The School of Life Press 2018
The School of Life The School of Life is devoted to developing emotional intelligence. It addresses issues such as how to find fulfilling work, how to master the art of relationships, how to achieve calm, and how better to understand and – where necessary – change the world. These ideas are delivered through a range of channels: from videos, books, and products – to classes, events, and one-toone therapy sessions. Headquartered in London, it operates around the globe with ten international branches (Amsterdam, Antwerp, Berlin, Istanbul, Melbourne, Paris, São Paulo, Seoul, Sydney, and Taipei). The School of Life is a rapidly growing global brand, with over three million YouTube subscribers, 285,000 Facebook followers, and 135,000 Twitter followers. The School of Life Press brings together the thinking and ideas of the School of Life creative team under the direction of series editor, Alain de Botton. Their books share a coherent, curated message that speaks with one voice: calm, reassuring, and sane.
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front list
What Is Culture For? Our societies frequently proclaim their enormous esteem for culture. Music, film, literature and the visual arts enjoy high prestige and are viewed by many as getting close to the meaning of life. But what is culture really for? This book proposes that works of culture were all made, in one way or another, with the idea of improving the way we live. The book connects a range of cultural masterpieces with our own dilemmas and pains around love, work and society, and invites us to see culture as a resource with which to address the complex agonies of being human. It provides us with enduring keys to unlocking culture as a way of transforming our lives.
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Mar ’18 181 × 110 mm 112 pp Hardback isbn 978-0-9957535-3-2 rrp £12 • 30 colour illustrations • Explores how a variety
of cultural masterpieces can relate to our own day-to-day dilemmas • Enhances any future visit to a gallery, theatre or cinema with a host of thought-provoking concepts
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How to Get Married Many of us are attracted to the idea of marriage and yet feel a bit uncomfortable with some of the rituals that are traditionally associated with the big day. In response to this dilemma, The School of Life has rethought exactly what the ideal wedding day would consist of and redesigned the entire process from scratch for the use of modern couples (including those seeking to renew their vows). The book begins by proposing new ways of getting prepared for a wedding at a psychological level, suggesting how couples should ready themselves for the often tricky journey ahead and how to think through some of the thorniest issues that beset love. The book then presents an entirely practical and thoughtfully redesigned wedding ceremony, from picking out a suitable venue to suggested vows and readings. Finally, the book offers some ideas for how to approach the start of married life. 5
Apr ’18 222 × 155 mm 132 pp Hardback Ribbon marker, booklet isbn 978-1-9997471-1-4 rrp £18 • Part of The School of
Life’s comprehensive marriage offering • A new kind of ceremony based on psychological theory rather than religious traditions • Practical marriage preparation and advice for married life • Order of service with suggested vows and readings
front list
Phone Detox The dark truth is that it has become very hard to find anyone (and certainly anything) more interesting than one’s smartphone. This perplexing and troubling realisation has for most of us had huge consequences for our love stories, family lives, work, leisure time and health. This is why we have created Phone Detox, a palm-sized book filled with insights, ideas and meditations about the complex relationship we have with our phones. Phone Detox knows we love our phones and would never want us to give them up, but it is also gently aware that these delightful gadgets bear a hidden cost. This flip book is a tool that aims to bring a little sanity to our closest, most intense and possibly most danger-laden technological relationship.
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Apr ’18 140 × 70 mm 64 pp Wiro Elastic closure isbn 978-1-9999179-2-0 rrp £8 • Palm sized, portable
format • Contents include:
– Addiction – The News – Beyond Instagram – Dating – Utopia
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front list
Big Ideas for Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy Children are, in many ways, born philosophers. Without prompting, they ask some of the largest questions: about time, mortality, happiness and the meaning of it all. Yet sadly, too often, this inborn curiosity is not developed and with age the questions fall away. This is a book designed to harness childrens’ spontaneous philosophical instinct and to develop it through introductions to some of the most vibrant and essential philosophical ideas of history. The book takes us to meet leading figures of philosophy from around the world and from all eras – and shows us how their ideas continue to matter. The book functions as an ideal introduction to philosophy as well as a charming way to open up conversations between adults and children about the biggest questions we all face.
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Jun ’18 246 × 180 mm 160pp Hardback isbn 978-1-9997471-4-5 rrp £18 • 25 great thinkers
including Simone de Beauvoir, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Plato • Chapters include: Maybe You’re Just Tired, Learn to Say What’s on Your Mind and Why You Might Feel Lonely • Appealing hand drawn illustrations throughout. • For ages 8+
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front list / coming soon
What Is Psychotherapy? Psychotherapy is one of the most valuable inventions of the last hundred years, with an exceptional power to raise our levels of emotional well-being, improve our relationships, and assist us in mining our professional potential. But it is also profoundly misunderstood. Its logic is rarely explained and its voice seldom heard with sufficient directness. This book attempts to explain psychotherapy: why it is needed by us all, how those needs are addressed by treatment and what the outcome of a therapeutic intervention could be. The book reflects a fundamental belief of The School of Life that psychotherapy is the single greatest step any of us can take towards self-understanding and fulfilment. A course of therapy stands to render us ever so slightly less angry, self-defeating, unconfident, lost and sad.
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May ’18 181 × 110 mm 120pp Hardback isbn 978-1-9997471-7-6 rrp £10 • Normalises and
demystifies a useful but misunderstood practice • Identifies four key areas of ourselves in greatest need of repair and work: Self-Love, Candour, Trust and Communication • Outlines realistic potential outcomes using case studies as examples
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The Joys and Sorrows of Parenting Being a parent can be one of the sources of our greatest joys. It is also – intermittently – the cause of some of our deepest sorrows. It is likely that we will spend at least some of the time in despair and confusion, wondering whether it really had to be so hard. Philosophy has, over the last 2,000 years, been a discipline committed to calm, kindness, perspective and a reduction of paranoia. It is one of the most useful sources of solace and humanity. The Joys and Sorrows of Parenting is made up of 26 small essays that aim provide understanding of and consolation for the trials and pleasures of parenting. They will provoke insight, recognition and a far more forgiving, generous assessment of one’s challenges. The Joys and Sorrows of Parenting promises us a gentle way of staying calm around one of the most arduous yet deeply fulfilling jobs in the world.
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Sep ’18 170 × 170 mm 56 pp Hardback isbn 978-1-9999179-3-7 rrp £12.50 • 26 essays • Photography by
Bronia Stewart • Subjects include
– T he good enough parent • – Saying NO – Developmental milestones
back list
The School of Life Dictionary
Great Thinkers
196 × 142 mm | 280 pp Hardback | Ribbon marker
197 × 146 mm | 480 pp Hardback | ½ jacket, ribbon marker
isbn 978-0-9957535-9-4 | rrp £20
isbn 978-0-9935387-0-4 | rrp £20
A Job to Love
Small Pleasures
190 × 125 mm | 192 pp Hardback | ½ jacket, ribbon marker
204 × 136 mm | 248 pp Hardback | ½ jacket, ribbon marker
isbn 978-0-9935387-5-9 | rrp £15
isbn 978-0-9935387-3-5 | rrp £15
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Calm
Relationships
184 × 154 mm | 136 pp Hardback | ½ jacket, ribbon marker
186 × 136 mm | 120 pp Hardback | ½ jacket, ribbon marker
isbn 978-0-9935387-2-8 | rrp £15
isbn 978-0-9935387-4-2 | rrp £15
Sex
On Being Nice
175 × 115 mm | 128 pp Hardback | ½ jacket, ribbon marker
178 × 120 mm | 128 pp Hardback | ½ jacket, ribbon marker
isbn 978-0-9935387-6-6 | rrp £15
isbn 978-0-9955736-4-2 | rrp £15
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back list
Essay: On Confidence
Essay: Self-Knowledge
181 × 110 mm | 96 pp Hardback | isbn 978-0-9955736-7-3 | rrp £10
181 × 110 mm | 96 pp Hardback | isbn 978-0-9957535-0-1 | rrp £10
Essay: Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person
Essay: How to Find Love 181 × 110 mm | 96 pp Hardback | isbn 978-0-9955736-9-7 | rrp £10
181 × 110 mm | 72 pp Hardback | isbn 978-0-9955736-2-8 | rrp £10
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Essay: Why We Hate Cheap Things
Essay: The Sorrows of Love
181 × 110 mm | 80 pp Hardback | isbn 978-0-9955736-3-5 | rrp £10
181 × 110 mm | 80 pp Hardback | isbn 978-0-9957535-2-5 | rrp £10
Essay: The Sorrows of Work
Essay: The Sorrows of Love and Work slipcase edition
181 × 110 mm | 104 pp Hardback | isbn 978-0-9957535-1-8 | rrp £10
Hardback | isbn 978-1-9997471-2-1 | rrp £22
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back list / gift
Essay: How to Reform Capitalism
Things Never to Tell Children
181 × 110 mm | 112 pp Hardback | isbn 978-0-9957535-7-0 | rrp £10
180 × 180 mm | 32 pp Hardback | isbn 978-0-9955736-8-0 | rrp £8
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Good thinking requires good tools. To complement our classes, books and therapies, The School of Life now offers a range of stationery, games and gifts that are both highly useful and stimulating for the eye and mind. If you’re interested in stocking any our products please contact orders@theschooloflife.com.
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Contact Us UK & Ireland Prelude Books Trade sales: David Segrue davids@djsegrueltd.co.uk Other sales: Pete Duncan pete@preludebooks.co.uk
Australia & New Zealand Affirm Press Keiran Rogers (03) 8695 9639 0419 554 517 keiran.rogers@affirmpress.com.au
Orders to: Macmillan Distribution 0845 070 5656 orders@macmillan.co.uk
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All other International Sales Enquiries The School of Life theschooloflife.com orders@theschooloflife.com /schooloflifechannel /theschooloflifelondon @theschooloflifelondon @theschooloflife
Orders to: Ingram Publishing Services Inc. 800-343-4499 ipsjacksonorders@ingramcontent.com
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