I’m pleased to make note here of the release, on March 19th, of my book Anxiety: A Philosophical Guide published by Princeton University Press. Here is the book’s description and cover:
- Today, anxiety is usually thought of as a pathology, the most diagnosed and medicated of all psychological disorders. But anxiety isn’t always or only a medical condition. Indeed, many philosophers argue that anxiety is a normal, even essential, part of being human, and that coming to terms with this fact is potentially transformative, allowing us to live more meaningful lives by giving us a richer understanding of ourselves. In Anxiety, Samir Chopra explores valuable insights about anxiety offered by ancient and modern philosophies—Buddhism, existentialism, psychoanalysis, and critical theory. Blending memoir and philosophy, he also tells how serious anxiety has affected his own life—and how philosophy has helped him cope with it.
- Chopra shows that many philosophers—including the Buddha, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Freud, and Heidegger—have viewed anxiety as an inevitable human response to existence: to be is to be anxious. Drawing on Karl Marx and Herbert Marcuse, Chopra examines how poverty and other material conditions can make anxiety worse, but he emphasizes that not even the rich can escape it. Nor can the medicated. Inseparable from the human condition, anxiety is indispensable for grasping it. Philosophy may not be able to cure anxiety but, by leading us to greater self-knowledge and self-acceptance, it may be able to make us less anxious about being anxious.
- Personal, poignant, and hopeful, Anxiety is a book for anyone who is curious about rethinking anxiety and learning why it might be a source not only of suffering but of insight.
Samir Chopra 
Congratulations, Samir!
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Congratulations Samir! Fucking awesome!
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Congratulations Samir!
I’ve already recommended your book to all my friends who are, unsurprisingly, quite familiar with your topic!
Abraços
MARCELO
Congrats! We’ve already chatted it up around the house – looking forward to our copies and to your new endeavors!
Dear Samir, I was absolutely elated to open the Sunday Washington Post yesterday and see your picture! I first saw your picture (before seeing the book title) and exclaimed to my wife “oh my God that’s Samir!” See attached. And the Post included your Smithsonian presentation under Literary Events.
You must be pleased and proud to have completed it and to be getting such attention (even if the Post review was clunky). I will buy it and read it, and hope to have an occasion to have you sign it. Meanwhile, would you like me to send you the paper to add to your memorabilia?
Best, John
John Tambornino (sent from mobile phone)
I came here to see who of “my wordpress community of the 2010s” is still blogging! To my delight, I found this pointer to your interesting book! Just bought the Kindle version – looking forward to reading it!
Looks like an important book; I feel that the human condition is pathologized too often today!
I enjoyed your book! I wanted to share a progression that I heard from a Gil Fronsdal YouTube video. It was probably part of a guided meditation. You can plug in any word you want. . . I am anxious. I feel anxiety. Anxiety is present. Anxiety is welcome.
Anxiety is a natural part of life that helps enhance self-awareness.