"The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work" is Alain de Botton's lucid exploration of a subject key to most of our lives. Why do so many of us love or hate our work? How has it come to dominate our lives? And what should we do about it? Work makes us. Without it we are at a loss; in work we hope to have a measure of control over our lives. Yet for many of us, work is a straitjacket from which we cannot free ourselves. Criss-crossing the world to visit workplaces and workers both ordinary and extraordinary, and drawing on the wit and wisdom of great artists, writers and thinkers, Alain de Botton here explores our love-hate relationship with our jobs. He poses and answers little and big questions: from what should I do with my life? to what will I have achieved when I retire? "The Pleasure and Sorrows of Work" will not only explain why it is we do what we do all day, but its sympathy, humour and insight seeks to help us make the most of it. "De Botton's wit and powers of ironic observation are on display throughout what is a stylish and original book. The workplace brings out the best in his writing". ("Sunday Times"). "Timely, wonderfully readable.De Botton has pretty much got to the bottom of the subject". ("Spectator"). "Terribly funny, touches us all". ("Daily Mail"). "Brilliant, enormously engaging". ("Guardian"). Alain de Botton was born in 1969 and is the author of non-fiction essays on themes ranging from love and travel to architecture and philosophy. His bestselling books include "Essays in Love"; "The Romantic Movement"; "Kiss and Tell'; "Status Anxiety"; "How Proust Can Change Your Life"; "The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work"; "The Art of Travel"; "The Architecture of Happiness" and "Religion for Atheists". He lives in London and founded The School of Life and Living Architecture.