Philosophy and Life - by A C Grayling & Ac Grayling (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From the eminent philosopher and the author of The History of Philosophy, an answer to the big question: how should I live my life?

How should I live my life? What values shall I live by? What sort of person should I be? What shall I aim for?

In this summation of a lifetime thinking and writing about these great questions, A. C. Grayling explores with clarity and depth the ideas that each of us must use in answering them for ourselves.

Drawing on the lives, experiences and works of a fantastically eclectic range of thinkers - taking in not only philosophers such as Confucius, Seneca and Nietzsche, but also authors from Shakespeare to Ursula LeGuin, and modern thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum and Bernard Williams - Philosophy and Life brings together wisdom from across eras and continents in a tour de force on the philosophy of how to live your life.

Review Quotes

Vivid . . . a panoramic, sweeping affair, in which Grayling draws upon Lebensphilosophie in all its forms, from the ancient Greeks to Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre to contemporary thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum, as well as poets, artists and scientists-- "Daily Telegraph"

"Vivid . . . a panoramic, sweeping affair, in which Grayling draws upon Lebensphilosophie in all its forms, from the ancient Greeks to Friedrich Nietzsche,
Jean-Paul Sartre to contemporary thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum, as well as poets, artists and scientists." --Daily Telegraph

"A witty, learned, authoritative survey of philosophical thought." --The New York Times Book Review on The History of Philosophy

"[A] highly readable narrative . . . lively. . . For a book that covers more than 100 individual thinkers spanning 2,500 years, the level of both detail and accuracy is admirable." --Wall Street Journal on The History of Philosophy

"The History of Philosophy isn't just worth buying; it's worth scribbling in and dog-earing. For a work of scholarship, there can be no higher praise." --Michael Dirda, Washington Poston The History of Philosophy


An enthusiastic thinker who embraces humour, common sense and lucidity-- "Independent"

Anthony Grayling's intimate and vital dialogue with many of the greatest thinkers since antiquity will inspire each of us to discover the best life we are capable of living--Professor Simon May

About the Author

Professor A. C. Grayling is Principal of the New College of the Humanities at Northeastern University, London, and a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. He has written and edited over thirty books on philosophy, history, science and current affairs. For several years he wrote columns for the Guardian newspaper and The Times and was the chairman of the 2014 Man Booker Prize.