Description

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORKER AND THE ECONOMIST

Life Is Hard is a humane consolation for challenging times Reading it is like speaking with a thoughtful friend who never tells you to cheer up but by offering gentle companionship and a change of perspective makes you feel better anyway The New York Times Book Review

There is no cure for the human condition life is hard But Kieran Setiya believes philosophy can help He offers us a map for navigating rough terrain from personal trauma to the injustice and absurdity of the world

In this profound and personal book Setiya shows howthe tools of philosophycan help us find our wayDrawing on ancient and modern philosophy as well as fiction history memoir film comedy social science and stories from Setiyas own experience Life Is Hard is a book for this momenta work of solace and compassion

Warm accessible and goodhumored this book is about making the best of a bad lot It offers guidance for coping with pain and making new friends for grieving the lost and failing with grace for confronting injustice and searching for meaning in lifeCountering pop psychologists and online influencers who admonish us to find our bliss and live our best lives Setiya acknowledges thatthe best is often out of reachInstead he asks how we can weather lifes adversities finding hope and living well when life is hard