French philosophy and meditation expert Fabrice Midal's The Three-Minute Philosopher includes 40 brief essays for tapping into a deeper understanding of your existence, with experiences that will transform, enlighten, and invite you to see the world in a new way.

Philosophy takes us by surprise. It challenges us, awakens us, and opens our minds. It does not tell us to be "wise" or to be a perfect being, but instead to nurture our own humanity. Philosophical thinking is the antithesis of the rampant dogmatism that dominates so much public discussion, of the vehemently expressed opinions of those who think they know everything and who insist you agree with them. Self-proclaimed experts tell us to listen to and obey their injunctions, but philosophers encourage us to think for ourselves. After all, philosophy addresses what makes us human and helps us navigate everyday life, from dealing with that annoying colleague at work, to the panic of realizing that your fridge is empty when guests arrive out of the blue.

Fabrice Midal teaches the power of trusting in our own thoughts and strengthening our connection to humanity, as he guides us through the inspirational ideas of 40 writers, artists, thinkers, and seers from Baudelaire to Nietzsche, Emily Dickinson to Toni Morrison, Pablo Picasso to James Baldwin, and of course, Socrates to Aristotle. Simple, smart, and approachable, Midal's three-minute essays ask us to step back, reflect, and meditate, and encourage us to think about the world a little differently.