“There's no writer alive like de Botton” (Chicago Tribune), and now this internationally heralded author turns his attention to the insatiable human quest for status—a quest that has less to do with material comfort than love. Anyone who’s ever lost sleep over an unreturned phone call or the neighbor’s Lexus had better read Alain de Botton’s irresistibly clear-headed new book, immediately. For in its pages, a master explicator of our civilization and its discontents explores the notion that our pursuit of status is actually a pursuit of love, ranging through Western history and thought from St. Augustine to Andrew Carnegie and Machiavelli to Anthony Robbins. Whether it’s assessing the class-consciousness of Christianity or the convulsions of consumer capitalism, dueling or home-furnishing, Status Anxiety is infallibly entertaining. And when it examines the virtues of informed misanthropy, art appreciation, or walking a lobster on a leash, it is not only wise but helpful.

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER From one of our greatest voices in modern philosophy, author of The Course of Love, The Consolations of Philosophy, Religion for Atheists and The School of Life - Alain de Botton sets out to understand our universal fear of failure - and how we might change it 'De Botton's gift is to prompt us to think about how we live and how we might change things' The Times We all worry about what others think of us. We all long to succeed and fear failure. We all suffer - to a greater or lesser degree, usually privately and with embarrassment - from status anxiety. Alain de Botton gives a name to this universal condition and sets out to investigate both its origins and possible solutions. He looks at history, philosophy, economics, art and politics - and reveals the many ingenious ways that great minds have overcome their worries. The result is a book that is not only entertaining and thought-provoking - but genuinely wise and helpful as well. 'He analyses modern society with great charm, learning and humour. His remedies come as a welcome relief when most books offering solutions to the stresses of life recommend the lotus position' Daily Mail

We all worry about what others think of us. We all long to succeed and fear failure. We all suffer � to a greater or lesser degree, usually privately and with embarrassment � from status anxiety. For the first time, Alain de Botton gives a name to this universal condition and sets out to investigate both its origins and possible solutions. He looks at history, philosophy, economics, art and politics � and reveals the many ingenious ways that great minds have overcome their worries. The result is a book that is not only entertaining and thought-provoking � but genuinely wise and helpful as well.

This volume provides a critical perspective on the Soviet legacy of global competition and status anxiety in international higher education. Investigating tensions generated by the traditional power instruments of coercion, money and attraction, the book looks into the dynamics of multi-level forces that either advance progressive university policies and practices or lead to hyper-centralization, indoctrination and unfreedom of inquiry in higher education. The volume provides insights into political sources that champion the anxiety about superpower status over the agenda of social equality, fairness, and freedom in universities and their communities. The manuscript offers an excellent collation of studies shedding light on the phenomenon of de-Sovietization which was previously largely overlooked and underexplored in the higher education literature. The book appeals to policy-makers, practitioners and scholars of higher education who seek to understand historical and political conditions that affect the currency of Chinese and Russian scholarship. As de-Sovietization of higher education may often be aspiration than reality in the two post-totalitarian countries, this books offers a unique, thought-provoking frame of analysis urging for more studies in the area as well as encouraging enhanced responsibility in creating sufficient room for freedom of critical inquiry.

New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller A step-by-step plan clinically proven to break the cycle of worry and fear that drives anxiety and addictive habits We are living through one of the most anxious periods any of us can remember. Whether facing issues as public as a pandemic or as personal as having kids at home and fighting the urge to reach for the wine bottle every night, we are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. But in this timely book, Judson Brewer explains how to uproot anxiety at its source using brain-based techniques and small hacks accessible to anyone. We think of anxiety as everything from mild unease to full-blown panic. But it's also what drives the addictive behaviors and bad habits we use to cope (e.g. stress eating, procrastination, doom scrolling and social media). Plus, anxiety lives in a part of the brain that resists rational thought. So we get stuck in anxiety habit loops that we can't think our way out of or use willpower to overcome. Dr. Brewer teaches us to map our brains to discover our triggers, defuse them with the simple but powerful practice of curiosity, and to train our brains using mindfulness and other practices that his lab has proven can work. Distilling more than 20 years of research and hands-on work with thousands of patients, including Olympic athletes and coaches, and leaders in government and business, Dr. Brewer has created a clear, solution-oriented program that anyone can use to feel better - no matter how anxious they feel.

A man accused by women of narcissism tries to show more interest in his next one, only to discover women don't like too much attention either. A romantic comedy set in Britain by the author of On Love.

A QUICK, HANDS-ON BOOK OF EXERCISES CLINICALLY PROVEN TO MANAGE ANXIETY. Teens today are more stressed than ever. Whether they face problems with school, friends, parents or all of the above, teens need help. Based on cognitive behavioral therapy, the mostwidely used and popular anxiety therapy among clinicians, 101 Ways to Conquer Teen Anxiety offers dozens of beneficial quizzes, activities, tips and illustrations to help teens: • Identify the most common anxiety triggers • Learn essential skills to prevent anxiety attacks • Redirect risky behavior, including substance abuse and self-harm • Understand the options of therapy and medication• Overcome the spike-and-relapse cycle From mindfulness meditation and the repetition of positive mantras to diaphragmatic breathing and nature walks, the activities in this book both calm the body and keep thoughts from spiraling.