Sarah Bakewell Books
Sarah Bakewell is a writer from Bournemouth, England. She spent her childhood traveling and living in Australia with her parents, before eventually returning to the UK. There, she studied philosophy at the University of Essex and worked as a cataloger and curator of early printed books at London’s Wellcome Library for the History of Medicine. She is the author of four books including The Smart, The English Dane and How To Live: A Life of Montaigne.
What's At The Existentialist Café about?
At the Existentialist Café (2016) recounts the birth of existentialism in the early twentieth century. Both a biography and a philosophical text, it tells the stories of individual philosophers as well as their ideas. Above all, it explores how big philosophical questions can illuminate our lives and the way we live them.
Who should read At The Existentialist Café?
- Philosophers who feel that philosophy has lost touch with everyday life
- Francophiles looking for insight on their national treasures
- Curious observers who want to learn how to look more closely at the world around them
How to Live
What's How to Live about?
How to Live (2010) is both a biography of the writer Montaigne and an overview of the monumental work for which he’s famous: the Essays – a genre of writing that he invented. Along the way, it suggests some lessons we can take from his life and apply to our own.
Who should read How to Live?
- Students of the Stoics, Epicureans, or Skeptics who want to learn about one of their greatest prodigies
- Fans of biographies about writers and thinkers
- Anyone who wants to know more about the life and works of Montaigne
Humanly Possible
What's Humanly Possible about?
Humanly Possible (2023) traces the roots of humanism in literature and science back through history. While telling the stories of the great humanist thinkers, it sheds light on humanity today as well as how we can better relate to our lives and environment through humanist beliefs and pursuits.
Who should read Humanly Possible?
- Anyone interested in the humanities
- People looking for non-religious alternatives to moral thinking
- Optimists