Self-Confidence
A Philosophy
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- € 6,99
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An essential read for anyone who has encountered a crisis of confidence.
Where does self-confidence come from? How does it work? Why are some people more confident than others? On the surface, these seem like simple questions – but answers can feel hard to come by when we need them most.
In this bestselling book, Charles Pépin brings to light the strange alchemy that is self-confidence. Pépin examines the role confidence plays in the lives of our most respected public figures including the likes of Madonna, Mozart, Frieda Kahlo, Martin Luther King and Serena Williams, and argues that above all, to live a life of confidence is to live a life of action.
Drawing on the collective wisdom of philosophers, psychologists and the lives of people we encounter on a daily basis, Pépin invites us to probe the mystery and mastery of self-confidence.
Reviews
‘Intriguing, profound and in-depth, Charles Pépin explores every aspect of self-confidence, a central question in our lives that is more mysterious than we like to admit’ ELLE (France)
‘A bedside book for all of us here at Inter. A book full of wisdom and joy … ‘A great literary success’ France Inter
‘A worthwhile and intelligent work’ Le Figaro
‘You’ll come out of it more knowledgeable, humbler, and especially more intelligent. A must read!’ Ernest Mag
‘An inspiring reflection. A philosophy of action’ L’Express
‘Simple, well-learned, human, modern, empathetic … ‘A compassionate response to a modern question’ Europe 1
‘Charles Pépin explores the reserves of confidence we have within us and shows us all that it is within our grasp’ Psychologies Magazine
‘A philosopher has published Self-Confidence, cracking the code to wells of inner security. The key? Daring to meet the world, accepting that the unexpected awaits: a life lesson’ Madame Figaro
About the author
Charles Pépin is a writer and a philosopher, whose books have been published throughout the world. He teaches philosophy at Lycée d’Etat de la légion d’honneur in Saint-Denis near Paris.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Novelist and philosopher P pin (Philosophers on the Couch) offers not the philosophy promised by the subtitle, but generic tips based on lessons garnered from a random smattering of pop culture figures, athletes, and philosophers, as well as many others, both famous and not. The author unifies these disparate examples (including Sigmund Freud, and S ren Kierkegaard, Madonna, and Serena Williams) with his own memories of developing self-confidence as a student and teacher. The result ends up being a list of anodyne directives, such as "establish relations with different and inspiring people," "develop your abilities to the greatest extent possible," "pay less attention to the voices around ," and " become what you are' and do it before you die." Such suggestions can be intriguing, but they do not grapple with the murkiness of self-confidence as a concept. For example, commandments such as "stay true to your desire" are likely too vague to be of use to readers looking for practical solutions to quandaries of self-confidence. Instead of grappling with modern research into self-worth, the book posits self-confidence as a simple, direct destination. P pin's punchy, aphoristic advice will only appeal to readers who also believe that self-confidence is an "alchemy" to be conjured.
