Alain de Botton at Cambridge Business Lectures

We spend much of our lives at work – but surprisingly little gets written about what makes work both one of the most exciting and most painful of all our activities. Alain de Botton comes to Robinson College to present his new, ninth book, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work. This is an exploration of the joys and perils of the modern workplace, evoking what other people get up to all day – and night – to make the frenzied contemporary world function. With a philosophical eye and his characteristic combination of wit and wisdom, Alain de Botton leads us on a journey around a deliberately eclectic range of occupations, from rocket science to biscuit manufacture, accountancy to art – in search of what make jobs either fulfilling or soul-destroying.

Along the way de Botton skilfully raises the big questions we all tend to ask of our work: What is the right job for me? How can I make the most of my talents? What should I be aiming for in my career?

The book and de Botton's talk amounts to a celebration and investigation of an activity as central to a good life as love – but which we often find remarkably hard to reflect on properly. As de Botton points out, most of us are still working at jobs chosen for us by our sixteen-year-old selves.

Alain de Botton was born in 1969 and is the author of essays on themes ranging from love and travel to architecture and philosophy. His bestselling books include Essays in Love, How Proust Can Change Your Life, The Art of Travel, Status Anxiety and The Architecture of Happiness. His work has been published in twenty-five countries. He lives in London. He is a founding member of The School of Life. For further information, see www.alaindebotton.com

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Comment by rachel Watson on May 12, 2009 at 10:53am

would have loved to come but unfortunately do not finish work routinely until 7pm at earliest, rachel

Comment by Kate Atkin on April 28, 2009 at 10:01am

Sounds really interesting Neil, am looking forward to it - thanks to Katherine Wiid for prompting me to respond.

Comment by Neil Smith on April 21, 2009 at 11:19am

Looking forward to this one

Comment by Nuno Rocha on January 27, 2009 at 11:02am

Thank you Neil for this opportunity. No need for "Status Anxiety" ... I think you're a winner and very successful! :)

Comment by Hazel Edmunds on January 19, 2009 at 1:40pm

Please let me know how I can put on facebook that I've signed up to this network.

Comment by Neil Davidson on January 14, 2009 at 8:20pm

Thank you Waclaw. If there's anything you can do to help spread the word about the lectures, and this site, then I'd really appreciate it.

Comment by Waclaw Slezak on January 14, 2009 at 8:14pm

Neil gets a huge applause from me for his initative and previous Cambridge Business Lectures. They do open up a view on another world and insights we can share to stimulate our own local world.

Comment by Neil Davidson on January 10, 2009 at 2:21pm

Mark,

Here is the only place you need to register for this one.

- Neil

Comment by Mark Dalgarno on January 10, 2009 at 11:55am

ISTR that I had to register separately for the April event. Is it sufficient to register here for this one?