Alain de Botton

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Lessons from the School of Life

A Therapeutic Journey

An Emotional Education

The School of Life

An unforgettable story of love and marriage from the author of bestselling novel Essays in Love

The Course of Love

The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work

The Consolations of Philosophy

The Art of Travel

Status Anxiety

The Architecture of Happiness

A non-believer's guide to the uses of religion

Religion for Atheists

The News

Penguin Shop: 3 Clothbound Classics for £33

One of our most consistently illuminating writers on contemporary culture

De Botton's gift is to prompt us to think about how we live and how we might change things

A User's Manual

Today, the news occupies the same dominant position in our lives as religion once did. But rarely do we consider how it touches us. Here, Alain de Botton examines a number of archetypal news stories - a plane crash, a murder, a political scandal, a celebrity interview - from a fresh perspective to ask intriguing questions: why do disaster stories titillate? why obsess over love lives of the famous? why smile when a politician falls from grace? In so doing, he brings clear sight and understanding to a force which, above all others, informs our view of reality.

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER 
 
From one of our greatest voices in modern philosophy, author of The Course of Love, The Consolations of Philosophy, Religion for Atheists and The School of Life - an accessible and eye-opening exploration of our relationship with 'the news' 
 
'His gift is to prompt us to think about how we live and how we might change things' The Times 
 
'De Botton analyses modern society with great charm, learning and humour. His remedies come as a welcome relief' Daily Mail 
 
'Like all classic de Botton, there are plenty of insightful observations here, peppered with some psychology, a dash of philosophy, a big dollop of commonsense' Scotsman 
 
'The news' occupies a range of manic and peculiar positions in our lives. We invest it with an authority and importance which used to be the preserve of religion - but what does it do for us? 
 
Mixing current affairs with philosophical reflections, de Botton offers a brilliant illustrated guide to the precautions we should take before venturing anywhere near the news and the 'noise' it generates. Witty and global in reach, The News will ensure you'll never look at reports of a celebrity story or political scandal in quite the same way again.

Alain de Botton is the bestselling author of fifteen books, including The School of Life: An Emotional Education, How Proust Can Change Your Life, The Consolations of Philosophy, The Art of Travel and The Course of Love. He is the founder of The School of Life (theschooloflife.com).

The News

A User's Manual

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