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The Philosophy Prescription

Lessons from Big Thinkers for Every Stage of Life

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The Philosophy Prescription

By: Jack Maden
Narrated by: Jack Maden
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A warm, accessible guide to philosophy for anyone looking for wisdom, comfort and a better way to live.

It's not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. That was Seneca's assessment two millennia ago, and arguably it's not much different now.

So what can the world’s greatest thinkers teach us about happiness, love, friendship, purpose, family, ageing and death?

From the founder of Philosophy Break, The Philosophy Prescription explores timeless ideas for modern anxieties:

  • What Confucius can teach us about our parents
  • How Simone de Beauvoir defines true love
  • Why friendships are like porcupines
  • How Albert Camus can help with a midlife crisis
  • What a Japanese sage can teach us about facing death with grace

Warmly written and full of practical wisdom, this is philosophy for everyday life: a thoughtful invitation to join in the shared search for answers to life's big questions.

'Every page offers something to think about, something to try, or something to take into the rest of your day. An utter gem' Jonny Thomson, author of Mini Philosophy

'Deep, wise and wide in range, both accessible and strikingly relevant' A. C. Grayling, author of The History of Philosophy

© Jack Maden 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Consciousness & Thought History Personal Development Personal Success Philosophy
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Critic reviews

This is a truly welcome addition to the popular-philosophy genre: deep, wise and wide in range, yet both accessible and strikingly relevant in what it draws from the rich tradition of philosophy's insights into life and its challenges. Greatly to be recommended. (A. C. Grayling, author of The History of Philosophy)
The Philosophy Prescription proves that philosophy isn't for stuffy academics in ivory towers and woolly cardigans — it's for everyone. Maden has a rare talent for being able to translate huge and complex ideas into something we can all understand and apply to our lives. In here you'll find ancient wisdom from the titans of the philosophical canon alongside curious tidbits from the dusty obscura at the back of the bookshop. Every page offers something to think about, something to try, or something to take into the rest of your day. An utter gem of a book — wise, warm, and quietly life-changing. (Jonny Thomson, author of Mini Philosophy)
A primer on the best thoughts - and best questions - humanity has ever had. An engaging read, full of wisdom. You'll revisit it over and over again. (Scott Hershovitz, author of Nasty, Brutish and Short: Adventures in Philosophy With Kids)
You didn’t ask to be born, but now you’re here, you have questions — about relationships, work, aging, illness, death, and how to live. In The Philosophy Prescription, Jack Maden draws on the insights of philosophers throughout history to answer existential questions and encourage us to ask them. A wonderfully accessible, wide-ranging introduction to philosophy as a guide for life. (Kieran Setiya, author of Life is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way)
Written with bright energy, accessible and full of insight, this book will serve anyone wanting to engage philosophically with the human life cycle and their place within it. This book cleverly connects ideas of philosophers from different historical periods and traditions, to shed light on the arch of life. (Havi Carel, Professor of Philosophy, University of Bristol)
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