since she refers to it all the time. It's funny how powerful the word philosophy even is. Just to hear it can make someone feel so unintelligent. But you cannot conquer what you do not know and that's exactly what de Botton accomplishes. So don't be fearful of analyzing the exact words of Socrates, Augustine, or Descartes because the author uses simple examples of ordinary life to apply such philosophy. Hopefully I can do a justified review of the book which covers troubling areas like unpopularity, lack of wealth, or broken hearts. It may take an intro to philosophy class to grasp it's full potential, nonetheless, my professor said she's read it a dozen times and can still get life lessons from it. Here's the back cover teaser:"From the frustration of misplacing your keys to the sadness of losing a loved one, the writing of Seneca can offer consolation. For the particular agony of not having enough money, Epicurus has a solution, and it's one that everyone can afford. Solace for a broken heart can be found in the works of Schopenhauer, even thou his most lasting and significant relationships tended to be with poodles. And if your life is best by difficulty after difficulty, wise advice may be found in the words of Nietzsche, the brilliant philosopher whose own life was riddle with poverty, bad health, and excruciating loneliness."
