The Lost Philosopher

Acclaimed philosopher and BBC New Generation Thinker, Jack Symes, takes us on an enjoyable journey across Europe to discover the pleasure of philosophy and the timeless lessons it can teach us.

Philosophy gave Dr Jack Symes purpose – teaching at world-class universities and filling theatres with eager minds. But when a devastating family crisis and the collapse of an engagement fractured his world, he realized that 'chasing abstract answers' was no longer enough.

In The Lost Philosopher: Travels Across Europe in Search of How to Live, Symes leaves his everyday life behind, renovating an old van to journey across the continent. Blending vivid travel writing with philosophy, he retraces the footsteps of eleven thinkers – from the bustling streets of Athens with Diotima to the canals of Amsterdam with Camus. In doing so, he asks what it means to live a good life.

Blending the timeless wisdom of history with his own experiences on the road, Symes discovers how philosophy can offer us warmth, clarity and a better way to navigate our most uncertain days.

'Jack Symes guides us charmingly and authoritatively, with a wit and freshness that enlivens without trivializing' – Stephen Fry