Philosopher and author Alain de Botton is one of the great thinkers of our time. Unafraid to question the lynchpins of our lives, the best-selling author has penned books on sex, religion, travel, happiness and the relevance of Marcel Proust to contemporary living.

The latest offering from this genial and occasionally controversial writer sees de Botton focusing his steely glare on our troubled and confused relationship with the media. In The News: A User’s Manual, the esteemed thinker examines how and why we are addicted to a never-ending news cycle. In categories ranging from politics to celebrity worship to weather and grisly murders, de Botton questions what we are really seeking in the news, and whether it does us any good.

With the proliferation of handheld technology, we are as a society more in touch with and more hooked on instant news gratification than at any time in our history. In The News, Alain de Botton takes specific examples of prominent stories and holds them up to the light to test their true worth. In doing so, he further illuminates the human condition and forever alters our perception of incessant news chatter.

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