The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work

Nov 8, 2024 1:04 AM

Author:Alain de Botton

From one of our greatest voices in modern philosophy, author of The Course of Love, The Consolations of Philosophy, Religion for Atheists and The School of Life - a lucid exploration of the state in which most of us spend most of our lives

'De Botton's wit and powers of ironic observation are on display throughout what is a stylish and original book. The workplace brings out the best in his writing' Sunday Times

'Timely, wonderfully readable. De Botton has pretty much got to the bottom of the subject' Spectator

'Terribly funny, touches us all' Daily Mail

'Brilliant, enormously engaging' Guardian

Why do so many of us love or hate our work? How has it come to dominate our lives? And what should we do about it?

Work makes us. Without it we are at a loss; in work we hope to have a measure of control over our lives. Yet for many of us, work is a straitjacket from which we cannot free ourselves.

Criss-crossing the world to visit workplaces and workers both ordinary and extraordinary, and drawing on the wit and wisdom of great artists, writers and thinkers, Alain de Botton here explores our love-hate relationship with our jobs. He poses and answers little and big questions: from what should I do with my life? to what will I have achieved when I retire?

The Pleasure and Sorrows of Work explains why it is we do what we do all day, and applies sympathy, humour and insight to helping us make the most of it.

Reviews

De Botton's wit and powers of ironic observation are on display throughout what is a stylish and original book. The workplace brings out the best in his writing

—— Sunday Times

Timely, wonderfully readable. De Botton has pretty much got to the bottom of the subject

—— Spectator

Terribly funny, touches us all

—— Mail on Sunday

Brilliant, enormously engaging

—— Guardian

Fascinating. Read this book quickly: the rules of the game change overnight

—— Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever

Reading this book is the best action you can take to fend off a Big Bang

—— Hal Varian, Chief Economist, Google

Like Gladwell, Delves Broughton is drawn to success stories where natural talent takes second place to hard work. His enthusiasm and admiration are contagious

—— Publishers Weekly

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