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Cover of Wonderstruck

Wonderstruck

by Helen De Cruz

Book Details

Publisher:Princeton University Press
Published:2025-11-18
Pages:232
Format:BOOK
Language:en

Reading Info

About This Book

A philosopher explores the transformative role of wonder and awe in an uncertain world Wonder and awe lie at the heart of lifeโ€™s most profound questions. Wonderstruck shows how these emotions respond to our fundamental need to make sense of ourselves and everything around us, and how they enable us to engage with the world as if we are experiencing it for the first time. Drawing on the latest psychological insights on emotions, Helen De Cruz argues that wonder and awe are emotional drives that m

Our Review

This philosophical exploration examines how wonder and awe function as essential emotional tools for navigating uncertainty and finding meaning in our complex world. Drawing from psychological research and philosophical traditions, the book demonstrates how these powerful emotions help us process fundamental questions about existence while approaching life with fresh perspective. The author makes a compelling case that wonder isn't just fleeting amazement but an active engagement with the world that transforms how we understand ourselves and our place in everything around us.

What distinguishes this work is its practical approach to what might seem like abstract conceptsโ€”it reveals how cultivating wonder can become a deliberate practice for enriching daily experience. Readers feeling disconnected or searching for deeper meaning will find particularly valuable insights about using awe as an antidote to modern disenchantment. The book ultimately leaves you recognizing that wonder isn't reserved for extraordinary moments but is accessible through conscious engagement with the ordinary, making the familiar world feel newly astonishing.

Themes

Philosophy

Subjects

Philosophy