Alain de Botton

I went to the Alain de Botton and Michael Kimmelman talk last night at the 92nd Street Y. I went alone as none of my friends would join me and while they missed out on a fantastic evening, they might have been wise not to choose me as a companion because no one could have matched my enthusiasm. I have never been more in love with a writer than I am with Alain. As if my standards weren't already high enough, I think his witty and intelligent discussion assured that there is futility in my ever dating again as the odds of coming across a second person in the world as articulate and engaging are rather slim. Alas.

My deep love for Alain de Botton aside, he really was fantastically charming and funny in his presentation of his book, which is also charming. (Subtext: go out and purchase The Architecture of Happiness.) He seems to muse more in this book than others; I feel as though he painted with broader strokes in others and therefore the delicate discussions of detail in this were lovely and thought-provoking in a quieter way. Of course, he gave a slide show (complete with the obligatory insertion of a photograph of his young son) which was well-received by the audience, though everything he discussed in the slide show (aside from his son) is in the book.

To finish up this ode to Alain, I suggest visiting Spoiled Ink and reading this interview or just going to his site.