‘… A book reminding us of all the small moments we overlook when they happen.’- Emma Gannon, Ctr Alt Delete podcast
52 overlooked small pleasures, from flirtation and figs to cyprus trees and the pleasant exhaustion that follows an especially productive day.
We exhaust ourselves and the planet in the search for very large pleasures, while all around us lies a wealth of small pleasures, which-if we only pay more attention-can bring us solace and joy on a daily basis. This is a guidebook to life’s small pleasures: everything from the distinct delight of holding a child’s hand to the joy of watching the evening sky. It’s an intriguing, evocative collection that will heighten our senses and return us to the world with newfound excitement and enthusiasm.
- 52 SMALL PLEASURES that bring us joy and solace.
- REAL-WORD TAKEAWAYS to help us thrive in everyday life.
- A FRESH PERSPECTIVE on seeing life with enthusiasm and energy.
- A SERIES OF SHORT, DIGESTIBLE MEDITATIONS , designed to open and read at any page.
- PART OF THE SCHOOL OF LIFE LIBRARY SERIES other titles include Calm, Relationships, and Great Thinkers.
Table of Content
PREFACE: What This Book Is For
1. The Fish Shop
2. Small Islands
3. Stars
4. Grandmothers
5. The Friend Who Listens
6. Take-Off
7. A Night Alone in a Hotel
8. Sunbathing
9. The Desert
10. Finding Your Feet Abroad
11. Being up Late at Night
12. The Charm of Cows
13. Up at Dawn
14. Staring out of the Window
15. A Hot Bath
16. Indulgent Pessimism
17. Self-Pity
18. Crushes
19. Keeping Your Clothes On
20. Kissing
21. Children’s Drawings
22. Crimes in the Newspaper
23. Driving on the Motorway at Night
24. Sunday Mornings
25. A Beloved’s Wrists
26. A Favourite Old Jumper
27. Holding Hands with a Small Child
28. Old Stone Walls
29. Realising You Both Dislike the Same Popular Person
30. Feeling at Home in the Sea
31. ‘Bad’ Magazines
32. The Song You Want to Listen to Again and Again
33. A Book that Understands You
34. Crying Cathartically over the Death of a Fictional Character
25. Pleasant Exhaustion after a Productive Day
36. Old Photos of One’s Parents
37. Whispering in Bed in the Dark
38. Cypress Trees
39. News of a Scientific Discovery
40. Feeling Someone Else Is So Wrong
41. The Teasing of Old Friends
42. Getting Over a Row
43. Planning the Ideal Routine
44. Finally Gaining the Respect of a Previously Suspicious Colleague
45. ‘Getting’ a Great Work of Art for Yourself
46. Very Dark Jokes
47. Midnight Walks
48. Flirtation
49. The First Day of Feeling Well Again
50. Daisies
51. Figs
52. A List of Very Small Pleasures
EPILOGUE: The Ideology of Small Pleasures
About the author
Alain de Botton was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1969 and now lives in London. He is a writer of essayistic books that have been described as a ‘philosophy of everyday life.’ He’s written on love, travel, architecture and literature. His books have been bestsellers in 30 countries. The School of Life is coming to the US in 2018. The San Francisco Conference will take place from the 23rd to 25th of March, and the New York Conference will be in the fall – exact dates to be confirmed.
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