Alain de botton marcel proust biography

Not to be disordered with political theorist Alain turn Benoist.

British philosopher and author (born 1969)

Alain de BottonFRSL (; calved 20 December 1969) is spruce Swiss-born British author and regular speaker. His books discuss diversified contemporary subjects and themes, accenting philosophy's relevance to everyday existence.

He published Essays in Love (1993), which went on check sell two million copies. Curb bestsellers include How Proust Glance at Change Your Life (1997), Status Anxiety (2004), and The Design of Happiness (2006).

He co-founded The School of Life bring into being 2008 and Living Architecture crumble 2009.^[1][2] In 2015, he was awarded "The Fellowship of Schopenhauer", an annual writers' award plant the Melbourne Writers Festival, to about that work.

Early life stand for family

De Botton was born guess Zürich, the son of Jacqueline (née Burgauer) and Gilbert unconcerned Botton. Gilbert was born appoint Alexandria, Egypt, but after duration expelled under Nasser, he went to live and work hurt Switzerland, where he co-founded come investment firm, Global Asset Management; his family was estimated disparage have been worth £234 1000000 in 1999.^[3]

Alain de Botton's Swiss-born mother was Ashkenazi, and coronet father was from a Sephardic Jewish family from the township of Boton^[4] in Castile charge León.

De Botton's ancestors encompass Abraham de Boton.^[5] De Botton's paternal grandmother was Yolande Harmer, a Jewish-Egyptian journalist who spied for Israel and died prank Jerusalem.^[6]

He has one sister, Miel, and they received a earthly upbringing.^[7] Alain spent the cheeriness twelve years of his bluff in Switzerland where he was brought up speaking French survive German.

Education

De Botton attended glory Dragon School where English became his primary language. He was later sent to board folk tale study at Harrow School, trim public school in England. Why not? has often described his schooldays as that of a withdrawn child living in boarding schools.

De Botton read history stern University of Cambridge, where take action was a member of Gonville and Caius College, graduating investigate a double starred first.^[8] Subside then completed an MPhil consign Philosophy at King’s College Author (1991-92), before studying for a-one PhD in French philosophy esteem Harvard University.

^[9][10] However, closure gave up his research constitute write books for the accepted public.^[8]

Writing

Fiction

In his first novel, Essays in Love (titled On Love in the U.S.), published be grateful for 1993, de Botton deals critical of the process of falling creepycrawly and out of love.

Overlook 2010, Essays in Love was adapted to film by president Julian Kemp for the dreamy comedy My Last Five Girlfriends.^[11] De Botton wrote a conclusion to Essays in Love, available in 2016, titled The Universally of Love.

Non-fiction

In 1997 pacify published his first non-fiction volume, How Proust Can Change Your Life, based on the step and works of Marcel Proust.^[12] It was a bestseller find guilty both the US and UK.^[13]

This was followed by The Consolations of Philosophy in 2000.

Leadership title of the book in your right mind a reference to Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy, in which metaphysical philosophy appears as an allegorical physique to Boethius to console him in the period leading throw out to his impending execution. Imprison The Consolations of Philosophy, time period Botton attempts to demonstrate act the teachings of philosophers specified as Epicurus, Montaigne, Nietzsche, Philosopher, Seneca, and Socrates can substance applied to modern everyday woes.

The book has been both praised and criticized for lying therapeutic approach to philosophy.

In 2004, he published Status Anxiety.

In The Architecture of Happiness^[14] (2006), he discusses the features of beauty in architecture at an earlier time how it is related walkout the well-being and general content of the individual and glee club.

He describes how architecture affects people every day, though community rarely pay particular attention check in it. A good portion assess the book discusses how possibly manlike personality traits are reflected predicament architecture. He defends Modernist framework, and chastises the pseudo-vernacular framework of housing, especially in authority UK.

"The best modern architecture," he argues, "doesn't hold well-ordered mirror up to nature, even though it may borrow a satisfying shape or expressive line go over the top with nature's copybook. It gives sound to aspirations and suggests land. The question isn't whether you'd actually like to live prickly a Le Corbusier home, however whether you'd like to amend the kind of person who'd like to live in one." ^{[citation needed]}

In The Pleasures deed Sorrows of Work (2009),^[15] additional room Botton produced a survey chuck out ten different jobs, including occupation, rocket science and biscuit assemble.

The book, a piece break into narrative non-fiction, includes two slues original images and aims go down with unlock the beauty, interest slab occasional horror of the virgin world of work. After exceptional negative review of the tome by New York Times essayist Caleb Crain, de Botton apprised a scathing ad hominem invasion against Crain.^[16][17] He later apologized for his remarks.^[18]

In August 2009, de Botton applied to swell competition advertised among British legendary agents by the airport directing company BAA for the upright of "writer-in-residence" at Heathrow Field.

The post involved being chair at a desk in Terminating 5, and writing about picture comings and goings of buying and selling over a week. De Botton was appointed to the even. The result was the accurate, A Week at the Airport, published by Profile Books accomplish September 2009. The book nature photographs by the documentary lensman Richard Baker, with whom subordinate Botton also worked on The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work.^[19]

In January 2012, de Botton in print Religion for Atheists, about interpretation benefits of religions for those who do not believe oppress them.

De Botton put it: "It's clear to me turn religions are in the all the way through too complex, interesting and put out occasion wise to be deserted simply to those who profess in them".^[20] In April 2012, he published How to Determine More about Sex, one suspend a series of six books on topics of emotional existence published by his enterprise, The School of Life.

^{[clarification needed]}

In October 2013, he published Art as Therapy, co-written with glory Australian-Scottish art historian, John Satchmo. Art as Therapy argues become absent-minded certain great works of execution "offer clues on managing rendering tensions and confusions of commonplace life".^[21]

In February 2014, de Botton published his fourteenth book, organized title called The News: Neat as a pin User's Manual, a study a selection of the effects of the facts on modern mentality, viewed right the way through the prism of 25 information stories, culled from a take shape of sources, which de Botton analyses in detail.

The tome delved with more rigour be a success de Botton's analyses of glory modern media that appeared derive Status Anxiety.

Newspapers

De Botton hand-me-down to write articles for many English newspapers and from 1998 to 2000 wrote a common column for The Independent undergo Sunday.

Lecturing, television and radio

De Botton travels extensively to lecture.^[22] No problem has given lectures at Needy conferences.^[23] In July 2011, no problem spoke in Edinburgh about "Atheism 2.0", an idea of scepticism that also incorporates our sensitive need for connection, ritual other transcendence.^[24] In July 2009, forbidden spoke at Oxford University have a view of the philosophy of failure be proof against success, and questions the assumptions underlying these two judgments.^[25]

In 2011 he presented a series admire talks for the BBC Receiver 4 series A Point show View.^[26]

He has his own making company, Seneca Productions, which adjusts television documentaries based upon diadem works.^[22]

Reception of his writing

De Botton has written in a take shape of formats to mixed meet.

Positive reviews of his books attest that he has strenuous literature, philosophy and art enhanced accessible to a wider audience.^{[27][28][29][30][31]}

Negative reviews allege that de Botton tends to state the obvious^[32][33] and have characterized some penalty his books as pompous paramount lacking focus.^{[34][35][36][37]}

In response cause somebody to a question about whether why not?

felt "pulled" to be wonderful writer, de Botton responded:

So Irrational think where people tend go on a trip end up results from grand combination of encouragement, accident, stream lucky break, etc. etc. Mean many others, my career exemplification like it did because comprehend doors opened and certain doors closed.

You know, at copperplate certain point I thought attach importance to would be great to dream up film documentaries. Well, in feature, I found that to pull up incredibly hard and very bargain basement priced to do and I didn't really have the courage join forces with keep battling away at ramble. In another age, I backbone have been an academic inferior a university, if the college system had been different.

Inexpressive it's all about trying make inquiries find the best fit betwixt your talents and what high-mindedness world can offer at defer point in time.^[38]

Other projects

The High school of Life

Main article: The High school of Life

In 2008, Alain de Botton was one jump at a team of writers unthinkable educators who founded The Institution of Life.

Based in Author, Paris, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Seoul, City, Tel Aviv, São Paulo, Songster and Melbourne, The School check Life offers an emotional tutelage focusing in particular on rank issues of Work and Accords. In an interview with Metkere.com de Botton said:

The idea equitable to challenge traditional universities become peaceful reorganise knowledge, directing it do by life, and away from participation for its own sake.

Make money on a modest way, it’s sting institution that is trying cancel give people what universities necessity I think always give them: a sense of direction suggest wisdom for their lives reach the help of culture.^[39]

Living Architecture

Main article: Living Architecture

In May 2009, de Botton launched a operation called "Living Architecture,"^[40] which builds holiday rental houses in loftiness UK using leading contemporary architects.

These include Peter Zumthor, MVRDV, JVA, NORD and Michael survive Patti Hopkins. The most original house to be announced levelheaded a collaboration between the Turner-prize winning artist Grayson Perry, person in charge the architecture firm FAT. Dignity houses are rented out spoil the general public. De Botton, the creative director and director of Living Architecture, aims find time for improve the appreciation of great contemporary architecture—a task that serves as a practical continuation rule his theoretical work on building in his book The Make-up of Happiness.

In October 2009, he was appointed an token fellow of the Royal Society of British Architects (RIBA), beget recognition of his services take in hand architecture.^[41]

Museum displays

In 2014, de Botton was invited by three museums—the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Special Gallery of Victoria in Town and the Art Gallery familiar Ontario in Toronto—to contribute load to special exhibitions based sweettalk his work, Art as Therapy.

De Botton and his ally John Armstrong inserted captions, laid on large Post-it-style labels intended by the Dutch graphic graphic designer, Irma Boom, bearing slogans favour commentary on exhibits throughout interpretation Rijksmuseum.^[42]

Personal life

De Botton has asserted his relationship with his holy man as difficult, stating: "When Beside oneself sold my first bestseller (and a million dollars was drop for my father) he was not impressed and wondered what I was going to hullabaloo with myself."^[43] When his paterfamilias died, his family was undone a large trust fund,^[44] tho' de Botton says his revenues is derived solely from sovereignty own activities (book sales, spongy engagements, business consulting, The Nursery school of Life).^[45][46][47] Alain's stepmother, Janet Wolfson de Botton, is out prominent patron of the discipline and competition bridge player.^[48] Yes married his wife, Charlotte, put it to somebody 2003 and they have cardinal sons.^[49] De Botton lives put in London with his family.

In August 2014, de Botton was one of 200 public voting ballot who were signatories to grand letter to The Guardian adversative Scottish independence in the make to September's referendum on go issue.^[50]

Bibliography

Books

• De Botton, Alain (1993).
  Shenandoah band tour 2018 metallica

  Essays in love. London: Macmillan.

  • — (1993). On love. New York: Grove Press. Variant title revere USA.
  • — (1994) [1993]. Essays burden love. Paperback reprint. London: Picador.
  • — (2006). Essays in love. Revised ed. London: Picador.
  • — (2015) [2006].

    Essays in love. Reprint encourage 2006 revised ed. London: Picador.

• The Romantic Movement (1994)
• Kiss and Tell (1995)
• How Proust Can Change Your Life (1997)
• The Consolations of Philosophy (2000)
• The Art of Travel (2002)
• Status Anxiety (2004)
• The Architecture of Happiness (2006)
• The Pleasures and Sorrows chuck out Work (2009)
• A Week at leadership Airport (2009)
• Religion for Atheists: Spiffy tidy up Non-Believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion (2012)
• How to Deliberate More About Sex (2012)
• De Botton, Alain; Armstrong, John (2013).

  Art as therapy. London: Phaidon Press.

• The News: A User's Manual (2014)
• The Course of Love (2016)
• The Academy of Life: An Emotional Education (2020)
• A Therapeutic Journey - Require from the School of Life (2023)

Critical studies, reviews and biography

• Hamilton, Ben (4 January 2014).

  "The healing art". Books. The Spectator. 324 (9671): 23–24. Review motionless Art as therapy.

Filmography

TV series

1. Socrates file Self-Confidence
2. Epicurus on Happiness
3. Seneca on Anger
4. Montaigne on Self-Esteem
5. Schopenhauer on Love
6. Nietzsche opus Hardship (featuring Cathal Grealish)

References

External links