Philosophy takes us by surprise. It challenges us, awakens us and opens our minds. In an increasingly opinionated world, philosophy encourages us to look within and think for ourselves. In doing so, we can find solutions to even our most confusing dilemmas. Let Fabrice Midal teach you to trust your own thoughts, as he guides us through the inspirational ideas of forty writers, artists, thinkers and seers from Baudelaire to Wittgenstein, Emily Dickinson to Toni Morrison, Pablo Picasso to James Baldwin. Each short essay offers three minutes of calm in our turbulent world, restoring our humanity and perspective.

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER 'The book's motto - give yourself a break! - is perhaps the most radical resolution of the year' Elle It's time to give yourself a break! You've been bossing yourself around for too long. Where has it gotten you? Maybe it's time you follow the example of the French and let it go. Allow yourself to be angry, be tired, be silly, be passionate - to give yourself a break, and just simply be. Fabrice Midal offers us a new solution to the perennial problem of our too-much, too-fast modern life. It's OK, he urges us, to say no. It's fine to quit the things that don't fulfill you. It's necessary, in fact, to give yourself a break and say, simply, c'est la vie. 'All the talk of Paris' Evening Standard 'A roadmap for avoiding the perils of perfectionism' Get the Gloss 'Powerful, yet playful, challenging and at the same time comforting . . . it can transform the way you look at your life' Tal Ben-Shahar, New York Times bestselling author

Midal steers a middle way between Western biography & Tibetan hagiography to provide a detailed portrait of Chogyam Trungpa, a Tibetan lama who is best known for his teaching in the West. Midal reveals Trungpa as a traditional teacher, who places great emphasis on the practice of sitting meditation.

In wide-ranging essays and interviews, contributors from the fields of Buddhist practice and scholarship, philosophy, the arts, and literature examine the work of a modern genius--the Tibetan Buddhist meditation master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (1939-1987). A pioneer in introducing Buddhism to the West, Trungpa Rinpoche had a distinct knack for breaking down the cultural, historical, and ideological barriers that make any such transmission so difficult today. His skill at communicating in a living language to Western students, while remaining faithful to the traditional origins of Buddhism, was paired with an understanding of the modern world of unusual relevance. As a result, his activities in a wide range of areas--including psychology, education, theater, poetry, visual arts, translation, publishing, interreligious dialogue, the creation of a path of spiritual warriorship, and the founding of the first Buddhist university in North America--offer penetrating insights into the meaning of Buddhism for our world and our culture. This anthology is a testimony to the continuing influence of his unique qualities and work as a revitalizing force in spheres both spiritual and secular.