Tag

Philosophy

Biography, Historical, Memoir, Non Fiction, Travelogue

Jun 19: Ben & Me with Award-Winning Journalist & NYT Bestselling Author Eric Weiner

In Search of a Founder’s Formula for a Long and Useful Life

Ben and Me with author Eric Weiner

Part biography, part travelogue, part memoir, Ben & Me is not a traditional biography. It’s a guide to thinking well and living a useful life. It’s about curiosity, diligence, constant learning, and, most of all, the elusive goal of self-improvement.

Eric Weiner follows Franklin from Philadelphia to Paris, and Boston to London, to discover Ben’s life lessons, large and small.

We learn how to improve a relationship by asking someone to do you a favor—a psychological phenomenon known as The Ben Franklin Effect. Weiner discloses Franklin’s biggest strengths, his human flaws, and what most disappointed him about Ben. Eric also shares what he learned about himself on this journey. And much more.

Meer Eric Weiner – Author, Speaker, Philosophical Traveler

An award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and speaker, Eric Weiners latest book is Ben & Me: In Search of a Founder’s Formula for a Long and Useful Life. His other books include The Geography of Bliss, The Geography of Genius, Man Seeks God and The Socrates Express. Eric is a former foreign correspondent for NPR, and reporter for The New York Times. He is a regular contributor to The Washington Post, BBC Travel, and AFAR, among other publications. And he lives in the Washington, D.C. area.

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Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Personal Development

Jan 03: Make 2024 A Change Your Life Year … in Just 3 Minutes a Day

Dr. Richard Dixey’s Rx for gaining clarity, expanding creativity, reducing stress

Three Minutes a Day with author Richard Dixey

Yes, it’s really possible, says scientist Richard Dixey to transform your life by incorporating his short, valuable practice into everyday life.

Dr. Richard Dixey explains how just three minutes of your time can turn your life around. He shares a direct path to gain clarity of mind, relieve stress, calm anxiety, sharpen thinking, improve concentration, and enhance creativity.

And his practice can be followed from anywhere, anytime, no matter how busy you are.

About Dr. Richard Dixey

Richard Dixey, PhD, is a scientist and lifelong student of Asian philosophy. He runs the Light of Buddhadharma Foundation in India with his wife Wangmo, the eldest daughter of Tibetan lama Tarthang Tulku. He is a senior faculty member at Dharma College in Berkeley, and divides his time between California and India. His new book, Three Minutes a Day: A 14 Week Course to Learn Meditation and Transform Your Life.

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Memoir, Non Fiction

Dec 06: What it Means to Be a Twin with Helena De Bres

How to Be Multiple: The Philosophy of Twins Explores Twinhood & What It Can Tell Us About Being Human 

How to be Multiple with author Helena De Bres

Wait, which twin are you? Who is the evil twin? Have you ever switched partners? Can you read each other’s mind?

Twins get asked the weirdest questions by strangers, loved ones, even themselves.

As a twin and professor of philosophy, Helena De Bres takes an indepth look at what it means to be a twin from personal and philosophical perspectives, including positive and negative stereotypes.

About Helena De Bres

Helena De Bres is Professor in the Wellesley College Department of Philosophy. Currently, she is researching the nature and value of memoir, and the question of what makes life meaningful. Earlier work in philosophy was on distributive justice in global politics. She has a major interest in creative writing, public philosophy and the intersection between the two. Lisa De Bres, Helena’s twin, drew all of the illustrations for How To Be Multiple.

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Biography, Conservation, Non Fiction, Social Issues

DEC 18: Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist & The Collected Letters of Alan Watts

Filmmaker Zara Hayes takes an in-depth look at Dian Fossey, from her lonely childhood to what drove her to endanger her own life for the sake of the gorillas of Rwanda.  Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist reveals the inside story of the tragically murdered activist.

Zara is a British filmmaker who works between the UK and the USA.  The production of Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist was aided by National Geographic and is voiced by Sigourney Weaver.

Today, we’ll also take a journey into the mind of British author and philosopher Alan Watts, who greatly influenced 60’s counter-culture with his interpretations of Buddhism and Zen philosophy.  His daughter, Joan Watts, captures the colorful and controversial life of her father in The Collected Letters of Alan Watts.

For this collection, Watts’s letters were curated by two of his daughters, Joan and Anne Watts, who have added behind-the-scenes biographical commentary.

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Personal Development, Self-help

NOV 20: How to Survive Your Childhood with Ira Israel & Supernormal with Dr. Meg Jay, PhD

Okay, so you’re all grown up, but are the stories you learned as a child still getting in the way? You know the ones we mean: You’re not enough. Not smart enough. Talented enough. Pretty enough.

You fluctuate between self-confidence and self-doubt. And those conflicting feelings can leave you depressed or anxious or both.

Blending eastern and western philosophies, licensed psychotherapist and relationship counselor, Ira Israel, will share how to transcend childhood-assumed-realities in How to Survive Your Childhood: Now That You’re An Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening.

Later, whether it is bullying, the loss of a loved one, domestic violence, neglect, or emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, early adversities are experienced by nearly 75% of us.  

In Supernormal, TED speaker and author, Meg Jay, PhD, combines cutting edge research with two decades of experience.  We’ll discuss how “supernormal” adults have overcome adversity to change our world, and share skills and tools we can use to build resilience.

Dr. Jay is a clinical psychologist and narrative nonfiction writer.  Her work has appeared in numerous media outlets including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, USA TodayPsychology Today, and on the BBC, NPR, and TED.

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