“We have to put aside the customary historical reading of works of art in order to invite art to respond to certain quite specific pains and dilemmas of our psyches.”

Swiss philosopher and writer of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, de Botton blends psychology, philosophy, and pop culture to explore human behavior and relationships. His work—including *The Consolations of Philosophy* and *Status Anxiety*—examines how we navigate love, art, and social expectations with wit and clarity.