Alain de Botton

Alain de Botton, born in Zurich in 1969, is a Swiss-British writer and philosopher. He became known in part for his debut novel, “Essays in Love,” and for books including “How Proust Can Change Your Life,” “The Consolations of Philosophy,” “The Art of Travel,” and “The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work.” In 2008, he founded The School of Life in London, an organization connecting philosophical ideas with questions of everyday life and human well-being. De Botton has also worked as a television producer. His distinctions include the Prix Européen de l’Essai “Charles Veillon” (2003) and the 2004 Business Book of the Year Award, presented by Financial Times Deutschland and getAbstract.