Consolations
Timeless Wisdom from the Ancient World for Every Day

Name: Consolations
Brand: Hachette UK
Availability: InStock
Author: Irene Vallejo
ISBN: 9781399745680

Author: Irene Vallejo, Charlotte Whittle

Narrator: Beth Eyre

Unabridged: 6 hr 12 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Hodder Press

Published: 04/23/2026

Categories: Nonfiction, History, Ancient History, Literary Criticism

Synopsis

UPLIFTING, PRACTICAL AND SURPRISING WISDOM FROM THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING CLASSICIST

'Wonderful. Thoughtfully chosen, carefully explained and beautifully expressed' NATALIE HAYNES
'A literary phenomenon' TLS
'She leaves her readers inspired, invigorated and sincerely grateful' TELEGRAPH

Why do some loves endure while others fade? Is happiness something we can learn? Why do some things feel like work and others like leisure?

Every new page of Consolations offers a thought-provoking idea about life - from friendship and family arguments to ageing and narcissism. Renowned classicist Irene Vallejo shows us how each of these ideas has its roots in ancient times, drawing on the wisdom of Aristotle and Seneca, as well as lesser known philosophy and history.

Each entry brings a surprising insight, and helps us to think differently about our daily life. These are fascinating little gems to read every day, and to savour slowly.

About Irene Vallejo

Irene Vallejo is a classicist and the global bestselling author of Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World. She earned her European Doctorate from the Universities of Zaragoza and Florence and is a regular columnist for El País, El Espectador, and La Nación. Papyrus has sold more than a million copies worldwide and has been translated into forty languages. It was awarded the National Essay Prize in Spain, the Prix Livre de Poche in France, and the Wenjin Book Award in China, among other prizes. Irene is also the author of two children's books, two novels, and three collections of essays, articles, and short fiction.

About Charlotte Whittle

Charlotte Whittle is an editor, writer, and literary translator whose recent translations include novels by Norah Lange, Jorge Comensal, and Elisa Victoria. Her work has received support from English PEN and Art OMI, and her translation of Norah Lange's People in the Room was nominated for several awards. She won the 2023 Queen Sofía Translation Prize for Irene Vallejo's Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World. She divides her time between Norwich and New York.

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Quotes

'Wonderful. Thoughtfully chosen, carefully explained and beautifully expressed'

'[Vallejo] leaves her readers inspired, invigorated and sincerely grateful' TELEGRAPH

'She is imaginative, lively and contemporary. In her hands written texts are not only a sensual pleasure, but living and frequently disruptive' THE ECONOMIST

'A literary phenomenon' TLS