOW TO DO NOTHINGIn What My Bones Know, Stephanie Foo mines her past in search of answers, uncovering what it means to navigate trauma over generations. With striking candidness, Foo takes readers on her journey to understand her diagnosis of complex PTSD, weaving together reporting and personal history. A testament to Foo's determination, What My Bones Know is an act of reclamation - and a bold, defiant proclamation: "I am here." -- Kat Chow, author of SEEING GHOSTS

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Book SynopsisIf we want to be true atheists, do we have to begin with a religious edifice and undermine it from within?Slavoj Žižek has long been a commentator on, and critic of, Christian theology. His preoccupation with Badiou''s concept of ''the event'' alongside the Pauline thought of the New Testament has led to a decidedly theological turn in his thinking. Drawing on traditions and subjects as broad as Buddhist thought, dialectical materialism, political subjectivity, quantum physics, AI and chatbots, this book articulates Žižek''s idea of a religious life for the first time. Christian Atheism is a unique insight into Žižek''s theological project and the first book-length exploration of his religious thinking. In his own words, to become a true dialectical materialist, one should go through the Christian experience. Crucial to his whole conception of ''experience'' is not some kind of spiritual revelation but rather the logic of materialistic thought. This af

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a detailed account for how aspiring sports bettors can use a Monte Carlo simulation to improve the quality, and hopefully profitability, of their betting, and in doing so unravels the mystery of probability and variance that lies at the heart of all gambling. ...Trade ReviewA comprehensive guide for how to make randomness work for you, rather than against you... This is ground-breaking work * Pinnacle *

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Book SynopsisPhilosophy in Minutes distils 200 of the most important philosophical ideas into easily digestible, bite-sized sections. The core information for every topic - including debates such as the role of philosophy in science and religion, key thinkers from Aristotle to Marx, and introductions to morality and ethics - is explained in straightforward language, using illustrations to make the concepts easy to understand and remember. Whether you are perplexed by existentialism or pondering the notion of free will, this accessible small-format book will help any reader to quickly grasp the basics of this highly nuanced subject. Chapters include: Truth and logic, Marxism, Communism and Socialism, Ontology, Philosophy and literature, Existence of God, Feminist theory, Consciousness, The future of philosophy.Table of ContentsIntroduction. Branches of philosophy. Greek philosophy. Eastern philosophy. Christianity and philosophy. Philosophy and Islam. Renaissance, reason and revolution. Empiricism. German idealism. Existentialism. Philosophy in the United States. Modern logic. Philosophy and science in the 20th century. Twentieth century political philosophy. Applied philosophy. Glossary. Index.

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Book SynopsisIn this joyous introduction to the major debates in Western philosophy, we see how cartoons can shed light and humour on life’s Big Questions. Topics such as gender, morality and the meaning of life are examined here with a razor wit and eye. Open this book (if it actually exists) and meet philosophers interrogating the world: De Beauvoir on a building site. Kant in a snowglobe. Machiavelli on a tennis court. This is philosophy as you’ve never seen it before.Trade Review‘I very much enjoyed it. Funny, succinct…just like a good cartoon.’ -- Matthew Dooley, award-winning cartoonist and author of The Practical Implications of Immortality

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Book SynopsisIdiocy is all around us, whether it's the uncle spouting conspiracy theories, the colleagues who repeat your point but louder, or the commuters who still don't know how to use an escalator. But what is the answer to this perpetual scourge? Here, philosopher Maxime Rovere turns his attention to the murkiest of intellectual corners. With warmth, wit and wisdom, he illuminates a new understanding of idiots, one which examines our relations to others and our own ego, offers tools and strategies to dismantle the most desperate of idiotic situations, and even reveals how to stop being the idiots ourselves (because we're always someone else's idiot). Expertly translated by David Bellos, this is an erudite, enjoyable and much-needed solution to a most familiar vexation.

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Book Synopsis'The perfect guide for a course correction in life' Deepak ChopraTo be forever looking beyond is to remain blind to what is here In this engaging and enduring work, pioneering Zen scholar Alan Watts examines humanity's place in the natural world and the spirit's connection to the body. Drawing on the precepts of Taoism, Watts offers an alternative vision of our place in the universe that will revolutionise the way you think, feel and live.Trade ReviewThe perfect guide for a course correction in life -- Deepak Chopra

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Book SynopsisIt is a daily undertaking – a morning shot of coffee, an absentminded sandwich at your desk, a hastily assembled dinner with the remnants from the fridge... With its every day ubiquity we can make the mistake of assuming that food is of little importance, or simply fuel to see us through the day. But what is its real impact on our emotional lives, and how can we better nourish ourselves? What we eat and how we eat it has a significant impact on our psychological well-being. In recent times, our society has been eager to recruit food to the project of physical health, but we’ve not always paid so much attention to how cooking and eating can assist us with our emotional health. With over 150 recipes, Thinking & Eating shows how ingredients and dishes can be supporters of certain ideas, emotions and states of mind that best help us confront the challenges of existence. In each recipe we discover of the ways in which food can store, memorialise and transmit the most important ideas of our lives.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'I read this book every day' - Jake Humphrey, author of High Performance 'A generous gift of guidance' - Maria Popova, editor of Brain Pickings 'A richly rewarding spring of practical wisdom to help you focus on what's in your control, eliminate false and limiting beliefs, and take more effective action.' - Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series Daily doses of practical, uplifting philosophy from the bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way Where can you find joy? What's the true measure of success? How should we manage anger? Find meaning? Conquer grief? The answers to these questions and more lie at the heart of Stoic philosophy. The Daily Stoic is a wise, calming, page-a-day guide to living a good life, offering inspirational daily doses of classic wisdom. Each page features a powerful quotation from the likes of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the playwright Seneca, or philosopher Epictetus, as well as historical anecdotes and thought-provoking commentary to help you tackle any problem, approach any goal and find the serenity, self-knowledge and resilience you need to live well.Trade ReviewIf Stoicism is becoming trendy, you can credit, or blame, Mr. Holiday. * New York Times *The Daily Stoic follows up on the success of [The Obstacle Is The Way] by providing a year of quotations and life lessons drawn from the three great Stoic sages. * Wall Street Journal *A generous gift of guidance on modern living culled from a canon of wisdom hatched long ago. -- Maria Popova, editor of Brain PickingsA richly rewarding spring of practical wisdom to help you focus on what's in your control, eliminate false and limiting beliefs, and take more effective action. Make The Daily Stoic your guide and you will grow in clarity, effectiveness, and serenity each day! -- Jack Canfield, co-author of 'The Success Principles'™ and the 'Chicken Soup for the Soul'® seriesA treasure for managing our choices, overcoming self-deception, and learning to act according to the true worth of things -- Joseph A. Maciariello, author of 'The Daily Drucker'Whether you're a lowly cubicle slave or a US Senator, this book will help you find your still center. -- Gregory Hays, translator of The Modern Library's edition of Marcus Aurelius' 'Meditations'; Professor of Classics and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the University of VirginiaThe Daily Stoic is a treasure for managing our choices, overcoming self-deception, and learning to act according to the true worth of things while keeping the common good always in view. Caring for the soul in this way makes not only better people, but a stronger society too. -- Joseph A. Maciariello, Professor Emeritus at Drucker and Ito Graduate Management School; author of The Daily Drucker, The Effective Executive in Action, and A Year with Peter DruckerReally digging this. -- Debra Messing, actressPraise for The Obstacle is the Way: 'A book for the bedside of every future - and current - leader in the world. -- Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power and Mastery[The book that's] turning the entrepreneurs and the moguls into hard-wired stoics * The Times *Ryan Holiday is part Machiavelli, part Ogilvy ... this whiz kid is the secret weapon you've never heard of. -- Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Work Week

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Book SynopsisOur society worships at the fountain of youth. Each year, we try to delay the arrival of old age, using everything at our disposal, from extreme exercise and botox to pilates and cosmetic dentistry. But in the process, are we missing out on a distinct and extraordinarily valuable stage of life? Asking whether it is better to be forever young or to grin toothlessly and live an authentic old age, bestselling author Daniel Klein journeys to the Greek island of Hydra. There he draws on the lives of octogenarian Greek locals, as well as philosophers ranging from Epicurus to Sartre, to discover the secrets of ageing happily. An escapist travel memoir, a droll meditation, and an optimistic guide to living well, this is a delightful jaunt through the terrain of old age, led by a witty and uniquely perceptive modern-day sage.Trade ReviewIt’s an affectionate portrait of the island [of Hydra] but is really a primer on making the most of life’ * Daily Telegraph, best books of 2014 *'I was bowled over by its easy charm and hard-won wisdom.' * Daily Mail *'Charming and intelligent. I enjoyed this book very much.' -- Diana Athill'Wry, whimsical, amusing and intelligent.' * Daily Telegraph *'Charming and accessible, this philosophical survey simply and accessibly makes academic philosophy relevant to ordinary human emotion.' * Kirkus Reviews *'An insightful meditation.' * The New York Times *'Both seduces and delights.' * Scotsman *'Klein's narrative is a delightful and spirited conversation, offering up the ingredients inherent to the art of living well in old age.' * Publishers Weekly *'Funny and wry.' * Huffington Post *

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Book SynopsisLike Alain de Botton crossed with Charlie Brooker, Foley succeeds in educating and enlightening us in this wry take on the existential dilemmas of modern life. ‘Fascinating . . . the quest for happiness and how we are getting it all wrong' Jeremy Vine, Sunday Telegraph The good news is that the great thinkers from history have proposed the same strategies for happiness and fulfilment. The bad news is that these turn out to be the very things most discouraged by contemporary culture. This knotty dilemma is the subject of The Age of Absurdity – a humourous and accessible investigation into how the desirable states of wellbeing and satisfaction are constantly undermined by modern life. Michael Foley examines the elusive conditions of happiness common to philosophy, spiritual teachings and contemporary psychology, then shows how these are becoming increasingly difficult to apply in a world of high expectations. The common challenges of earning a living, maintaining a relationship and ageing are becoming battlegrounds of existential angst and self-loathing in a culture that demands conspicuous consumption, high-octane partnerships and perpetual youth. Rather than denouncing and rejecting these challenges, Foley presents an entertaining strategy of not just accepting but embracing today's world – finding happiness in its absurdity.

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Book SynopsisAn essential set of tools and principles for healing your heart, finding love, and loving life.Finding love can be hard. Being single can feel even harder. In Love Life, world-renowned coach and New York Times bestselling author Matthew Hussey provides a practical roadmap for letting go of past relationships, overcoming the fear of getting left behind, and finding the love we want.Sometimes it feels like life and love are working against us. Just finding someone we like can be a struggle. Even when we do, we often find they're not ready, or they want different things. Then there's the internal fears and anxieties that lead us to self-sabotagethe ones that make us indulge the wrong behavior, hold back from expressing our needs for fear of losing someone, or overinvest in people and lose ourselves in the process. Love Life sheds light on these common patterns and how to overcome them, by showing us how to adopt new standards, elegantly communicate them, and develop the deepest levels of confidence that underpin them. Like many of us, Hussey has gone through major life changes over the past decade, and he opens up about his experiences, vulnerabilities, and mistakes.Love Life is about doing love better. More than a book about romantic relationships, Love Life shows us how to take control of each of the major relationships in our lives: our relationship with others, our relationship with ourselves, and our relationship with life itself.Our love lives have the power to elevate or eradicate the adjacent joy in our lives. Love Life sets you on the path to finding the love of your life, while deepening your love for life.

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Book SynopsisA Guide for the Perplexed is E. F. Schumacher''s classic work of philosophy and a statement of the philosophies that underpin his economic masterpiece Small is Beautiful. Schumacher asserts that it is the task of philosophy to provide a map of life and knowledge, which exhibits the most important features of life in their proper prominence.Trade ReviewA condensation of a vast and refreshingly unorthodox system of ideas -- Arthur Koestler * Observer *Schumacher's arguments are invigorating, provoking, and often dramatic * New Statesman *The most exciting philosophical book for ages * Daily Mail *There is a rich store of wisdom and understanding, embedded in the religions of East and West, which our dangerous preoccupation with science has scanted and ignored... This book is about the different ways in which people may see and the blindness of only seeing in one particular way. * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisMetaphysics is one of the traditional four main branches of philosophy, alongside ethics, logic and epistemology. It is also an area that continues to attract and hold a fascination for many people yet it is associated with being complex and abstract. For some it is associated with the mystical or religious. For others it is known through the metaphysical poets who talk of love and spirituality. This Very Short Introduction goes right to the heart of the matter, getting to the basic and most important questions of metaphysical thought in order to understand the theory: What are objects? Do colours and shapes have some form of existence? What is it for one thing to cause another rather than just being associated with it? What is possible? Does time pass? By using these questions to initiate thought about the basic issues around substance, properties, changes, causes, possibilities, time, personal identity, nothingness and emergentism, Stephen Mumford provides a clear and simple path through this analytical tradition at the core of philosophical thought. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewIt manages to be jargon-free without sacrificing rigour and complexity. * Times Higher Education Supplement *Table of ContentsFURTHE READING: WHAT SHOULD YOU READ NEXT?; INDEX

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Book SynopsisHe shows how many of self-help's suggested routes to happiness and success - such as positive thinking, self-belief and setting goals - can be disastrous to follow and, indeed, actually cause anxiety.Happy aims to reclaim happiness and to enable us to appreciate the good things in life, in all their transient glory.Trade ReviewWitty, useful and beautifully written... this book grapples expansively with the most profound questions any of us face * The Sunday Times *Brilliant. Really brilliant and just crammed with wisdom and insight. It will genuinely make a difference to me and the way I think about myself. I'm going to recommend it to everyone I know. -- Stephen FryBrown tries to resurrect the original Stoic ambitions here: not just to live well but to die well, too. His book is thoughtful, insightful and ultimately, well, helpful. * Sunday Times Books of the Year *Til now, we've known Derren Brown as a supreme illusionist and magician. Now he surprises us with a new and brilliant identity: as a philosopher. Not just any philosopher. Brown takes philosophy back to its truest task: that of helping us to live and die well. His book is deeply informative, moving, wise and full of love. It sets out to change lives - and it will. Derren has pulled off a properly implausible trick: that of making the deepest ideas relevant, humane and urgent. -- Alain de BottonIn this wise and perceptive book Derren Brown has conjoined personal experience, profoundly sensible psychology and the magic of philosophy to produce a really excellent account of how to be happy - really, maturely, properly happy. This is a wonderfully educative - and enjoyable! - book, and should be on everyone's reading list, always. -- A.C. Grayling

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Book SynopsisFor over 2000 years, philosophy has been our best guide to the experience of being human, and the true nature of reality. From Aristotle, Plato, Epicurus, Confucius, Cicero and Heraclitus in ancient times to 17th century rationalists Descartes, Leibniz and Spinoza, from 20th-century greats Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean Baudrillard and Simone de Beauvoir to contemporary thinkers Michael Sandel, Peter Singer and Slavoj Zizek, 50 Philosophy Classics explores key writings that have shaped the discipline and had an impact on the real world. This is the thinking person''s guide to a uniquely powerful tool for opening our minds and helping us view the world. It synthesises the 50 greatest books ever written, distilling hundreds of ideas from across the centuries with insightful commentary, key quotes and biographical information on the authors.The revised edition will: include 7 new contemporary or timely classics such as Judith Butler''s Gender Trouble,

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Book Synopsis~ NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ~ From the creator of Hamilton: The Musical and star of His Dark Materials, this beautifully illustrated book of pep talks will inspire you at the beginning and end of each day.When the world is bringing you down, Gmorning, Gnight! will remind you that you are awesome. - BooklistA perfect choice for anyone who wants to blow away negativity and avoid getting stuck in the comments section of life. - The HeraldWhether you want to change your morning mindset or calm your head before you sleep, Lin-Manuel Miranda has just the right pep talk for you. He wrote these original sayings, aphorisms, and poetry for himself as much as for others. But as Miranda was catapulted to international fame and his audience grew, these messages began to delight thousands across the world.Now, GMORNING, GNIGHT! gathers the best of his daily greetings into a beautiful collection illustrated by acclaimed artiTrade ReviewWhen the world is bringing you down, Gmorning, Gnight! will remind you that you are awesome. - BooklistA perfect choice for anyone who wants to blow away negativity and avoid getting stuck in the comments section of life. - The Herald

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Book SynopsisHere Scruton explains the connection between good wine and serious thought with a heady mix of humour and philosophy.We are familiar with the medical opinion that a daily glass of wine is good for the health and also the rival opinion that any more than a glass or two will set us on the road to ruin.Whether or not good for the body, Scruton argues, wine, drunk in the right frame of mind, is definitely good for the soul. And there is no better accompaniment to wine than philosophy. By thinking with wine, you can learn not only to drink in thoughts but to think in draughts.This good-humoured book offers an antidote to the pretentious clap-trap that is written about wine today and a profound apology for the drink on which civilisation has been founded.In vino veritas.Trade ReviewIf you are searching for an interesting gift for the wine buff in your life, this will last a lot longer than another bottle of wine ... The greatest joy of this book is the appendix where [Scruton] suggests what wines to drink with different philosophers' works. It is irreverent and funny, but at the same time, wise. * The Bookbag *By turns challenging, enjoyable, thought-provoking * Times Literary Supplement *[Scruton's] indisputable passion for wine will send you off to your next glass better informed and more thoughtful than before. * Metro *[Scruton] writes deliciously ... this book is a marvellous read - provocative, spicy, balanced and brimful of wise words ... it is hugely recommendable. * The Oldie *A good-natured and witty exploration of the wine-drinking phenomenon, from its place in Christian worship to a sojourn down at the local bar. * Good Book Guide *I have never met Roger Scruton, though I would like to ... Scruton's book is for people who are already wine lovers and want to link their pleasure to a greater world outside * The Spectator *They don't come much more knowledgeable than Roger Scruton ... light-hearted but thought-provoking * Bath Life *He is by turns interesting, fatuous, informative, cranky, outrageous, rhetorically self-indulgent, and insightful...For general readers, and especially Monty Python fans, this book is great fun. Summing Up: Recommended. -- R.T. Lee * CHOICE *[Scruton is] clearly a man of remarkable energy, art and scope ... [An] entertaining experience. * The Australian *Scruton liberally dispenses nuggets of wisdom throughout his book and very effectively uses personal narratives to make his case... the patient reader and drinker has much to glean by following the author's gustatory and thought-provoking journey in the world of wine. * The European Legacy, Volume 16, Number 5 *A novel approach...there are nuggets of wisdom and insight. * The Herald *[An] elegant defense of wine and its place in society ... offers a window into an unusually original, subtle, and independent mind: the mind of a gifted philosopher ... all wine lovers should feel compelled to read him. * The World of Fine Wine *The third chapter is one of the finest expressions of reverence to French wines I have ever read - perfect for curling up with in front of the fire, with a large glass of claret. * The Scotsman *[Scruton] is no slouch when it comes to wine ... the first part of the book combines a memoir of his development as a "wino" (his word) with some useful tips and factoids ... in the book's second part ... he is good on wine as the expression of a place and community, on the nuances of intoxication and on the social beneficence of buying rounds. * The Observer *Spendid ... partly a serious guide to the wines of France, Italy, and Spain and (if you must) the "New World", it is also very funny ... this is one of Scruton's most enjoyable books, uncorking much wisdom, and concluding with a wicked guide to the right drink to take while reading various philosophers. -- Steven Poole * The Guardian *Witty and philosophical. * The Daily Telegraph *[Written with] customary brio * Times Higher Education *Roger Scruton's 2009 memoir I Drink Therefore I Am: A Philosopher's Guide to Wine is a splendidly convivial fireside draught... A sweet hymn to Bacchus. * www.theguardian.com *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Drugs that are Tolerated and Forbidden 2. Alcohol and its Effects 3. The Ancients and Religious Rituals 4. Wine, Self Certainty and Philosophy 5. Paying Bacchus his Due 6. Wine and the Moral Vacuum 7. American Health Warnings 8. Wine as an Accompaniment to Thought 9. Wine as Something to Live By

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Book SynopsisThis fascinating book charts the relationship between Mark Rowlands, a rootless philosopher, and Brenin, his extraordinarily well-travelled wolf. More than just an exotic pet, Brenin exerted an immense influence on Rowlands as both a person, and, strangely enough, as a philosopher, leading him to re-evaluate his attitude to love, happiness, nature and death. By turns funny (what do you do when your wolf eats your air-conditioning unit?) and poignant, this life-affirming classic of popular philosophy will make you reappraise what it means to be human.Trade ReviewThis year's most original and instructive work of popular philosophy ... a remarkable portrait of the bond that can exist between a human being and a beast ... [Rowlands is] a rare contemporary philosopher who is able to learn from everything he experiences in life, not just books and academic journals. That is what makes The Philosopher and the Wolf so refreshing * Financial Times *An extraordinary memoir * Daily Mail *A powerfully subversive critique of the unexamined assumption that shape the way most philosophers - along with most people - think about animals and themselves * Literary Review *Nothing short of human existence, survival and our relationship to all other creatures is examined here and it's all written in a beautifully elegiac way. The heart-strings will be pulled and the mind stimulated * City AM *The Philosopher and the Wolf has been one of the most intense reading experiences of my life. There is hardly a sentence in the book that did not engage me, stop me, make me think. It is a profound and beautiful book -- Jeffrey MassonAn absolute stunner of a book. Impossible not to be moved by the painfully personal narrative and the depth of reflection. Just enthralling and unputdownable -- Professor Andrew Linzey * Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics *Mark Rowlands has given us that rarest of things - a book that takes the reader beyond the human world, while exploring the deepest human emotions. This moving account of the life he lived with an adopted wolf will be recognized as a seminal work of philosophy that forces us to re-evaluate our view of the human animal -- John GrayThe Philosopher and the Wolf is a wonderful book. It's rare that a professor lets his hair down and weaves sentiment, heart, and love into deeper and supposedly more objective academic issues. Mark Rowlands does just this and I will be sharing his book widely -- Marc Bekoff, author of WILD JUSTICE: THE MORAL LIVES OF ANIMALSRarely has a single animal inspired such deep reflections on morality, mortality, and misanthropy ... a human memoir that reads like a tormented love affair with its animal star -- Frans de Waal, author of OUR INNER APEExtraordinary work of popular philosophy in which the author of Everything I Know I Learned From TV describes what he learned about life, the universe and everything while living with an adopted wolf, Brenin, at his side * The Bookseller *This book is about ... the fundamental questions of love, happiness, morality and human existence -- Lucy Hope * Big Issue in the North *A remarkably touching tale of nature, humanity and the potential for each to transform the other -- James Crabtree * New Humanist *An unusual little book ... It is perhaps best described as the autobiography of an idea, or rather a set of related ideas, about the relationship between human and non-human animals -- Jonathan Derbyshire * Guardian *A powerfully subversive critique of the unexamined assumptions that shape the way most philosophers - along with most people - think about animals and themselves -- John Gray * Literary Review *Rowlands' clarity of thought and his honesty ... are what make one's hitching a ride on this journey a mostly intriguing and seamless ride -- Tom Adair * Scotland on Sunday *A meditation on what it means to be lupine and how it reflects the human -- Janice Galloway * Scotsman *The book takes varyingly interesting diversions into philosophical territory ... Rowlands does a good job (with the help of Nietzsche) of questioning our attitude towards death -- Keith Ridgway * Daily Telegraph *Rowland's memoir is life-affirming, engrossing, thoughtful and moving ... The Philosopher and the Wolf could become a philosophical cult classic -- Mark Vernon * Times Literary Supplement *Rowlands communicates his ideas in a way that is humorous, compelling and moving ... [he] succeeds remarkably well in engaging the reader. Largely this is because of the emotional intensity of the narrative -- James Carney * Sunday Business Post (Ireland) *This fascinating and stimulating story of integrating a full-blooded wolf into the life of a philosophy professor veers between the profound and the hilarious. In turns touching and poignant ... this chronicle will make you think deeply about our relationship with domestic animals and about our responsibilities for them -- Roger Fletcher * Morning Star *An exceptionally moving saga * Times Higher Education Supplement *Moving and unsettling memoir * London Review of Books *An extraordinary, moving book -- Sarah Broadhurst * Bookseller *Thoroughly touching ... deeply moving -- Lianne Steinberg * Big Issue in the North *By turns moving and funny ... offers every reason to look again at how we view other animals ... Rowlands writes with real power of a profoundly intense and rewarding relationship -- Nick Churchill * Daily Echo *It is a remarkable book * Andover Advertiser *This moving and often unsettling memoir tells the story ... of how Rowlands's philosophy was transformed by this extended, intimate encounter with the wild * London Review of Books *Funny, engrossing ... heartbreaking ... enchanting and often disturbing ... and almost always beautifully written * The Age (Melbourne) *Rowlands is a passionate chronicler as he casts nets of meaning over the animal. But it is the wolf itself that leaps most vigorously off the page, eluding all fallible cages of human thought, captivating the reader -- Anita Sethi * Independent on Sunday *An amusing, yet profound story that is both thought-provoking and informative -- Helen Peacocke * Oxford Times *This book is a rare treat ... an unexpectedly provocative exploration of what it means to be human ... [Rowlands] writes with great humour and warmth as he maps out lessons learned on the nature of love, loss and human weakness -- Aimee Shalan * Guardian *A profound and searching meditation ... Rowlands writes with rare rigour and elegance. Held together by an exciting and often extremely moving narrative, this is one of the most thought-stirring and life-affirming books of philosophy that I know -- John Gray * Prospect *A ripping yarn for anyone who loves animals -- Fiona Dalzell * Veterinary Times *Goes to places no ordinary book about philosophy would dare to go ... a unique and precious book -- Jon Fordham * Sublime *A memoir of a professor who raised a wolf cub. He weaves fabulous details about training the animal into the philosophy of human life. A wolf lives in a very honest and straightforward way. There's something to be learned from that -- Amanda Donohue * Daily Express *

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Book Synopsis'Full of heart.' Michael Harris, author of SolitudeBeing alone isn't something to endure - it's something to relish.________The average adult spends about a third of his or her waking time alone. Yet research suggests we aren't very good at using, never mind enjoying, alone time. Rising to the challenge, travel writer Stephanie Rosenbloom explores the joys and benefits of being alone in four mouth-watering journeys to the cities of Paris, Istanbul, Florence and New York, in four seasons.This is a book about the pleasures and benefits of savouring the moment, examining things closely, using all your senses to take in your surroundings, whether travelling to faraway places or walking the streets of your own city. Through on-the-ground observations and anecdotes, and drawing on the thinking of artists, writers and innovators who have cherished solitude, Alone Time illuminates the psychological arguments for alone time and lays bare the magic of going solo.Trade ReviewStephanie Rosenbloom writes with irresistible curiousity and grace. I was drawn in from page one. Alone Time will make you love your solitude and it'll leave you raring for solitary travels. This book is deeply researched and full of heart. * Michael Harris, author of The End of Absence and Solitude *An erudite and absorbing book... a "love letter to loners" and persuasvie argument for the bliss of solitude. * Saga Non-fiction book of the month *An evocative, observant book. * Time magazine *In Alone Time, the celebrated New York Times travel columnist espouses the virtues of solitude... Mixing her own analysis with insights from psychologists, sociologists, artists and innovators throughout history, Roesenbloom documents the restorative qualities of her 12-month tour or Paris, Istanbul, Florence and New York. If you're looking to reconnect with yourself and the world around you, this utterly unique reading experience will prove an inspiration. * 19th J.P. Morgan Reading List *A sublime sensory experience from start to finish. * Herald *

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Book SynopsisHow do you tell what's right from what's wrong? Can you always? What's the difference between deduction, induction and abduction? What are the best techniques for making an argument logically sound? In this fascinating little book, the smallest on its subject ever produced, philosopher Dr Earl Fontainelle explores the ancient art of Logic and demonstrates some of the techniques that have long been used to triumph over the debates and deceptions which assail us every day.

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Book SynopsisThe first in a new series of guided journals, leading the customer on a journey of self-reflection.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAs an explorer Erling Kagge is world class; as a writer he is equally gifted. This breathtaking, inspiring little book teaches us how to find precious moments of silence - whether we are crossing the Antarctic, climbing Everest, or on the train at rush hour -- Sir Ranulph FiennesSilence braces a space within which we can hear ourselves think. Quietly, wisely, it makes a case for dumbing the din of modern life, and learning to listen again. Drawing on the experiences of Kagge's extraordinary life in wild places, this is a book of great concentration -- Robert MacfarlaneErling Kagge is a philosophical adventurer - or perhaps an adventurous philosopher * New York Times *A breathtakingly beautiful, quietly life-changing book by the Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge, that shows us how to find perfect silence in our daily lives - however busy we are * Publisher's description *Silence braces a space within which we can hear ourselves think. Quietly, wisely, it makes a case for dumbing the din of modern life, and learning to listen again. Drawing on the experiences of Kagge's extraordinary life in wild places, this is a book of great concentration -- Robert Macfarlane

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE 48 LAWS OF POWER BRINGS YOU 365 MORE Over the last 25 years, Robert Greene has provided insights into every aspect of being human: whether that be getting what you want, understanding others' motivations, mastering your impulses, or recognising strengths and weaknesses. The Daily Laws distills that wisdom into easy-to-digest daily entries whose content spans power, seduction, war, strategy, politics, productivity, psychology, leadership, and adversity. Not only is this beautifully designed volume the perfect entry point for those new to Greene's penetrating insight, but it will also be a Rosetta stone for existing fans to understand and internalise the many lessons that fill his previous books. Read, re-read, and learn.Trade ReviewMachiavelli has a new rival, and Sun Tzu had better watch his back * New York Times *Teaches you how to connive your own way to the top like masters such as Keats, Darwin or Mozart * GQ *Hollywood producers and rappers are following an unlikely but ruthless guru * Sunday Times *A guide to all manner of devious and tactical schemes ... [Greene] sets out to shine a torch into all the murky corridors of power * Independent on Sunday *The person that gave me the best advice [of my life] was Robert Greene -- 50 Cent

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Book Synopsis'There to fill the Sapiens-size hole in your life' Observer A groundbreaking global overview of philosophy, travelling the world to provide a wide-ranging map of human thought One of the great unexplained wonders of history is that philosophy flowered entirely separately in China, India and Ancient Greece at more or less the same time. These writings would have a profound impact on the development of distinctive cultures in different parts of the world. In How the World Thinks Julian Baggini sets out to expand our horizons, exploring the philosophies of Japan, India, China and the Muslim world, as well as the lesser-known oral traditions of Africa and Australia's first peoples. Interviewing thinkers from around the globe, Baggini asks questions such as: why is the West is more individualistic than the East? What makes secularism a less powerful force in the Islamic world than in Europe? And how has China resisted pressures for greater political freedom? Baggini shows that by gaining greater knowledge of how others think we take the first step to a greater understanding of ourselves. 'Terrific. The intellectual and spiritual generosity of this book makes it an essential text for our fractious and dangerously divided era' Richard Holloway, author of Stories We Tell Ourselves 'This bold fascinating book seeks to inhabit other philosophical traditions, with humility but without patronisingly exempting them from the critique he applies to ours... Deft [and] rigorous' Jane O'Grady, Financial TimesTrade ReviewThis bold fascinating book seeks to inhabit other philosophical traditions, with humility but without patronisingly exempting them from the critique he applies to ours... Deft [and] rigorous -- Jane O'Grady * Financial Times *There to fill the Sapiens-size hole in your life * Observer *Terrific. The intellectual and spiritual generosity of this book makes it an essential text for our fractious and dangerously divided era -- Richard HollowaySuch scope, and such lucid, lightly worn learning. Enlightening, perspective-shifting, mind-expanding - a superb tour through world philosophies with an erudite and friendly guide -- Sarah BakewellTimely and important...this is his best [book] to date... Enthralling... This ingenious and open-hearted book is about the art of living well, something the West's philosophy has often neglected -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *Fascinating and unexpected... a dazzling kaleidoscope... [Baggini] has a true gift for making the difficult accessible in lapidary prose... Worth reading and re-reading -- Marina Vaizey * Arts Desk *What I loved about Julian Baggini's How the World Thinks: A Global History of Philosophy was its spiritual and intellectual generosity, and the author's ability to engage sympathetically with philosophical traditions that do not conform to his own preferred rationalist approach -- Book of the Year selected by Richard Holloway * Tablet *If you've ever wondered why the West tends to reward individual success, why some religions prioritise speech and some silence, or what lessons can be drawn by comparing Vincent Van Gogh and Michael Winner, this is a book for you * History Revealed *One of the great philosophical popularisers of his age... Baggini summarises and explicates with the greatest precision, compression and élan -- Christopher Bray * Tablet *One of the great unexplained wonders of human history is that written philosophy flowered entirely separately in China, India and Ancient Greece at more or less the same time. These early philosophies have had a profound impact on the development of distinctive cultures in different parts of the world. Baggini also looks at the differences between east and west and different religions * Four Shires Magazine *Ground-breaking -- Sarah Dennis * Oxford Times *Eye-opening * Prospect *[For] a broader audience with no philosophical training... Baggini [...] is cheerful and wide-eyed, moving from one big idea to another like a food lover at an opulent buffet * TLS *Highly readable * Times Higher Education *A brilliantly accessible coalescence of thought and belief from around the world...A triumph of comparative philosophy with widespread relevance for the way we live today -- Book of the Month * Waterstones *There is also a need for books that explain non-Western philosophical traditions to the interested non-specialist. Julian Baggini's How The World Thinks is an excellent example of this genre * TLS *

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Book SynopsisTough times don't last. Tough people do. In this book, the author shows that highly improbable and unpredictable events underlie almost everything about our world.Trade ReviewReally made me think about how I think -- Mohsin Hamid * Guardian *The hottest thinker in the world -- Bryan Appleyard * The Sunday Times *A superhero of the mind -- Boyd TonkinWall Street's principal dissident -- Malcolm GladwellA guru for every would-be Damien Hirst, George Soros and aspirant despot -- John Cornwell * Sunday Times *Nassim Taleb, in his exasperating but compelling book Antifragile, praises "things that gain from disorder" - people, policies and institutions designed to thrive on volatility, instead of shattering in the encounter with it -- Oliver Burkman * Guardian *More than just robust or flexible, it actively thrives on disruption -- Julian Baggini * Guardian *Modern life is akin to a chronic stress injury. And the way to combat it is to embrace randomness in all its forms. . . Taleb is the great seer of the modern age * Guardian *Something antifragile actively thrives under the impact of the unexpected...to embrace randomness rather than trying to control it * The Sunday Times *Enduring volatility is one thing; what about benefiting from it? That is what Taleb calls 'antifragility' and he thinks that it is the ultimate model to aspire to - for individuals, financial institutions, even nations. . . May well capture a quality that you have long aspired to without having quite known quite what it is. . . I saw the world afresh * The Times *Taleb takes on everything from the mistakes of modern architecture to the dangers of meddlesome doctors and how overrated formal education is. . . . An ambitious and thought-provoking read . . . highly entertaining * Economist *This is a bold, entertaining, clever book, richly crammed with insights, stories, fine phrases and intriguing asides. . . . I will have to read it again. And again * Wall Street Journal *[Taleb] writes as if he were the illegitimate spawn of David Hume and Rev. Bayes, with some DNA mixed in from Norbert Weiner and Laurence Sterne. . . . Taleb is writing original stuff-not only within the management space but for readers of any literature-and . . . you will learn more about more things from this book and be challenged in more ways than by any other book you have read this year. Trust me on this * Harvard Business Review *What sometimes goes unsaid about Taleb is that he's a very funny writer. Taleb has a finely tuned BS detector, which he wields throughout the book to debunk pervasive yet pernicious ideas. . . . Antifragility isn't just sound economic and political doctrine. It's also the key to a good life * Fortune *At once thought-provoking and brilliant, this book dares you not to read it * Los Angeles Times *

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Book SynopsisTHE BIG PANDA AND TINY DRAGON AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR JAMES NORBURY TELLS THE STORY OF THE CAT WHO LEARNED HOW TO BE MORE ZEN . . .I''ve learnt that what we want is seldom what we need, and what we need is almost never what we wantThis is the tale of a cat wise in the ways of zen, journeying to discover a fabled ancient pine, under which infinite wisdom may be found.Along the way he meets a vivid cast of animals: from an anxious monkey and a tortoise tired of life, to a tiger struggling with anger, a confused wolf cub and a covetous crow.But it''s a surprise encounter with a playful kitten, that forces the cat to question everything . . .Told in a gentle, calming style, The Cat Who Taught Zen introduces a new cast of characters for readers of all ages to fall in love with, offering timeless wisdom wrapped up into a tale of beguiling beauty.__________Big Panda and Tiny Dragon, Sunday Times bestseller, July 2022

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Book SynopsisThe Number One International bestseller'We need books like this one' - psychologist Steven PinkerAt last, stupidity explained! And by some of the world’s smartest people, among them Daniel Kahneman, Dan Ariely, Alison Gopnik, Howard Gardner, Antonio Damasio, Aaron James and Ryan Holiday.Stupidity is all around us, from the colleagues who won’t stop hitting ‘reply all’ to the former school friends posting conspiracy theories on Facebook. But in order to battle idiocy, we must first understand it. In The Psychology of Stupidity, some of the world’s leading psychologists and thinkers – including a Nobel Prize winner – will show you . . .· Why smart people sometimes believe in utter nonsense· How our lazy brains cause us to make the wrong decisions· Why trying to debate with fools is a trap· How media manipulation and Internet overstimulation makes us dumber· Why the stupidest people don’t think they’re stupidAs long as there have been humans there has been human stupidity, but with wit and wisdom these great thinkers can help us understand this persistent human affliction.Trade ReviewWe need books like this one -- Steven PinkerI was totally hooked. Everybody loves it. * La Grande Librairie *A very clever book. * Le Canard Enchaîné *Can you study stupidity? The answer is a resounding YES. * Le Quotidien *Entertaining and instructive. * France Inter *Clear and accessible to everyone * Lire *A comprehensive and witty inquiry into human folly in its myriad forms . . . [with a] wealth of insights . . . Urgent and transformative, this compendium will leave readers equally amused, appalled, and enlightened. * Publishers Weekly *Are people getting dumber, or does it just look that way? . . . A smart collection. * Kirkus Reviews *Remarkably comprehensive and accessible . . . The book has an easygoing, colloquial feel to it. . . . An illuminating look at a subject that is more complex than it might appear to be. * Booklist *Fascinating . . . From morons to idiots to *ssholes, they’re all here. * News24, South Africa *A blunt and sometimes hilarious examination of human error. * Business Day, South Africa *

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Book Synopsis''Their icy blasts are refreshing and restorative. They tell you the worst. And having heard the worst, you feel less bad'' Blake MorrisonWritten in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the emperor struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. While the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation and encouragement, Marcus Aurelius also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a timeless collection that has been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and readers throughout the centuries.Translated with notes by MARTIN HAMMOND with an Introduction by DISKIN CLAYTrade ReviewMartin Hammond's translation of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, like his Iliad and Odyssey, is the work of an unusually gifted translator, and one who understands the value added by careful attention to supplementary material. He writes natural English, direct and often eloquent; the text is well supported by effective notes and a characteristically thorough and well-planned index; Diskin Clay supplies a useful introduction. This is a fine volume -- Malcolm Heath * Greece & Rome Journal *Marcus is well served by this new translation. Hammond has a pithy turn of phrase to match the emperor's own . . . His notes abound in helpful explanation and illuminating cross-reference. Diskin Clay contributes a sparkling and sympathetic introduction. The combination of introduction, translation and notes is as good as they get -- John Taylor * Journal of Classics Teaching *

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Book SynopsisThe feminist book they tried to ban in FranceA delightful book' Roxane GayWomen, especially feminists and lesbians, have long been accused of hating men. Our instinct is to deny it at all costs. (After all, women have been burnt at the stake for admitting to less.)But what if mistrusting men, disliking men and yes, maybe even hating men is, in fact, a useful response to sexism? What if such a response offers a way out of oppression, a means of resistance? What if it even offers a path to joy, solidarity and sisterhood?In this sparkling essay, as mischievous and provocative as it is urgent and serious, Pauline Harmange interrogates modern attitudes to feminism and makes a rallying cry for women to find a greater love for each other and themselves.Trade Review‘A good book, written from a burning heart but with a cool head’ The Times ‘Rousing … a call to liberation. Her writing is full of hope, unwavering in its trust of other women and their abilities’ Independent ‘An exhilarating essay to be read in one sitting’ Libération ‘Written in wise prose, devoid of excess or rage, I Hate Men explores the terrain of contemporary feminism, its arguments in keeping with those of writers like Rebecca Solnit, as well as the movement's key ideas: patriarchy, the mental load, #MeToo and solidarity’ L’Obs

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Book SynopsisRethink your view of the world with The Teachings of Don Juan, the first book in Carlos Castaneda''s spiritual journey into the world of sorcery... The Teachings of don Juan is the story of Carlos Castaneda''s extraordinary experiences. In 1960 Carlos Castaneda was a graduate student when he met Don Juan, a Yaqui Indian feared and shunned by the ordinary folk of the American Southwest because of his unnatural powers. During the next five years don Juan''s arcana knowledge led Castaneda into a world of beauty and terror, ruled by concepts far beyond those of Western civilisation. Using medicinal herbs Castaneda lived through encounters with disembodied spirits, shamans in the form of huge wolves, and death in the shape of silver crows. Finally, after a night of utter terror in which he knew that his life was threatened by forces which he still cannot fully explain, he gave up his struggle to become a ''Man Of Knowledge''. ''It gives a different view of the world and challenges the ideas and beliefs that we have be taught, whilst also providing simple methods to changing the way we interact with the world on a day to day basis.'' - 5* Reader Review

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Book SynopsisReligion is currently gaining a much higher profile. The number of faith schools is increasingly, and religious points of view are being aired more frequently in the media. As religion''s profile rises, those who reject religion, including humanists, often find themselves misunderstood, and occasionally misrepresented. Stephen Law explores how humanism uses science and reason to make sense of the world, looking at how it encourages individual moral responsibility and shows that life can have meaning without religion. Challenging some of the common misconceptions, he seeks to dispute the claims that atheism and humanism are ''faith positions'' and that without God there can be no morality and our lives are left without purpose. Looking at the history of humanism and its development as a philosophical alternative, he examines the arguments for and against the existence of God, and explores the role humanism plays in moral and secular societies, as well as in moral and religious education. Using humanism to determine the meaning of life, he shows that there is a positive alternative to traditional religious belief.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. The history of humanism ; 2. Arguments for the existence of God ; 3. An argument against the existence of God ; 4. Humanism and morality ; 5. Humanism and secularism ; 6. Humanism and moral and religious education ; 7. The meaning of life ; 8. Humanist ceremonies

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Book SynopsisTravelling through time from Ancient Egypt to today, A History of Love and Hate in 21 Statues unpicks the past, illuminates the present and offers a new perspective on the future through these controversial symbols of our identity.Trade Review'Fascinating analysis. A great read.’ Julia Hartley-Brewer, TalkRADIO TV Breakfast Show"An innovative and compelling examination of the fundamental DNA of humanity - our talent for creation and destruction." ROBIN MORGAN, award-winning journalist & former editor of The Sunday Times Magazine“This book considers why statues, and their removal, continue to provoke strong emotions. It also tells us the stories of 21 acts of statue destruction, why they took place, and what they tell us about our view of the past.” BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE'An enjoyable survey of historical antagonism, and a welcome alternative perspective on a flashpoint in the culture wars' Dominic Selwood, TLS Table of ContentsIntroduction: Lone and Level Sands Hatshepsut (Thebes, Egypt) Nero (Colchester, UK) Athena (Palmyra, Syria) The Buddhas of Bamiyan (Bamiyan, Afghanistan) Hecate (Constantinople, Byzantine Empire) Our Lady of Caversham (Caversham, UK) Huitzilopochtli (Tenochtitlan, Mexico) Confucius (Qufu, China) Louis XV (Paris, France) Felix Mendelssohn (Leipzig, Germany) The Confederate Monument (Portsmouth, Virginia, USA) Sir John A. Macdonald (Montreal, Canada) Edward Colston (Bristol, UK) Christopher Columbus (Caracas, Venezuela) Cecil Rhodes (Cape Town, South Africa) George Washington (Portland, Oregon, USA) Joseph Stalin (Budapest, Hungary) Yagan (Perth, Australia) Saddam Hussein (Baghdad, Iraq) B.R. Ambedkar (Vederanyam, India) Frederick Douglass (Rochester, New York, USA) Epilogue: Khaled al-Asaad Acknowledgements Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA wonderful introduction to history''s most influential scribblers.--Steven PinkerWhat is truly at stake in politics? Nothing less than how we should live, as individuals and as communities. This book goes beyond the surface headlines, the fake news and the hysteria to explore the timeless questions posed and answers offered by a diverse group of the 30 greatest political thinkers who have ever lived.Are we political, economic, or religious animals? Should we live in small city-states, nations, or multinational empires? What values should politics promote? Should wealth be owned privately or in common? Do animals also have rights? There is no idea too radical for this global assortment of thinkers, which includes: Confucius; Plato; Augustine; Machiavelli; Burke; Wollstonecraft; Marx; Nietzsche; Gandhi; Qutb; Arendt; Nussbaum, Naess and Rawls. In each brief chapter, the authors paint a vivid portrait of these often prescient, always compelling poTrade ReviewA wonderful introduction to history’s most influential scribblers, filled with clear explanations and engaging detail. -- Steven Pinker, author of 'Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress'The authors have written a kind of Plutarch’s Lives of the great political philosophers. Their lively and engaging style make even the most abstract ideas come alive. This is a book that can be read and enjoyed by all. -- Steven B. Smith, Alfred Cowles Professor of Political Science, Yale University, author of Political PhilosophyAn elegant meditation on political power … Garrard and Murphy take a self-critical view of citizenship, insisting that "you may not care about politics, but politics cares about you" -- Eric Beerbohm, Professor of Government, Harvard UniversityThis book offers an excellent preparation for those who seek to distinguish the best from the worst in political life. -- Michael D. Gillespie, Professor of Political Science and Philosophy, Duke UniversityTable of ContentsThinker Dates Introduction: Politics - Might Made Right ANCIENTS 1 Confucius: The Sage 2 Plato: The Dramatist 3 Aristotle: The Biologist 4 Augustine: The Realist MEDIEVALS 5 Al-Farabi: The Imam 6 Maimonides: The Lawgiver 7 Thomas Aquinas: The Harmonizer MODERNS 8 Niccolò Machiavelli: The Patrio 9 Thomas Hobbes: The Absolutist 10 John Locke: The Puritan 11 David Hume: The Sceptic 12 Jean-Jacques Rousseau: The Citizen 13 Edmund Burke: The Counter-Revolutionary 14 Mary Wollstonecroft: The Feminist 15 Immanuel Kant: The Purist 16 Thomas Paine: The Firebrand 17 Georg Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel: The Mystic 18 James Madison: The Founder 19 Alexis de Tocqueville: The Prophet 20 John Stuart Mill: The Individualist 21 Karl Marx: The Revolutionary 22 Friedrich Nietsche: The Psychologist CONTEMPORARIES 23 Mohandas Gandhi: The Warrior 24 Sayyid Qutb: The Jihadist 25 Hannah Arendt: The Pariah 26 Mao Zedong: The Chairman 27 Friedrich Hayek: The Libertairan 28 John Rawls: The Liberal 29 Martha Nussbaum: The Self-Developer 30 Arne Naess: The Mountaineer Conclusion: The Unhappy Marriage of Politics and Philosophy Suggested Further Reading Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisDoes a doughnut hole exist? What makes a sandwich a sandwich? Can the baker, who only bakes for those who don't bake for themselves, bake for herself?Using food to explore classic philosophical puzzles and paradoxes about how we know things, abstract ideas about our world, language and about how we define the truth, this book will get your brain whirring and your stomach grumbling.Suki Finn, a Philosophy Lecturer at Royal Holloway, University of London, serves up plenty of philosophical food for thought - enough to whet the appetite of the novice and to satisfy philosophers hungry for a different take on familiar themes. What's in a Doughnut Hole? gives us new ways to think about the world and to understand our place in it.

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Book SynopsisHow can new insights into evolution help us solve problems in life, art, business and science? ‘A wonderful, mind-expanding book. Prepare to be surprised, enlightened and awed.’ Alice Roberts, author of Ancestors In Darwin’s survival of the fittest, each step must be uphill as life progresses towards an evolutionary peak. There is no turning back. So what happens when life needs to cross a valley in the wilds of an adaptive landscape to reach the highest summit? World-renowned biologist Andreas Wagner reveals that life does not only walk – it also leaps. Drawing on pioneering research, Wagner explores life’s creative process and how it bears a striking resemblance to how we humans work. A beguiling symmetry links Picasso struggling through forty versions of Guernica and the way evolution transformed a dinosaur’s claw into a condor’s wing. This new understanding is already revolutionising our approach to problem-solving across the sciences. In the near future, applied in spheres as diverse as the economy and education, it will enable us to do so much more. Life Finds a Way is a thought-provoking and deeply hopeful look at the force that shapes our world.Trade Review‘An impressively brisk intellectual tour through the glory days of early 20th century evolutionary biology.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Wagner has done it again. This is a wonderful, mind-expanding book. Prepare to be surprised, enlightened and awed as Wagner reveals the sources of human and natural creativity.’ -- Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement with Science, University of Birmingham‘In this remarkably wide-ranging book, Andreas Wagner shows what nature can teach us about creativity, and his answers hold an important message for the way we educate our children and run our institutions and societies.’ -- Philip Ball, author of Beyond Weird‘Andreas Wagner has again cut through to the heart of a vital question. The notion that genomes are set up to explore, through trial and error, in the hope of leaping across the adaptive landscape to new peaks is a fresh concept. Wagner draws out fascinating parallels with the way innovation works in human society.’ -- Matt Ridley, author of The Evolution of Everything‘Finding surprising convergences between evolving species and an active imagination, Wagner persuasively argues that human inventiveness is a reflection not just of human nature but of nature itself.’ -- Anthony Brandt, composer and co-author of The Runaway Species‘Life Finds a Way weaves a coherent and compelling narrative about how nature achieves creativity. Not only that, we also learn how to cultivate creativity in our own lives.’ -- George Dyson, author of Turing’s Cathedral

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Book SynopsisMonty was just like any other dog. A scruffy and irascible Maltese terrier, he enjoyed barking at pugs and sniffing at trees. But after yet another dramatic confrontation with the local Rottweiler, Anthony McGowan realises it’s high time he and Monty had a chat about what makes him a good or a bad dog. And they don’t stop at ethics. Taking his cue from Monty’s canine antics, McGowan leads us on an enlightening jaunt through the world of philosophy. Will Kant convince Monty to stop stealing cheesecake? How long will they put up with Socrates poking holes in every argument? Do they have free will to pursue answers to these questions? Join the dutiful duo as they set out to uncover who – if anyone – has the right end of the ethical stick and can tell us how best to live one’s life. But there is also a shadow over their conversations. Monty is not well… And so towards the end the biggest questions raise their heads: is there a God? Does life have a meaning? By the time of their last walk together, Monty – and the reader – will find that they have not just solved a few philosophical puzzles, but absorbed much of the history of Western philosophy.Trade Review‘Anthony McGowan’s How to Teach Philosophy to Your Dog is a delightful, quirky book that deserves a wide readership and may well get it… A witty, enjoyable book that gently introduces some serious philosophy, with plenty of smiles along the way’ * Nigel Warburton, Five Books *'For essential reading on both the meaning of dogs and the meaning of life, I can recommend Anthony McGowan’s wonderful book How to Teach Philosophy to Your Dog, a series of conversations he had with his dog, Monty, while out walking together. The final chapter is a touching meditation on death and the existence – or not – of God, that takes in everything from Aristotle to Schopenhauer and leaves you suspecting dogs might already have had many of the answers all along. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio / Than are dreamed of in your philosophy.' -- Guardian‘Anthony McGowan’s wonderful survey of philosophy… Hugely entertaining and accessible, there can’t have been more delightful exponents of Socratic dialogue than McGowan and Monty, his scruffy and evidently delightful Maltese terrier.’ -- Tom Holland, Best Books of the Year, New Statesman'I loved loved loved this book. Genuinely profound as well as very funny.' * Alex Preston, via Twitter *‘Filled with sparkling insights, a joy from start to finish. In turns witty, brilliant and irreverent, McGowan explains nothing less than the meaning of life – to his dog. If only we were all as lucky as Monty to go for long walks with the author…’ -- Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads'McGowan playfully explores philosophy in this amusing collection of imaginary dialogues conducted with his Maltese terrier, Monty. Readers who have never roamed the paths of philosophy before, or who could use a return trip, will appreciate this enjoyable tour from a friendly guide and his loyal companion.' -- Publishers Weekly'An accessible, amusing guide to key philosophical questions...Perfect for novice philosophers.' * Idler *‘Readable, funny but enlightening…accessible and illuminating.’ * Church of England Newspaper *‘This is the most entertaining and accessible introduction to philosophy I have read. I doubt there can ever have been more delightful exponents of Socratic dialogue than McGowan and Monty, his dog.’ -- Tom Holland‘There is no sharper, funnier, cleverer writer in Britain today.’ -- Robert Twigger, author of Micromastery'A charming, informative, unique introduction to Western philosophy.' * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisCelebrate your favourite radical publishing house with our official branded merch! The Verso V Notebook beautfully celebrates our logo, is fully lined in the signature Verso red and in a handy portable size and lined paper throughout.

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Book SynopsisWhat is 'truth' in today's freewheeling, pluralistic world, without certainties or fixed ideas? Does it lie in the Reason of Descartes and Kant? Is it Derrida's idea of an event, still being made? Or, according to Nietzsche, an ensemble of fictions? Internationally renowned philosopher John D. Caputo explores truth in the postmodern age.Trade ReviewCaputo's entertaining investigation into the nature of truth . . . sets out his case confidently, enlisting Nietzsche, Kierkegaard and Derrida as his allies. (His explanation of Derrida's thought is one of the clearest that I've read.) . . . The starting point for a more sophisticated discussion -- David Wolf * Prospect *Caputo has done a fine job of clarifying and classifying the postmodernist approach to truth and reality. His readable and eloquent book is an excellent guide to the outlook common in a certain strain of Continental European philosophy * The Times Literary Supplement *

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisGabe Bullard is a Nieman Journalism Fellow and a journalist with twenty years of experience. He helped launch NPR's newest talk show, 1A, then became Managing Producer of NPR's Here & Now. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, 99% Invisible, and Smithsonian Magazine. He writes a column on technology for the media-focused magazine Nieman Reports, based at Harvard University. He is a consultant for radio shows and podcasts and he recently co-founded Together, Alone, an online magazine of television criticism.

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Book SynopsisEpicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher and the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism. Only a few fragments of his works remain, and much of what is known about his philosophy derives from later followers and commentators.Daniel Klein is author of Travels with Epicurus and coauthor of the New York Times bestseller Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar.

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