{"title":"Books by William B. Irvine","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780393541496","title":"The Stoic Challenge – A Philosopher`s Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer, and More Resilient","description":"Some people bounce back in response to setbacks; others break. We often think that these responses are hardwired but this is not the case. William B. Irvine combines key lessons from the ancient Stoics with modern psychological techniques to develop a simple strategy for dealing with life’s unpleasant surprises. These include minor setbacks like being caught in a traffic jam or having a flight cancelled, as well as major setbacks, like those experienced by Stephen Hawking or Bethany Hamilton.   By using the updated Stoic strategy, life’s setbacks can be transformed into opportunities to become calmer, tougher and more resilient. The Stoic Challenge is a practical guide to using centuries-old wisdom to help us cope better with the stresses of modern living.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56289676034421,"sku":"9780393541496","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780393541496_b4c5f323-55af-4777-9fdb-e55996c1d431.jpg?v=1786013596"},{"product_id":"9780195374612","title":"A Guide to the Good Life","description":"One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives. In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. Using the psychological insights and the practical techniques of the Stoics, Irvine offers a roadmap for anyone seeking to avoid the feelings of chronic dissatisfaction that plague so many of us. Irvine looks at various Stoic techniques for attaining tranquility and shows how to put these techniques to work in our own life. As he does so, he describes his own experiences practicing Stoicism and offers valuable first-hand advice for anyone wishing to live better by following in the footsteps of these ancient philosophers. Readers learn how to minimize worry, how to let go of the past and focus our efforts on the things we can control, and how to deal with insults, grief, old age, and the distracting temptations of fame and fortune. We learn from Marcus Aurelius the importance of prizing only things of true value, and from Epictetus we learn how to be more content with what we have. Finally, A Guide to the Good Life shows readers how to become thoughtful observers of their own life. If we watch ourselves as we go about our daily business and later reflect on what we saw, we can better identify the sources of distress and eventually avoid that pain in our life. By doing this, the Stoics thought, we can hope to attain a truly joyful life.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56311591469429,"sku":"9780195374612","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780195374612_e3fa3d5b-8c82-4c9f-a4bf-1c2ebc68df7f.jpg?v=1786011217"},{"product_id":"9780197786840","title":"How to Think More and Better","description":"William B. Irvine, author of the popular book \"A Guide to the Good Life,\" offers much needed philosophical advice on how to become a more rational and critical thinker in today's emotionally-driven and complex world.Even the most reasonable of us can be selective about when we think reasonably. We may realize that the best thing to do is to take the advice of our doctor when facing a medical issue. When shopping for a new car or appliance we might carefully assess online reviews and weigh our options calmly before making an informed decision. But when it comes to things that feel more fraught --voting, navigating a challenge in our family, figuring out what to do in a difficult professional situation-- we might throw this approach out the window, dismissing facts and patterns that form a body of evidence, and trust our gut. (Of course, there is a time and place for this, but not every big decision is purely a matter of the heart.) Likewise, when we think about big ideas, about right and wrong, or about concepts so complex they make anyone's head spin, we can freeze, jumping to conclusions rather than wading into the details, or considering the existing arguments that others offer as a trail through challenging terrain. How can we do better? How can we train our minds to be more consistent? How can we practice using the best of our rational abilities when it matters most?How to Think More and Better offers a philosopher's advice on becoming a more rational and critical thinker, rather than relying on emotions or hearsay to reach important decisions. It trains the reader in open-minded critical thinking. This thinking is crucial in a time of political polarization, social media, politicized news media, and echo chambers, to help us pursue truth and understanding in a world of rabbit holes, echo chambers, and disinformation. Irvine explains the prevalence of emotion-driven thinking is often at the expense of engagement with evidence, and then lays out strategies readers can use to train themselves to think more critically, drawn from what worked for him in the classroom. He also covers important areas to aid intellectual self-transformation, such as Mindcare and Mindcleaning. With practice, most people can become evidence-based thinkers. Seemingly intractable contemporary problems might be solved if we all start engaging more in this kind of slow and careful thinking, considering arguments and evidence even from those on opposite sides of key debates.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56367792980341,"sku":"9780197786840","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780197786840_ed423c1f-6a3f-4aed-95e5-691b7ee9a582.jpg?v=1786011227"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-william-b-irvine.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}