How to Be an Existentialist is a witty and entertaining book about the philosophy of existentialism. It is also a genuine self-help book offering clear advice on how to live according to the principles of existentialism formulated by Nietzsche, Sartre, Camus, and the other great existentialist philosophers. An attack on contemporary excuse culture, the book urges us to face the hard existential truths of the human condition. By revealing that we are all inescapably free and responsible -- 'condemned to be free,' as Sartre says - the book aims to empower the reader with a sharp sense that we are each the master of our own destiny. Cox makes fun of the reputation existentialism has for being gloomy and pessimistic, exposing it for what it really is - an honest, uplifting, and potentially life changing philosophy!
How to Be an Existentialist
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'Think of it as a serious self-help book for the perplexed ... an absorbing book ... I found it a stimulating read, which forced me to re-think some of my current perceptions.' - LeaderValues www.leader-values.com
Title mention in Creative Review, January 2010
'An instructive, witty and entertaining guide to existentialism' - Good Book Guide
"According to existentialists, selecting this book is an active choice for which the reader is responsible. Cox, who earned his doctorate in philosophy in the UK writing on Sartre, presents an accessible overview of this philosophical worldview, its path to living an authentic life, and existential counseling (which sounds akin to cognitive behavioral therapy) as a means to this end. The book includes suggested further reading." -Eithne, O'Leyne, BOOK NEWS, Inc.
About the Author
Gary Cox has a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Birmingham, UK, where he is also an Honorary Research Fellow.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Humor from the Abyss.,
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This review is from: How to Be an Existentialist: or How to Get Real, Get a Grip and Stop Making Excuses (Hardcover)
When I first saw this book on the shelf at my local bookstore, my initial reaction was: Great, just what we need, another silly introduction to Existentialism. But when I didn't find the book I had been looking for, I decided to leaf through it after all, and was shocked to find myself laughing aloud. Yes, that's right: laughing.
When was the last time you saw someone laughing in the Philosophy aisle? Strange but true, this has got to be one of the most delightful, most intelligent, and most outrageously funny books I have read in a long time. But it is funny in a way that is clever and sometimes so subtle that it is shocking, which is why this book should appeal not only to novices, but also to experts in the field, those who will get not only the allusions, but also the puns and the irony. That said, in terms of substance, the book is no joke; it's actually very serious. Cox's forte is Sartre, so much of what you are told about Existentialism is Sartrean, though the usual suspects are also discussed. At the center of Cox's examination is the existential question: How does one live Authentically and avoid Bad Faith? The terms were not new to me, and the question is one I had thought through before, but mostly in a detached, academic way. As theory. Instead, Cox's style is so personal, and he writes with such verve, that this silly little book was, for me, a not-so-silly revelation. Having read it I feel reinvigorated and recommitted to living authentically: to realizing my "being-in-situation without regret" and assuming responsibility by "throwing [myself] into the spirit of things." Indeed, this is the closest thing to philosophical self-help since Nietzsche and the Stoics, but with more laughs. But that's not all it is. Sometimes the best test of a book, especially an introduction or guidebook, is its ability to inspire you to read the original sources. Cox succeeds here, too. For example, he cites Sartre's "War Diaries" often enough that he has piqued what had been my flagging interest in Sartre, and motivated me to get the book. Would that more philosophy was like this! This book should appeal to undergraduates, grad students, black-shirted existentialist smokers in cafes, and any intelligent reader.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous,
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This review is from: How to Be an Existentialist: or How to Get Real, Get a Grip and Stop Making Excuses (Hardcover)
Just what I had hoped it would be. A concise explanation of the history, development and application of existentialism. (hard to do on such a subject) Delightfully, it was also witty and amusing. I came away feeling wonderfully positive about living in an absurd and meaningless world, something I had been trying to reconcile for some time.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Little Lesson Book,
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This review is from: How to Be an Existentialist: or How to Get Real, Get a Grip and Stop Making Excuses (Hardcover)
Sense of humor combined with well researched (albeit condensed) history of Existentialism helps make this tiny book an exciting manifesto on following your own path.
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