Reviews
Let’s change the habit of doing enjoyable things first and putting off the difficult ones. Always start with what matters, then handle everything else. You cannot savor the joy of victory without fighting first. —From the book Let’s be true to ourselves. We should not wound our self-respect or do things that go against our values and principles. The standards we hold ourselves to should be stricter than ordinary social norms. —From the book What does it mean to live? Some people find
A bestselling philosophical classic from 400 years ago, filled with the wisdom of Balthasar Gracián, a philosopher praised by Nietzsche and Schopenhauer! When I think of Nietzsche and Schopenhauer, I expect something difficult that might put me to sleep. But this book was nothing like that: its ideas sank in easily, and I found them easy to relate to. The book has five chapters, each with sections and passages on a wide range of subjects, including relationships, life’s complexity, the depths
There is so much cool, wise advice for protecting success and happiness as we go through life. But even if we have the smartest minds, this is the first time we have lived this life. When we feel shaken and wonder what to do, we often talk to people around us and look for answers. Then our parents say, “There’s an old saying about this,” and readily offer words of sages as if there were not a single thing wrong with what our elders say. This book carefully selects the most important and timely
[Book review] Reading Baltasar Gracián’s *Don’t Live Righteously; Live with Terrifying Wisdom*. This book presents the philosophy of life of Baltasar Gracián, a seventeenth-century Spanish philosopher and Jesuit priest who was ordained at age 25 and became widely known as a preacher for his insight into the world and humanity and his rich intellect. It is said to be an excerpted translation of the most important and timely passages from Gracián’s renowned work *The Art of Worldly Wisdom*. I had
Complete wisdom for imperfect people. How to Live Wisely, Not Righteously captures in its title the kind of life anyone would like to live. The title made me want to pick it up, and that is how I came to read it. I have been exploring several books as a newcomer to philosophy. Balthasar Gracián was an unfamiliar name, so I wondered if the book would be difficult. As I read, I found myself thinking, “I should underline the whole book.” This edition of The Art of Worldly Wisdom has been excerpted
The subtitle is Complete Wisdom for Imperfect People, and the title tells us not to live righteously. I opened the book feeling as if its title had slapped me, but I found myself reading smoothly. It is organized around wisdom for winning people over, achieving success, living a better life, strengthening your inner self, and having wise conversations. I can turn to it for life wisdom when I want to succeed, build relationships, or strengthen myself. Here are a couple of passages I liked and
How to Live Wisely, Not Righteously, by Balthasar Gracián (author), Jong-hee Kim (translator), Bigfish, May 16, 2024. Subtitle: Complete Wisdom for Imperfect People. When did I realize that my perfectionist tendencies were wearing me down? When did I realize that being a perfectionist did not mean my results were perfect? Time passes, and we grow older. After graduating high school, I lost touch with a friend for seven years, then happened to meet them at work. We bridged that gap and became
Learn from the stars: however brightly a star shines, it never tries to outshine the sun. A wise person gratefully accepts advice and gets everything they can from the other person. This is the first book translated from Spanish that I have read. Baltasar Gracián, whose name was unfamiliar to me, was a seventeenth-century Spanish philosopher and Jesuit priest. *Don’t Live Righteously; Live with Terrifying Wisdom* is an excerpted translation of the most important parts of his philosophical
How to Live Wisely, Not Righteously is a book that excerpts and translates the most important passages from Balthasar Gracián’s classic The Art of Worldly Wisdom, with an eye to what suits our times. It covers many kinds of wisdom for life, including how to win people over, succeed, live a better life, strengthen your inner self, and have wise conversations. Each section offers a range of insights. The author was a seventeenth-century Spanish philosopher and Jesuit priest. But, as you will see
☕️ It is a way to navigate life. It is wisdom for living. It is my own know-how for living. It is a shortcut through life. It is the proper path through life. Some expressions are rather frighteningly cool-headed. Some make you wonder if you really have to go that far. This is clear-eyed tough love, grounded in reason and tailored to protect me. I have found some forceful, hard truths!
Baltasar Gracián: Do not live righteously; live terrifyingly wisely.
Nietzsche and Schopenhauer praised Gracián, and his work has been loved as a self-development classic for 400 years. Who doesn’t want a more stable environment, harmonious relationships, and a successful life? Most modern people work toward these things, but very few ultimately get what they want. Still, no one can spend an entire life in frustration. How can we find balance between success and a peaceful life? The answer may be found in a book loved for 400 years by pivotal figures in modern history. Baltasar Gracián, a seventeenth-century Spanish philosopher and clergyman, earned a great reputation as a preacher through his unusual insight into the world and human beings and his extensive knowledge. Widely known to the public by the age of forty, he later published *The Art of Worldly Wisdom*, his best-known work and an enduring masterpiece often compared with Machiavelli’s *The Prince*. This book, *Don’t Live Righteously; Live with Terrifying Wisdom*, selects the most important passages from it that remain relevant today. Books about “the philosophy of life” often seem vague or remain at the level of idealism. Gracián’s writing, however, is highly practical and realistic. Although he was a clergyman whose life was somewhat removed from the everyday lives of ordinary people, he sought to analyze the logic of society and human relationships thoroughly and offer practical ways to protect oneself from a confused society.
Korean title: 바르게 살지 마라 무섭도록 현명하게 살아라
Korean author: 발타사르 그라시안
Korean publisher: 빅피시
ISBN-13: 9791193128152
Reviews
Let’s change the habit of doing enjoyable things first and putting off the difficult ones. Always start with what matters, then handle everything else. You cannot savor the joy of victory without fighting first. —From the book Let’s be true to ourselves. We should not wound our self-respect or do things that go against our values and principles. The standards we hold ourselves to should be stricter than ordinary social norms. —From the book What does it mean to live? Some people find
A bestselling philosophical classic from 400 years ago, filled with the wisdom of Balthasar Gracián, a philosopher praised by Nietzsche and Schopenhauer! When I think of Nietzsche and Schopenhauer, I expect something difficult that might put me to sleep. But this book was nothing like that: its ideas sank in easily, and I found them easy to relate to. The book has five chapters, each with sections and passages on a wide range of subjects, including relationships, life’s complexity, the depths
There is so much cool, wise advice for protecting success and happiness as we go through life. But even if we have the smartest minds, this is the first time we have lived this life. When we feel shaken and wonder what to do, we often talk to people around us and look for answers. Then our parents say, “There’s an old saying about this,” and readily offer words of sages as if there were not a single thing wrong with what our elders say. This book carefully selects the most important and timely
[Book review] Reading Baltasar Gracián’s *Don’t Live Righteously; Live with Terrifying Wisdom*. This book presents the philosophy of life of Baltasar Gracián, a seventeenth-century Spanish philosopher and Jesuit priest who was ordained at age 25 and became widely known as a preacher for his insight into the world and humanity and his rich intellect. It is said to be an excerpted translation of the most important and timely passages from Gracián’s renowned work *The Art of Worldly Wisdom*. I had
Complete wisdom for imperfect people. How to Live Wisely, Not Righteously captures in its title the kind of life anyone would like to live. The title made me want to pick it up, and that is how I came to read it. I have been exploring several books as a newcomer to philosophy. Balthasar Gracián was an unfamiliar name, so I wondered if the book would be difficult. As I read, I found myself thinking, “I should underline the whole book.” This edition of The Art of Worldly Wisdom has been excerpted
The subtitle is Complete Wisdom for Imperfect People, and the title tells us not to live righteously. I opened the book feeling as if its title had slapped me, but I found myself reading smoothly. It is organized around wisdom for winning people over, achieving success, living a better life, strengthening your inner self, and having wise conversations. I can turn to it for life wisdom when I want to succeed, build relationships, or strengthen myself. Here are a couple of passages I liked and
How to Live Wisely, Not Righteously, by Balthasar Gracián (author), Jong-hee Kim (translator), Bigfish, May 16, 2024. Subtitle: Complete Wisdom for Imperfect People. When did I realize that my perfectionist tendencies were wearing me down? When did I realize that being a perfectionist did not mean my results were perfect? Time passes, and we grow older. After graduating high school, I lost touch with a friend for seven years, then happened to meet them at work. We bridged that gap and became
Learn from the stars: however brightly a star shines, it never tries to outshine the sun. A wise person gratefully accepts advice and gets everything they can from the other person. This is the first book translated from Spanish that I have read. Baltasar Gracián, whose name was unfamiliar to me, was a seventeenth-century Spanish philosopher and Jesuit priest. *Don’t Live Righteously; Live with Terrifying Wisdom* is an excerpted translation of the most important parts of his philosophical
How to Live Wisely, Not Righteously is a book that excerpts and translates the most important passages from Balthasar Gracián’s classic The Art of Worldly Wisdom, with an eye to what suits our times. It covers many kinds of wisdom for life, including how to win people over, succeed, live a better life, strengthen your inner self, and have wise conversations. Each section offers a range of insights. The author was a seventeenth-century Spanish philosopher and Jesuit priest. But, as you will see
☕️ It is a way to navigate life. It is wisdom for living. It is my own know-how for living. It is a shortcut through life. It is the proper path through life. Some expressions are rather frighteningly cool-headed. Some make you wonder if you really have to go that far. This is clear-eyed tough love, grounded in reason and tailored to protect me. I have found some forceful, hard truths!
