Eric Weiner is author of the New York Times bestsellers The Geography of Bliss (now a docu-series featuring Rainn Wilson) and The Geography of Genius, as well as the critically acclaimed Man Seeks God and The Socrates Express. A former international correspondent for NPR, his work has appeared in The Atlantic, National Geographic, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and the anthology Best American Travel Writing. He lives with his family and a menagerie of animals in the Washington, D.C. area. For more information, visit: EricWeinerBooks.com.
“Part travelogue, part soul-searching memoir and part intellectual
matchmaker, [The Socrates Express] packs an extraordinary amount
into 287 pages of text. Erudite, funny and frequently
self-deprecating, Weiner serves as your interpreter and guide along
the way. Bursting with amusing trivia, insights and cultural
references, he is on a quest to make even Schopenhauer relatable. .
. . It is entirely possible to read this book just for pleasure,
but it is so much more. . . . Each chapter is like a
chocolate truffle — tasty and dense. . . . Space them out and savor
the ideas to see which ones suit you.” —The Washington
Post
"Eric Weiner's The Socrates Express rekindled my love for
philosophy. A smart, funny, engaging book full of valuable
lessons, The Socrates Express is not an explanation—it's
an invitation to think and experience philosophy filtered through
Weiner's words. . . . The structure of this book is brilliant.
. . . An engaging read . . . With plenty of humor and
straightforward prose [Weiner] engages with deep thought and
encourages us to focus on questions instead of answers. . . . A
fun, sharp book that draws readers in with its apparent simplicity
and bubble-gum philosophy approach and gradually pulls them in
deeper and deeper until they're contemplating desire, loneliness,
aging, and death." —NPR
“Delightful . . . There are so many reasons to love this book . . .
. If you are planning summer travel or a staycation, this book
will take you places intellectually and humorously.” —San
Francisco Book Review
"With signature clarity and humor, [Eric Weiner] picks up
where The Good Place left off. In a rare philosophy book
that’s a delight to read, he illuminates what deep thinkers through
history have known about a life well lived." —Adam Grant,
bestselling author of Originals
“A delightfully entertaining, practical guide to navigating life .
. . Weiner crafts a seamless, engaging study of condensed knowledge
crafted in graceful prose.”—New York Journal of Books
"[Weiner's] writing is fresh and even revelatory as he pulls
together seemingly disparate notions and asks meaningful (and often
unanswered) questions. His tone alternates between informative and
insightful to cheeky and challenging. . . . Readers will enjoy
Weiner's unique approach and ultimately satisfying
conclusions." —Booklist (starred review)
“Such a globe-trotting tour of philosophy can only be as good as
its guide, and Weiner proves to be a curious, sincere, and generous
companion. His good cheer alone serves as a model for how to live,
and many readers will appreciate his method of taking what’s useful
for him and leaving what’s not. . . . ‘The world needs more
philosophical enthusiasts,’ Weiner writes. This book is sure to
generate its share.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A pleasant surprise. Part high-level survey of the central ideas
of a diverse group of philosophers, part memoir, part 'how
to' book and part travelogue, [The Socrates Express] is an
invigorating introduction to some of philosophy’s eminently
practical uses. . . . A serious man of ideas . . . refreshingly
free of prescriptiveness.” —The Book Reporter
“Weiner makes a convincing and winningly presented case for
the practical applications of philosophy to everyday existence in
the 21st century. With humor and thoughtfulness, he distills the
wisdom of thinkers from throughout history . . . into ways to slow
down, ask questions, and pay attention. . . . His book offers an
appealing way to cope with the din of modern life and look at the
world with attentive eyes and ears.” —Publishers Weekly
“Equal parts vivifying travelogue and Philosophy 101 crash course .
. . Weiner’s gift is his lively ability to unearth fresh insights
about their ideas that relate to the chaos of the present day.”
—Boca Mag
“Weiner offers bubble gum philosophy that provides a quick, sweet
taste. . . . Those looking for lite insights will be drawn in
gradually from the shallow (getting out of bed and walking) to the
deep end (aging and death).” —Library Journal
Praise for The Geography of Genius:
"A witty, entertaining romp. Weiner’s vivid descriptions of
modern-day life in each locale make the spots feel like must-visit
destinations.”
— The New York Times Book Review
“There are some writers whose company is worth keeping, whatever
the subject… And Mr. Weiner is blessed with this gift. He is a
prober and questioner, a big-hearted humanist who will always take
a colorful, contradictory reality over some unfounded
certainty.”
— Wall Street Journal
"A global odyssey that seeks to discover why geniuses gather in
certain places during certain eras and why these hot spots burn
out, often after a half-century of grand achievements. Weiner is a
superb travel guide: funny, knowledgeable, self-deprecating and
always up for sharing a bottle of wine."
— Washington Post
"The Geography of Genius is witty, informative, and compulsively
readable. Whether you’re getting genius tips from Freud in Vienna
or hearing the secrets of high-tech powerhouses in Silicon Valley,
you’ll emerge smarter after reading this delightful travelogue of
ingenuity."
— Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of To Sell Is Human and
Drive
"It’s rare to read a book that makes you laugh and learn, but Eric
Weiner has done it again. This witty, wise explorer offers
fascinating insights on how culture has inspired creativity across
the ages—ripe for chats at water coolers and cocktail parties—and
offers a practical map for how we can all become a bit more
inventive."
— Adam Grant, Wharton professor and bestselling author of Give and
Take and Originals
"Eric Weiner has single-handedly invented a new nonfiction genre in
which a brilliant and hilarious writer leaves his home and family
to circle the globe in search of the answer to a timeless question.
The Geography of Genius is an intellectual odyssey, a traveler’s
diary, and a comic novel all rolled into one. Smart, original, and
utterly delightful, this is Weiner’s best book yet."
— Daniel Gilbert, Harvard professor and bestselling author of
Stumbling on Happiness
“An entertaining and thought-provoking book, a combination of
history and travelogue… Part of the book's charm stems from the
pure joy of experiencing these places alongside a narrator like
Weiner… His wry wit shines through as he drinks sublime tea in
China and contemplates a coffin collar in an Edinburgh museum; as
he interviews figures such as Jack Ma, a Hangzhou native who
founded multibillion dollar company Alibaba; and as he wanders the
Ringstrasse of Vienna and the strip malls of Silicon Valley,
pondering the conditions that lead to genius.”
— Christian Science Monitor
"Why do certain places produce a spontaneous eruption of
creativity? What made Athens and Florence and Silicon Valley? This
witty and fun book has an insight in every paragraph. It’s a
charming mix of history and wisdom cloaked as a rollicking
travelogue filled with colorful characters."
— Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of The Innovators and Steve
Jobs
"Weiner is an affable tour guide and a lively, witty writer in the
style of Bill Bryson; the connections he makes between places of
genius are sharp and sometime unexpected."
— Booklist
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