January 2015. High on literary success and familial bliss, Emmanuel Carrère embarks on a rigorous ten-day meditative retreat in rural France in search of clarity and material for his next book, which he thinks will be a subtle, upbeat introduction to yoga.

But his trip is cut short, and he is brought down to earth with a thud when he returns to a Paris in turmoil in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack. From then on, Carrère’s life – along with his novel-in-progress – begins to unravel in ever more unexpected ways.

‘The story of how a life can fray, tighten itself into a noose, unravel… profound and moving’ Geoff Dyer

‘Extraordinarily compelling’ Financial Times

Find purpose, meaning and joy in your work and life

We all have an ikigai. It’s the Japanese word for ‘a reason to live’ or ‘a reason to jump out of bed in the morning’. The place where your needs, ambitions, skills and satisfaction meet. A place of balance.

This book will help you unlock what your ikigai is and equip you to change your life. There is a passion inside you – a unique talent that gives you purpose and makes you the perfect candidate for something. All you have to do is discover and live it.

Do that, and you can make every single day of your life joyful and meaningful.

‘A refreshingly simple recipe for happiness’ Stylist

‘Ikigai gently unlocks simple secrets we can all use to live long, meaningful, happy lives’ Neil Pasricha, bestselling author of The Happiness Equation

“Well, it’s not,? I replied huffily.
“What’s it about?? asked Pooh, leaning forward and smearing another word.
“It’s about how to stay happy and calm under all circumstances!? I yelled.
“Have you read it?? asked Pooh?

?Winnie-the-Pooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the world’s most beloved bear, and Pooh’s Way, as Benjamin Hoff brilliantly demonstrates, seems strangely close to the ancient Chinese principles of Taoism.

Follow the Pooh Way in this humorous and enlightening introduction to Taoism, with classic decorations by E.H.Shepard throughout. Over a million copies sold to date.

This deluxe anniversary edition is a beautiful gift for any fans of this classic title or everyone’s favourite bear.

The Chinese character for Rén ? combines the word for ‘person’ ?and the number ‘two’ ?, representing human connection. And in the teachings of ancient philosopher Confucius, Rén is the study of our relationship with those around us.

In this accessible and beautiful book, Yen Ooi explains the various facets of Rén and explores how this philosophy applies to everything from our relationship with ourselves and the people in our lives, to how we relate to society and the wider world.

She shows us how, using the basic principles of Rén and through simple changes to our lives, we can connect better with friends, family and colleagues, become helpful members of society and find fulfilment in ideas of community, justice, morality and compassion.

What is love?
Who am I without my relationships?
What is the relationship between myself and society?

One of the world’s greatest philosophical teachers, Krishnamurti, offers his inspiring wisdom on a core feature of life: our relationships. From parents to partners and colleagues to friends, Krishnamurti answers our deepest defining questions and reveals a path to truly loving yourself, others and the world around you.

One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers who have helped shape our world today, from anarchists to stoics, feminists to prophets, satirists to Zen Buddhists.

This short book, written in English by a Japanese scholar and artist, was first published in 1906 at a time when Japan was opening up to Western culture. In response to that, Okakura Kakuzo set out to explain the beauty and simplicity of Japanese daily life which was greatly inspired by teaism. He describes in detail the different aspects of the tea ceremony, how it was founded, the role of the tea masters, the architecture of the tea-room and the stages of making and serving the tea. He then goes on to explain the connection between Taoism and Zennism with tea and he also writes chapters on art appreciation and the art of flower arranging.

Winnie-the-Pooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the world’s most beloved bear, and Pooh’s Way, as Benjamin Hoff brilliantly demonstrates, seems strangely close to the ancient Chinese principles of Taoism. And as for Piglet, he embodies the very important principle of Te, meaning Virtue of the Small. Benjamin Hoff’s explanations of Taoism and Te through Pooh and Piglet show that this is not an ancient and remote philosophy but something that you can use, here and now.

An utterly unique book which makes complex concepts accessible with a little help from Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. Pooh may be a Bear of Very Little Brain but there are lessons to be learned from his approach to life. Beautifully decorated by E.H.Shepard.

The authors show that we live well not by “finding” ourselves and slavishly following a grand plan, as so much of Western thought would have us believe, but rather through a path of self-cultivation and engagement with the world. Believing in a “true self” only restricts what we can become – and tiny changes, from how we think about careers to how we talk to our family, can start to have powerful effects that will open up constellations of new possibilities.

Professor Michael Puett’s course in Chinese philosophy has taken Harvard by storm. In The Path, he and journalist Christine Gross-Loh make this timeless wisdom accessible to everyone for the first time.