# Alain de Botton

> Alain de Botton is a Swiss-born British philosopher, author, and entrepreneur who has written 15+ books translated into 30+ languages, co-founded The School of Life in 2008, and built a global movement dedicated to making philosophy practically useful for everyday life - covering love, work, anxiety, and what it means to live wisely.

- **Role:** Co-Founder at The School of Life
- **Organizations:** The School of Life, Living Architecture, Seneca Productions
- **From:** Zürich, Switzerland
- **Nationality:** British-Swiss
- **Education:** Primary education, Dragon School, Secondary education, Harrow School, BA History (Double Starred First), Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, MPhil Philosophy, King's College London, Doctoral research (French philosophy, abandoned), Harvard University
- **Known for:** Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL, 2011), Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (2009), Fellowship of Schopenhauer Award, Melbourne Writers Festival (2015)

## Career timeline

- **1993** — Published debut novel 'Essays in Love' - eventually sold 2 million copies
- **1997** — Published 'How Proust Can Change Your Life' - UK and US bestseller
- **2000** — Published 'The Consolations of Philosophy'
- **2004** — Published 'Status Anxiety'
- **2006** — Published 'The Architecture of Happiness'; founded Living Architecture
- **2008** — Co-founded The School of Life in London
- **2009** — Appointed Honorary Fellow of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects)
- **2011** — Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature; presented BBC Radio 4 'A Point of View'
- **2012** — Published 'Religion for Atheists' and 'How to Think More about Sex'
- **2013** — Co-authored 'Art as Therapy' with John Armstrong
- **2014** — Published 'The News: A User's Manual'
- **2015** — Awarded Fellowship of Schopenhauer by Melbourne Writers Festival
- **2016** — Published 'The Course of Love'
- **2020** — Published 'The School of Life: An Emotional Education'
- **2023** — Published 'A Therapeutic Journey'

## Achievements

- Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL, 2011)
- Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (2009)
- Fellowship of Schopenhauer Award, Melbourne Writers Festival (2015)
- Co-founded The School of Life, now with locations across 5 continents
- 'Essays in Love' sold over 2 million copies and translated into 30+ languages
- 15+ published books translated into over 30 languages
- TED speaker on 'Atheism 2.0' and philosophy of success
- Collaborated with Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, National Gallery of Victoria and Art Gallery of Ontario on 'Art as Therapy' exhibitions
- Founded Living Architecture, bringing award-winning architecture to holiday rentals in the UK

## Latest updates

- **2025-09** — Appeared on 'Begin Again with Davina McCall' podcast discussing relationships and repairing connections
- **2025-07** — Featured on 'How I Write' podcast discussing writer's block as a conflict between shame and honesty
- **2025-06** — Guest on 'The High Performance Podcast' exploring how uncomfortable questions build deeper trust
- **2024-09** — Appeared on 'Great Company' podcast with Jamie Laing discussing relationships and philosophy
- **2023-10** — Published 'A Therapeutic Journey' - latest book exploring therapy and emotional life

## Links

- Website: https://www.alaindebotton.com/
- LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alain-de-botton-9083b363
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/alaindebotton
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theschooloflifetv
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alain_de_botton/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaindebotton

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/alain-de-botton
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-01