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Arthur Schopenhauer
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The Wisdom of Life Paperback – March 8, 2004

by Arthur Schopenhauer (Author), T. Bailey Saunders (Translator)
4.4 out of 5 stars 807 ratings
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A leading German metaphysician of the 19th century, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) exerted an influence far beyond the hermetic world of philosophy, with adherents ranging from Richard Wagner and Friedrich Nietzsche to Leo Tolstoy and Thomas Mann. Among Schopenhauer's chief contributions to the field of philosophy are his rejection of the idealism of his contemporaries and his embrace of a practical variety of materialism. He jettisons the traditional philosophic jargon for a brisk, compelling style that employs direct terms to express the metaphysics of the will.
In The Wisdom of Life, an essay from Schopenhauer's final work, Parerga und Paralipomena (1851), the philosopher favors individual strength of will and independent, reasoned deliberation over the tendency to act on irrational impulses. He examines the ways in which life can be arranged to derive the highest degree of pleasure and success, presents guidelines to achieving this full and rich manner of living, and advises that even a life well lived must always aspire to grander heights. Abounding in subjects of enduring relevance, Schopenhauer's highly readable work appears here in an excellent translation.

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  1. Print length
    77 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dover Publications
  4. Publication date
    March 8, 2004
  5. Dimensions
    5.51 x 0.12 x 8.27 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0486435504
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0486435503
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 8, 2004
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 77 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0486435504
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0486435503
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.21 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.51 x 0.12 x 8.27 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 807 ratings

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Arthur Schopenhauer

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4.4 out of 5 stars
807 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book insightful, with one review highlighting its deep exploration of mental characteristics. The readability receives mixed feedback - while some customers find it excellent for intellectual engagement, others describe it as unreadable.

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InsightReadability
24 customers mention "Insight"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, with one review highlighting its compelling views of the good life.

"Not such an easy read but still very good and an excellent resource for Schopenhauer’s works. Good for Philosophy students." Read more

"...Among his admirers was Leo Tolstoy. In this translation, he analyses life and postulates what constitutes happiness...." Read more

"Schopenhauer had a brilliant mind, I enjoyed the narration of his philosophy in advanced vocabulary, also his comparisons of dullness vs brilliance..." Read more

"...eighteenth century, I found the book very refreshing and full of insightful reflections...." Read more

14 customers mention "Readability"9 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's readability, with some finding it easy to understand and excellent for intellectual engagement, while others describe it as unreadable.

"...It was interesting to read what he says about reputation, rank, pride, honor and fame...." Read more

"Not such an easy read but still very good and an excellent resource for Schopenhauer’s works. Good for Philosophy students." Read more

"This is a concise and interesting book, in which Schopenhauer reflects about what is important and what is secondary to a well lived existence...." Read more

"...is one of the first books I’ve written a review on because of how well written it was. Translator did great. All around 10/10 book." Read more

Schopenhauerian
5 out of 5 stars
Schopenhauerian
My favorite pessimist, so matter of fact. Cuts to the chase of being a human.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • MandoPando
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thank god
    Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Excellent
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  • Aquaman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nice review of A.Schopenhauer’s works
    Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Not such an easy read but still very good and an excellent resource for Schopenhauer’s works. Good for Philosophy students.
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  • Rashid Osmani
    4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful and Deep Insights of Mental Characteristics.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Arthur Schopenhauer was a German Philosopher who died in 1860. Among his admirers was Leo Tolstoy. In this translation, he analyses life and postulates what constitutes happiness. He claims that two foes of human happiness are pain and boredom and gives a some-what wealth description on who has more of each. How people deal with these is rooted in their ‘personality’. Poor people work hard to support themselves and it gives them pain. When persons have enough that they don’t have to work, they get bored and play cards or become tourists or spend time with other similar activities. It was interesting to read what he says about reputation, rank, pride, honor and fame. Although with honor, we get lost with peculiarities of the 19th century knighthood and other awkward theories that are today a bit pointless. Regardless of the arguments the author uses, one is impressed by the genius that he was in presenting a clear-cut theory.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • mengly trentin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good book ever
    Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Improve my knowledge
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  • Bircha
    3.0 out of 5 stars Translation please...
    Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Arthur, where have you been all my life? Philosophy holds so many answers. It's all about WILL and how it is constantly thrown off track by our personality and by our emotions. My best philosophy quote so far (in my studies), is Will is "the natural flow of an unimpeded idea to action". Which means, you try not to overeat and you really want to not overeat but you can't do it because your emotions and the urge to be nurtured get in the way. Willpower is when you can make it happen.

    But this is a frustrating translation. The foreign language sentences throughout the book are not translated, for example page 11, omnis motus, quo celerior, eo magis motus. What does that mean? You might know what it means but we don't. And there are lots of foreign language sentences throughout the book. Very frustrating.

    But I'm getting a lot of life changing fixes out of the book and am thankful to have met Arthur Schopenhauer - thanks to Will Durant.

    TEACH PHILOSOPHY! The common people need it.
    30 people found this helpful
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  • R. Bowman
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Quick Glance into Schopenhauer
    Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I was happy to find these essays by Schopenhauer available for the Kindle. I happened to be rereading Nietzsche's 'Genealogy of Morals' at the time and it was interesting to compare Schopenhauer's recommendations of the way to the good life with Nietzsche's opinion that an ascetic approach was just Schopenhauer's way to cope.

    The last essay was amusing as it was a thinly disguised rant "someday I will have the fame I deserve while that flash in the pan, Hegel, will be forgotten". He was partially right in that he is remembered but Hegel never faded away.

    Another reviewer remarked that some of the cited snippets were not translated, 'sume superbiam quaesitam meritis' for example. In almost every case, Schopenhauer presumably paraphrased or translated the quote into German, which was then translated in the present text. "--usurp the fame you have deserved", which directly follows, is a possible translation of the exhortation to the Muse Melpomene in Ode 3.30 to get on with it.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Tony Mirabel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Schopenhauer had a brilliant mind, I enjoyed the narration of his philosophy in advanced vocabulary, also his comparisons of dullness vs brilliance as to what is common as opposed to what is rare. I especially enjoyed his account of what a man or woman really is and how our true happiness comes not from without but from within. I had to look past a few comments which could be considered racist in order to appreciate his work. Those comments I took with a grain of salt as I take special consideration to both the time period and region where he was educated.
    16 people found this helpful
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  • Carl Gregory
    5.0 out of 5 stars Schopenhauer at his best.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book is a classic derived From other great thinkers in centuries past.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Fermín
    5.0 out of 5 stars A classic. Useful nuggets about life
    Reviewed in Spain on August 10, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    You might not share all his points of view, though you will find them interesting and wise.
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  • Michel D.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very highly intelligent
    Reviewed in Canada on May 13, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Outstanding thinker and book, made for bright people
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  • Tsanta
    5.0 out of 5 stars Üstad
    Reviewed in Turkey on April 3, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Her felsefe meraklısına lazım bir kitap.
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  • Cliente Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars I simply loved it.
    Reviewed in Brazil on January 7, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The author gives you three main pillars to happiness. The book is short and easy to understand. I'd recommend anyone to give it a try.
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  • Hesam
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good
    Reviewed in Australia on August 9, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Good book for gift
    Report