Epictetus, a Greek stoic and freed slave, ran a thriving philosophy school in Nicropolis in the early second century AD. Together with the "Enchiridion", a manual of his main ideas, this book argues that happiness lies in learning to perceive exactly what is in our power to change and what is not.

How can a leader be strong and decisive, yet still inspire loyalty in his followers? When is it necessary to break the rules? Is it better to be feared than loved? Examining regimes and their rulers the world over and throughout history, from Roman Emperors to renaissance Popes, the author answers all these questions.

The national bestseller, now available in a non-illustrated, standard format paperback edition

The Power of Myth launched an extraordinary resurgence of interest in Joseph Campbell and his work. A preeminent scholar, writer, and teacher, he has had a profound influence on millions of people--including Star Wars creator George Lucas. To Campbell, mythology was the "song of the universe, the music of the spheres." With Bill Moyers, one of America's most prominent journalists, as his thoughtful ...

What makes a house truly beautiful? Why are many new houses so ugly? Why do we argue so bitterly about sofas and pictures - and can differences of taste ever be satisfactorily resolved? This book explores one of our most intense but often hidden love affairs: with our houses and their furnishings.

"Its theme is political fanaticism, with which it deals severely and brilliantly." --New Yorker

The famous bestseller with "concise insight into what drives the mind of the fanatic and the dynamics of a mass movement" (Wall St. Journal) by the legendary San Francisco longshoreman.

A stevedore on the San Francisco docks in the 1940s, Eric Hoffer wrote philosophical treatises in his spare time while living in the railroad yards. The True Believer--the first and most famous of his books--was mad...

The sequel to the global bestseller The Courage To Be Disliked, the Japanese phenomenon in applying twentieth-century psychology to contemporary dilemmas continues with life-changing advice on finding happiness.

One of the most iconoclastic philosophers of all time, the author dramatically rejected notions of good and evil, truth and God. With wit and subversive energy, he demands that the individual impose their own 'will to power' upon the world. This book demonstrates that the world is steeped in false piety and infected with a 'slave morality'.

A guide to more than 2,000 years of thought. It covers the topics ranging from moral ethics to philosophies of religion.

Why are we here? What's the point of existence? For those who are unsatisfied by the answers of traditional religion, and equally by the lack of answers from atheism, Philip Goff opens up a path between the two. He argues for cosmic purpose: the idea that the universe is directed towards certain goals, such as the emergence of intelligent life.

'Barthes' purpose is to tear away masks and demystify the signs, signals and symbols of the language of mass culture' The TimesIn this magnificent and often surprising collection of essays Barthes explores the myths of mass culture.