The Consolations of Philosophy
by Alain De Botton

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Book Reviews of The Consolations of Philosophy

Book Review: De Botton's Lesson
Summary: 5 Stars

1 how to save time and appreciate life at the best is the first thing Proust tried to teach us writing La Recheche.

2reading a book is more a chance to find out more aspects of him/herself more than finding out more about the author or the text.

3 take it easy , taking great care to details

4 to understand the meaning ,the messages of illness and disease help to dig deeper in who we are and realizing which false ideas or beliefs were created by ourselves to ignore our inner and more profound needs.

5 It is easy to understand someone else' s nature by observing what bothers/disturbs him/her

6.to be oneself deeply without considering common sense and social norms as ways to make life easier : they destroy individual freedom of thinking and action.

7 To have realistic expectations about human relationships makes life easier and more authentic.

8 make love ,don't speak about it, just make it.

9 Respect authors and books but even the most important of them can be ignored or removed.

10 Beware of taking things for granted that are always around.

I think these lessons can easily be "discovered" by the readers. In a certain way they are the "pedagogic" message the author offers to the readers and the message is relatively clear. Since" How Proust.... " De Botton's style evolved through a paradigm shift into "The Consolations". Sure, both books contain a message by the author for the readers and both books can be subjectively reinterpreted by the readers beyond the author's intentions but, nevertheless, in my opinion, in "How Proust" De Botton `s will was to construct his specific interpretation of Proust 's lessons serving them to the readers while in the "Consolations " I personally se e a more complex mosaic the author never completely shows to the readers who have to individually reconstruct their own meanings for example preferring one philosopher to another or a certain concept of a thinker integrated with a different concept of another thinker in a fascinating challenge for the reader to discover him/herself .
A brilliant paradigm shift from a author - centered to a reader- centered perspective which is a great piece of evidence of the excellent evolution of this young and gifted author.

Summary of The Consolations of Philosophy

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

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