What can philosophy tell us about life and how to live it? What can it tell us about what matters, about tragedy, grief, ageing, loss; the true measures of wealth, the consolations that friendship, love and art can bring?

Drawing on the lives, experiences and writings of a fantastically eclectic range of thinkers - taking in not only philosophers such as Confucius, Seneca and Nietzsche, but also giants such as Shakespeare, Freud and George Eliot and modern thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum and Simon May - A. C. Grayling reveals the wisdom and the lessons of history’s wisest minds. Putting technical debates to one side, he deftly reveals their life-changing and timeless advice, showing how anyone can lead a fulfilled life.