The Wisdom of the Myths - (Learning to Live) by Luc Ferry (Paperback)

About the Book

"A ... new journey through Greek mythology that explains the myths' timeless lessons and meaning ... The Greek myths are the founding narratives of Western civilization: to understand them is to know the origins of philosophy, literature, art, science, law, and more. Indeed, as Luc Ferry shows in this ... book, they remain a great store of wisdom, as relevant to our lives today as ever before"--P. [4] of cover.

Book Synopsis

"A marvelously wise and expansive book. . . . Ferry writes with warmth, wit, and energy; one could call his prose conversational, but it's rare to have a conversation quite this wonderful." -- Boston Globe

A fascinating journey through Greek mythology that explains the myths' timeless lessons and meaning

Heroes, gods, and mortals. The Greek myths are the founding narratives of Western civilization: to understand them is to know the origins of philosophy, literature, art, science, law, and more. Indeed, as Luc Ferry shows in this masterful book, they remain a great store of wisdom, as relevant to our lives today as ever before. No mere legends or clichés ("Herculean task," "Pandora's box," "Achilles heel," etc.), these classic stories offer profound and manifold lessons, providing the first sustained attempt to answer fundamental human questions concerning "the good life," the burden of mortality, and how to find one's place in the world. Vividly retelling the great tales of mythology and illuminating fresh new ways of understanding them, The Wisdom of the Myths will enlighten readers of all ages.

From the Back Cover

More than 100,000 copies sold in France

A fascinating new journey through Greek mythology that explains the myths' timeless lessons and meaning

Heroes, gods, and mortals. The Greek myths are the founding narratives of Western civilization: to understand them is to know the origins of philosophy, literature, art, science, law, and more. Indeed, as Luc Ferry shows in this masterful book, they remain a great store of wisdom, as relevant to our lives today as ever before. No mere legends or clichés ("Herculean task," "Pandora's box," "Achilles heel," etc.), these classic stories offer profound and manifold lessons, providing the first sustained attempt to answer fundamental human questions concerning "the good life," the burden of mortality, and how to find one's place in the world. Vividly retelling the great tales of mythology and illuminating fresh new ways of understanding them, The Wisdom of the Myths will enlighten readers of all ages.

Review Quotes

"With Luc Ferry as a guide, our passage through the storied landscape of Greek mythology becomes a captivating lesson in philosophy." - Le Monde (France)
"Ferry draws out deeper meanings of myths about how the world works and of the place of mortals in it... The Wisdom of the Myths is part of a grand enterprise to revive practical wisdom and secular humanism." - The Guardian
"An engaging, accessible work... strong evidence for an important conception of philosophy's enduring relevance." - Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy
"A fine introduction to philosophy and its fundamental relevance to living a meaningful life--for everyone from the man in the Acropolis to the man in the street." - Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein, New York Times bestselling authors of Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar
"This is a vital book. Luc Ferry rehabilitates the ancient question, 'What is the best way of life?' as though our lives depended on it. ... The reader will find her own experience clarified, and her horizon enlarged." - Matthew B. Crawford, New York Times bestselling author of Shop Class as Soulcraft
"A marvelously wise and expansive book. ... Ferry writes with warmth, wit, and energy; one could call his prose conversational, but it's rare to have a conversation quite this wonderful." - Boston Globe