--- product_id: 5045603 title: "The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (Vintage International)" price: "119.99 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/5045603-the-pleasures-and-sorrows-of-work-vintage-international store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (Vintage International) **Price:** 119.99 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (Vintage International) - **How much does it cost?** 119.99 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/5045603-the-pleasures-and-sorrows-of-work-vintage-international) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (Vintage International) [De Botton, Alain] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (Vintage International) Review: This Is One I Re-read - Not only interesting variety of facts, but also a great deal of subtle humor. Probably a bit of disagreement by other readers, but a five star rating from this reader. Review: An Erudite Mid-Life Crisis - De Botton is a gifted observer. His art is both to notice and meaningfully comment on facets of life too often glossed over; of beauty and elegance unappreciated. In prior works he has demonstrated the value of complex metaphysics, Proustian prose, architecture and travel--wonderful and engrossing works. However, this most recent volume strikes the tone of a mid-life crisis, of a focus on what is wrong rather than what is right; something not foreign to this frustrated attorney who would gladly trade places with a globe-trotting author. But perhaps that is the entire point of the work, we blithely judge the travails of another at our own peril. As opposed to his prior books, Pleasures and Sorrows tends more to the discursive--it is more of a loosely related grouping of essays than a reasoned, methodical exploration of modern labors. I'm afraid that following a brilliant introduction and statement of thesis, the work lost its way in much the same manner as did the author when he attempted to travel from Bakersfield to Los Angeles yet manages to discover something noteworthy among the detritus of modern civilization. Nevertheless, even when he loses his way, his book retains the ability to force one to think about what makes effort rewarding, what makes life worth living; De Botton invites us to challenge our own assumptions. Too often snarky and discourteous to his subjects, the author's evident frustration with modern life and reality needn't have been focused on the human subjects making their best navigation of a flawed world. There is a nobility in simply arriving home at the end of a day having secured the resources sufficient to meet one's needs. Somebody has to make the nasty biscuits and somebody has to count the silverware--I had hoped, rather, for De Botton to find more of the magic in the mundane, to use his gift of expression to elevate rather than to deride. But by the time I finished the work, I sensed that the author has let his own despair seep into the work. In a modern world utterly unsuited for the kind of artistic expression that he loves and has so admirably set forth in his prior books, perhaps De Botton has unintentionally opened himself to his readers and has allowed us to feel some of the sorrow in the work of the author and philosopher who sees so much beauty in the world that goes unnoticed and unappreciated. Here's hoping that for his next book we can focus more on the pleasures and less upon the sorrows. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #819,037 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1,222 in Modern Western Philosophy #1,630 in Emotional Mental Health #2,477 in Cultural Anthropology (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars (375) | | Dimensions | 5.2 x 0.8 x 7.9 inches | | Edition | 1st | | ISBN-10 | 0307277259 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0307277251 | | Item Weight | 2.31 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 326 pages | | Publication date | June 1, 2010 | | Publisher | Vintage | ## Images ![The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (Vintage International) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81uq-e1HUnL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This Is One I Re-read *by E***N on February 5, 2026* Not only interesting variety of facts, but also a great deal of subtle humor. Probably a bit of disagreement by other readers, but a five star rating from this reader. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Erudite Mid-Life Crisis *by J***S on June 5, 2009* De Botton is a gifted observer. His art is both to notice and meaningfully comment on facets of life too often glossed over; of beauty and elegance unappreciated. In prior works he has demonstrated the value of complex metaphysics, Proustian prose, architecture and travel--wonderful and engrossing works. However, this most recent volume strikes the tone of a mid-life crisis, of a focus on what is wrong rather than what is right; something not foreign to this frustrated attorney who would gladly trade places with a globe-trotting author. But perhaps that is the entire point of the work, we blithely judge the travails of another at our own peril. As opposed to his prior books, Pleasures and Sorrows tends more to the discursive--it is more of a loosely related grouping of essays than a reasoned, methodical exploration of modern labors. I'm afraid that following a brilliant introduction and statement of thesis, the work lost its way in much the same manner as did the author when he attempted to travel from Bakersfield to Los Angeles yet manages to discover something noteworthy among the detritus of modern civilization. Nevertheless, even when he loses his way, his book retains the ability to force one to think about what makes effort rewarding, what makes life worth living; De Botton invites us to challenge our own assumptions. Too often snarky and discourteous to his subjects, the author's evident frustration with modern life and reality needn't have been focused on the human subjects making their best navigation of a flawed world. There is a nobility in simply arriving home at the end of a day having secured the resources sufficient to meet one's needs. Somebody has to make the nasty biscuits and somebody has to count the silverware--I had hoped, rather, for De Botton to find more of the magic in the mundane, to use his gift of expression to elevate rather than to deride. But by the time I finished the work, I sensed that the author has let his own despair seep into the work. In a modern world utterly unsuited for the kind of artistic expression that he loves and has so admirably set forth in his prior books, perhaps De Botton has unintentionally opened himself to his readers and has allowed us to feel some of the sorrow in the work of the author and philosopher who sees so much beauty in the world that goes unnoticed and unappreciated. Here's hoping that for his next book we can focus more on the pleasures and less upon the sorrows. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beyond Beyond Work *by V***E on March 10, 2013* de Botton's treatment of ten occupational sectors ranging from factory floor to rocket science is a poingant, thought-provoking, often funny and sometimes downright depressing glimpse into the lives of working people, what they do, how they see themselves, and most importantly, offering a way for readers to see them too. At times hopeful and at others cynical, the author observes the work of many during the course of a routine day at the symbolic or actual office, examining both the work being done and those doing it. He artfully describes in poetic detail the nuances of daily life at work, capturing snap-shot after snap-shot of moments in time and labor, which permits the reader to pause and wonder about what may seem to be trivial: who ARE the people involved in the products and services we in the modern world must have? Just when one thinks he has gone over the top with what sounds like a jaded view, he enters a softer, more philosophical place in which he asks himself AND us: do we really even notice those who work so hard, earn so little, work late hours, or in the case of rocket science, really even understand? As I read, I thought to myself, "I've learned a lot about what rocket science isn't...but I never really stopped to consider what it IS." His writing style and skillful weaving in and out of the working world and the lives of others is compelling. Just how many hands have played a role in a fish one buys at market? How many of us turn our lights on and off all day and night without ever thinking even once about the men and women who make that magical thing called electricity possible with a simple flip of a switch? Who are the ones who make certain the cookies I buy are neatly arranged in a perfect package at the grocery store--and who are the ones that got it there? As an artist, I paricularly appreciated that he included a chapter about a painter whose career mostly centered around painting the same grand tree in any number of conditions from seasonal to weather variations, in morning light, late light, and high noon. I could not help but wonder about the richness of such a collection of paintings--a single tree with a thousand-thousand faces (not unlike a single person with a thousand-thousand faces). I recommend you not read the book in a hurry. Go slowly, Savor it. Ponder it. Turn in over in your mind and heart. Wonder why YOU do what you do, day in and day out, ask if your work brings you joy. If you don't like the answer, perhaps this book will give you the courage to go on and find something more in tune with your soul's purpose in this short life. Reminds me of Mary Oliver's line: "What will you do with your one wild and precious life?" --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/5045603-the-pleasures-and-sorrows-of-work-vintage-international](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/5045603-the-pleasures-and-sorrows-of-work-vintage-international) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-09-16*