Wisdom Philosophy

In a world where social media, online relationships, and relentless self-absorption threaten the very idea of deep and lasting friendships, the search for true friends is more important than ever. In this short book, famous Roman politician and philosopher Cicero offers a compelling guide to finding, keeping, and appreciating friends. With wit and wisdom, Cicero teaches not only how to build friendships but also why they must be a key part of our lives. For, as Cicero says, life without friends is not worth living.

Suzanne Simard is a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence; her TED talks have been viewed by more than 10 million people worldwide. In this, her first book, now available in audio, Simard brings us into her world, the intimate world of the trees, in which she brilliantly illuminates the fascinating and vital truths—that trees are not simply the source of timber or pulp, but are a complicated, interdependent circle of life.

While better known in his time for his mathematical and astronomical works, 11th-century Persian philosopher and poet Omar Khayyam is best known today for his romantic poetry collected in the Rubaiyat. This selection presents 365 of the approximately 1,000 quatrains, translated from the original Persian. Khayyam’s poetry draws listeners in with its lush imagery and timeless observations on the human experience and the metaphysical mysteries of our world.

Where can you find joy? Gain strength? How should we face our fears? Deal with the death of a loved one? And what about those reoccurring depressing thoughts? While traditional schooling doesn’t address such questions, it’s exactly what ancient schools of philosophy were all about: They taught you how to live. Even though these schools don’t exist anymore, you and I and most people are in as much need of a philosophy that guides us through life as we ever were. This compelling, highly actionable guide shows you how to deal more effectively with whatever life throws at you.

Leonardo da Vinci stood on a bridge between medieval thought and the modern mind. In this selection of entries from his dozens of coded notebooks and unpublished manuscripts, his unending curiosity in the universe and deep knowledge come through in his energetic style. The self-educated da Vinci developed a philosophical system that set him apart from his contemporaries and marked him as the oracle of a new age, and his vivid imagination and straightforward writing style capture the listener’s attention whether he is writing about his scientific analysis, his opinion of necromancy, discoveries in nature, or the nature of man.

The Koran, the sacred text at the heart of the second-largest religion in the world, is regarded by Muslims as the exact word of God as revealed to the prophet Muhammad. Representing the ultimate authority on almost every issue related to Muslim life, the Koran’s lessons and parables offer the faithful moral and spiritual guidance.

Drawn from the sacred books of Buddhism, this collection reveals the insights and beliefs at the heart of the world’s fourth-largest religion. Siddhartha Guatama, a sixth-century Hindu warrior prince, renounced the world in his search for the meaning of life and became the Buddha, or “Enlightened One,” while meditating at Bodh Gaya. From that moment forward the Buddha sought to share his own enlightenment with all of mankind.

As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Robin Wall Kimmerer has spent a career learning how to ask questions of nature using the tools of science. As a Potawatomi woman, she learned from elders, family, and history that the Potawatomi, as well as a majority of other cultures indigenous to this land, consider plants and animals to be our oldest teachers.

Jonathan Haidt skillfully combines two genres-philosophical wisdom and scientific research-delighting the listener with surprising insights. He explains, for example, why we have such difficulty controlling ourselves and sticking to our plans; why no achievement brings lasting happiness, yet a few changes in your life can have profound effects, and why even confirmed atheists experience spiritual elevation.

Why do we worry without cause? Why do we fear without reason? This book is a collection of 365 verses of unadulterated wisdom, providing answers to all our confusions. In the battleground of our life, no one day is the same as the other, each comes with its own set of challenges. We can never be prepared enough to handle all that life throws our way. It would not be unusual for us to feel discouraged, or even panic, just like the Pandava prince Arjun lost his nerve just before the start of the battle of Mahabharata.

An early-20th-century Lebanese-American writer, Khalil Gibran instilled his poetry and art with his experiences in both the East and West. This selection of quotes, maxims, and aphorisms is drawn from such poems as "Secrets of the Heart", "Spirits Rebellious", and "Broken Wings", as well as from his autobiography and essays. Gibran’s words express a strong spirituality and mysticism and his voice offers a direct and at times optimistic view of the brotherhood of man.

In dozens of books, magazine articles, and essays, George Santayana infused his philosophy with exquisite language, wit, and subtle humor, prompting, one authority to state that he "writes philosophy more beautifully than any other thinker since Plato". The Wisdom of George Santayana makes accessible both his ideas and his oft-quoted aphorisms on a variety of subjects including naturalism, creative imagination, and spirituality without dogma.

Oprah shares what she sees as a guide for activating your deepest vision of yourself, offering the framework for creating not just a life of success, but one of significance. The audiobook’s ten chapters are organized to help you recognize the important milestones along the road to self-discovery, laying out what you really need in order to achieve personal contentment, and what life’s detours are there to teach us.

The Kybalion has long fascinated readers and listeners with its exploration of hermetic wisdom. Credited to the mysterious Three Initiates, The Kybalion is an esoteric classic that has remained popular since its initial publication in 1908. The book explores the seven Hermetic principles - including the principles of causation, mental transmutation, and polarity - and the philosophies it contains became founding ideas in the New Thought movement.

This audiobook is a collection of Stoic sayings organized to allow daily reference and inspiration. The Stoic advice covered in this volume runs the gambit from personal problems, to interpersonal relationships, to advice on work and productivity, to dealing with the hand of fate.

Most of us live in a constant state of fear - of our past, of illness and aging and death, and of losing the things we treasure most. But it doesn't have to be this way, promises Zen master and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Drawing on a lifetime of mindfulness in action, Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to use the practice of living in the present to acknowledge and embrace our fears, recognize their origins, and render them powerless. The world-renowned Zen teacher guides us through practical exercises for transforming fear into clarity.

Teacher, politician, philosopher, and student, Confucius offered wisdom and aphorisms on a variety of topics that transcend borders and time. Whether considering his own life, human nature, or a society’s responsibilities, Confucius’s teachings emphasize personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, and sincerity. He aimed to effect social and political reform, and left a legacy of wisdom that remains true today. Organized by topic, this collection of quotes, sayings, and lessons is often as entertaining as it is educational.

The Secret Teachings of All Ages–Volume Two is the essential companion to Manly P. Hall’s timeless magnum opus. Where Volume One offered an encyclopedic survey of the world’s mythologies, mystery schools, and occult systems, Volume Two goes further—deeper into the soul of the teachings themselves. This volume is drawn from Hall’s lesser-known but no less profound writings, including Lectures on Ancient Philosophy and rare essays from The All-Seeing Eye.

Repression, ego, analysis, neurosis - the language of psychology permeates our modern vocabulary. The brilliant observations of Sigmund Freud form not only the basis for psychoanalysis but also much of our current understanding of the human condition. This essential and approachable guide offers an A-to-Z glossary of terminology defined in Freud’s own words, including his diagnostic and treatment recommendations and his well-known works, including dream interpretation, the Oedipal complex, and the practice of psychoanalysis.

When the Indian people, inspired by the words of Mahatma Gandhi, overthrew British rule, they proved that great political change could exist without violence. Revered both as a saint and a master politician in his native country, Gandhi proffered a philosophy that combined Thoreau’s doctrine of civil disobedience with many Hindu beliefs. A comprehensive introduction to this influential modern thinker, The Wisdom of Gandhi recounts his deeply held views on a variety of topics.