The Shrink and the Sage: A Guide to Living

Let me say: this book impressed me no end! A clear and thoughtful look at key themes of being human: who am I really, the role of values and goals (and their pitfalls). Mostly I enjoyed them asking questions about some current popular myths about personality, and the over-simplification of this complex person with an incredible brain, called "me". I read the research behind their answers, much more informed than a thumb-suck, but without swamping the reader in the expertise behind this work. They stay out of the trap of "the answer" because respectfully the query "the answer" so popular in current writing on the "I" and values. I wish I had read this book many years ago, it would have moved me much faster in my own exploration as a clinical psychologist, and the for the benefit of people I work with. An "old book" as if written this morningProf J Baggini, you now have an inquisitive follower.

I found this book somewhat frustrating. The authors write clearly and focus on the big issues, and they are successful popularizers -- laying out the complexities of life, making it all accessible for thought. However, there are two major problems here: (1) a sort of disjointed, nibbling structure -- lots of little potted essays on discrete questions ("What should you be proud of?", "What should you do before you die?", etc.), and (2) no case studies (actual or made-up). Without real-life details to coalesce around, the many thoughts and arguments seem unfocused, and often lapse into fairly low-level self-help.I do think these are distinguished authors with a lot to teach us, so I don't mean to be too harsh. There are bits and pieces I found valuable, glimmers of insight. But as a book, this collection did not live up to its promise for me.

I find the psychologists' perspective fairly insightful, however the philosopher's perspective simply offers a way to view the world and that doesn't "help" me by giving me any tools that I didn't already have. View "A" of the world versus view "B" of the world doesn't change how I interact in the world; it's a pastime to be philosophical but it doesn't offer any solutions. If you're looking for that, then you'd like it. I was looking for help in a way that gives me insight that I can use (e.g. helping me to understand others or myself), so the philosophy segments are not what I was looking for.

It’s not the type of self-help book that would tell to do and follow whatever you want. Rather, it is an encouragement to challenge our prior beliefs and values. I find Julian as a very advocate of this type and this is what Philosophers like to do unlike what Julian suggested about therapists who would let the person do what they fee like doing.

This book is very helpful in putting a focus on what is really important in life. It does not offer any particular solutions, but offers an interesting ways to look at the problems. Also, Baggini is the first author to convincingly explain to me of what use Aristotelian virtue can be today (and he was not the first to try :))My only complaint so far is that the "voices" of two authors are almost undistinguishable, while I've expected them to bring different perspectives. Of course, they did warn in the foreword that they intend to speak in concert, not argue, but still I could not ever distinguish who is speaking.

I read a great review for this book, purchased it as a ebook, but could not quite get interested in it, maybe I was in the wrong frame of mind... Might try again down the track

Excellent prose and intellectually challenging

Baggini, an Aristotelian philosopher, teams up with Macaro, an existential psychotherapist, and takes the reader through a heady, winding, but absolutely breathtaking ride through the landscape of life as we see it - and more importantly, as we should see it. They cover the ground like a pair of heavy tag-team wrestlers, grasping one common assumption after another and tearing it apart before rejoining it as a different article. Take the beautification of our appearances for example. Should we bother? If life is reason what is the need to worry about how we look? Appearances make hypocrites of all of us they say. We are constantly told not to "judge a book by its cover" and yet we do so all the time. We praise the virtue of humility yet not see the importance of pride in the development of our self. In one segment, they talk about what we should do before we die, and there, they envisage the spectre of death for us and provide their thoughts as to how we can deal with death through psychology and philosophy. "Just where death is expecting you is something we cannot know; so for your part, expect him everywhere." They both hold great store in cultivating the ability to detach ourselves from things without detaching ourselves from life. That is a fine balancing act. The authors have some useful training exercises.

I have for years been rather suspicious of both philosophers and psychologists but this book has changed that. It is full of good sense and I am really enjoying reading it. You may have heard it all before, but I haven't - certainly not in the interesting way it is done here. I can see that if you have studied these subjects in some depth already, this is not the book for you. For those less well informed it is fine.

The authors weekly column in the Saturday FT magazine is a treat. They drill down into less general issues than the book, such as "How important is luck" the other week. They are so brilliant that I tear them out and keep them in a folder.This book is highly important to anyone prepared to challenge their own assumptions on what truly matters in life and to question their values. Sadly, it will be lost on most of us.

Accessible, easily digestible guide to modern living. Highly relevant and recommended as an introduction to practical philosophy with psychology thrown in.The only bit I was less keen on was the out of context quoting of Buddhism as fatalistic... Focusing only on "life is suffering" tells only part of the truth about Buddhism. If the rest of the noble truths were taken into account they would have disproved the author's point rather than the other way round.

Real insight into the great and complex questions that we all share explained in a down to earth and drawing on the wisdom of thinkers over the millenia. I really enjoyed it.

Book as describe - fast delivery