The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers

Eccentric, belligerent, and entirely brilliant—philosophers occupy a uniquely persistent space in cultural thought. Socrates went without showering, Diogenes took up residence in a barrel, and Schopenhauer was likely the most misanthropic man to own a poodle. And yet, the thoughts of these unconventional men and women have provoked centuries of questions. Their words, greeting many readers through the musty pages of philosophy textbooks, move each of us to stop and consider: What’s all this for, anyway? Writer Eric Weiner traverses the history of these delightfully strange provocateurs, proving that not only is philosophy alive and well, but that even its ancient wisdom isn’t too distant to lead our souls into a fuller kind of life—truth itself.