The Act of Living - by Frank Tallis (Hardcover)

About the Book

"For most of us, the questions of life continue to perplex: Who am I? Why am I here? How shall I live? In the late nineteenth century, a class of thinkers emerged who made solving these problems central to their work: psychotherapists. They examined unhappiness up close and sought to unroot its causes. They rejected religous dogma and philosophical abstraction and instead developed theories from frequent and systematic observation. They understood that human questions demand human answers--and that without understanding what it means to be human, there are no answers"--

Book Synopsis

Life and its meaning is a mystery almost impossible to solve, but what can the leading theories teach us about the search for purpose?
For most of us, the major questions of life continue to perplex: Who am I? Why am I here? How should I live? In the late nineteenth century, a class of thinkers emerged who made solving these problems central to their work. They understood that human questions demand human answers and that without understanding what it means to be human, there are no answers.
Through the biographies and theories of luminaries ranging from Sigmund Freud to Erich Fromm, Frank Tallis show us how to think about companionship and parenting, identity and aging, and much more. Accessible yet erudite, The Act of Living is essential reading for anyone seeking answers to life's biggest questions.

Review Quotes

"Vivid...A lively and penetrating history of psychoanalysis."--Kirkus

About the Author

Frank Tallis is a clinical psychologist and the author of over fifteen books, including The Incurable Romantic: And Other Tales of Madness and Desire. He previously taught clinical psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King's College, London. He lives in London and Bonnieux, France.