Customer Reviews

The Art of Worldly Wisdom (Dover Books on Western Philosophy)

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I've quoted the author in my blog, relying on the Qxford Book of Quotations. Decided that I needed the original, or as close as I could get. So I bought this and one other translation. I like both. The book is pithy, and offers a lot of advice that our modern politicians might well follow.The Art of Worldly Wisdom

As a generally well read person familiar with much in the way of 'wisdom literature,' I was surprised that I'd never heard of this little gem when a client recommended it. Its subtitle is "A Pocket Oracle" and it charmingly lives up to that and more. The book is comprised of 300 'wisdom packets' or 'doses' that are succinctly delivered in short lengths of approximately 9 to 19 lines each. Each one starts with a broad piece of advice followed up by explication. The broad range of topics include such things as proper attitudes to strategies in communication, love, politics and commerce. You can easily benefit by even picking any random page and reading a couple of 'doses' at a time. The books admirers include such luminaries as Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche, the latter of whom attested: "Europe never produced anything finer or more complicated in matters of moral subtlety."
One of the shortest and best of the 300 little 'wisdom packets' is this:
"Know your Major Defect. Every talent is balanced by a fault, and if you give in to it, it will govern you like a tyrant. You can begin to overthrow it by paying heed to it: begin to conquer it by identifying it. Pay it the same attention as those who reproach you for it. To master yourself, you must reflect upon yourself. Once this imperfectio has surrendered, all others will follow."
If you truly appreciate deeper wisdom emanating from astute observation, then you'll find this to be one of the most practical books on your shelf that you're sure to reference time and time again no matter what your station in life.