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Alain de Botton  

Swiss Writer, Philosopher & Television Presenter

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.

Alain also started and helps to run a school in London called The School of Life, dedicated to a new vision of education.

Alain’s latest book, published in September 2019, is a collection of essays written for The School of Life, titled The School of Life: An Emotional Education.

Alain started writing at a young age. His first book, Essays in Love [titled On Love in the US], was published when he was twenty-three.

Speech Topics

The Consolations of Philosophy

Philosophy is often seen as a dry and obscure subject, but in this talk, Alain de Botton shows how the great philosophers remain important guides to our contemporary lives. Taking in great names from Socrates to Nietzsche, this talk will inform as well as heal. Based on the bestselling book, The Consolations of Philosophy.

The Modern World of Work

Drawing on his acclaimed book, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, Alain de Botton considers what makes the modern workplace so challenging, how we strive to find meaning in what we do, and why colleagues is both infuriating and hugely important. Mixing history, psychology and philosophy, this is a talk to console and inspire.

A Kinder, Gentler Philosophy of Success

Based on a legendary TED talk (downloaded 1million times), Alain de Botton discusses our ideas of success in the modern world, and argues that we're perhaps all both more and less successful than we tend to think. An entertaining, wise and witty tour around the pressure to be 'a success'.

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