The Consolations of Philosophy

Thanks to my girlfriend, this is my first philosophy book in two years. Previously I had read meditation books like The Art of Living; Vipassana Meditation by S N Goenka, which touched on Buddhist philosophy, but philosophy was used as a means to rationalize meditation techniques.

The Consolations of Philosophy, however, is a different kind of philosophy book. Alain de Botton pulls off something clever: he takes philosophy—often trapped in the ivory towers of academia—and turns it into a practical, life-improving toolkit. This book is philosophy-meets-self-help, but without too much of fluffiness.

Let’s be honest—"philosophy" makes some people’s eyes glaze over. De Botton fixes that. He weaves in stories, everyday struggles, and timeless dilemmas that feel surprisingly personal. Feeling down? Schopenhauer’s got you. Stuck in a mid-life crisis? Nietzsche waves from the abyss. Heartbroken? Montaigne shrugs and pours another glass of wine.

It’s smart but not intimidating, profound yet digestible. Think of it as a TED Talk in book form—except instead of a clickbaity “5 Ways to Be Happy,” you get wisdom that actually sticks.

Should you read it?

• If you enjoy self-improvement books but secretly want to sound intellectual at dinner parties—yes.

• If you think philosophy is just a debating nonsense—also yes. It proves otherwise.

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