1
of
1
How to Talk about Love
An Ancient Guide for Modern Lovers
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 33 ratings, 8 reviews)
Brief Description
Explore the nature of love in this charming new translation of selections from Plato's great dramatic work, the Symposium. What is love? In poetry, songs, fiction, movies, psychology, and philosophy, love has been described, admired, lamented, and dissected in endless ways. Is love based on physical...
Read More
Format: Hardback
$3499
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
How to Talk about Love
$3499
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Latest News
The Book Briefing 21/10/2026
Welcome back to another edition of 'The Book Briefing', your weekly round-up of all the...
Story to Screen - 21/10/26
It's been another huge week in the world of book-to-screen adaptations! From record-breaking trailers and...
Things We Learned from an Evening with Alice Oseman
Liam and Lizzy went along to an evening with Alice Oseman of Heartstopper! Here are...
The Book Hero Team's Wins and Misses in Film and TV Adaptations
We all love arguing in a mostly good-natured way about which adaptations of our favourite...
Vanya Insull (aka VJ Cooks) visits Book Hero
We were lucky to have a visit from popular foodie, home cook and baker Vanya...
See more"A new translation of selections from one of the great philosophical works about love, Plato's Symposium"--
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Explore the nature of love in this charming new translation of selections from Plato's great dramatic work, the Symposium.
What is love? In poetry, songs, fiction, movies, psychology, and philosophy, love has been described, admired, lamented, and dissected in endless ways. Is love based on physical attraction? Does it bring out our better selves? How does it relate to sex? Is love divine? Plato's Symposium is one of the oldest, most influential, and most profound explorations of such questionsβit is even the source of the idea of 'Platonic love'. How to Talk about Love introduces and presents the key passages and central ideas of Plato's philosophical dialogue in a lively and highly readable new translation, which also features the original Greek on facing pages.
The Symposium is set at a fictional drinking party during which prominent Athenians engage in a friendly competition by delivering improvised speeches in praise of Eros, the Greek god of love and sex. The aristocrat Phaedrus, the legal expert Pausanias, the physician Eryximachus, the comic playwright Aristophanes, and the tragic poet Agathon each by turn celebrates different aspects of love before Socrates proposes not to praise love but to tell the truth about it. In the final speech, the politician and libertine Alcibiades argues that Socrates himself is the epitome of love.
Deftly capturing the essence and spirit of Plato's masterpiece, How to Talk about Love makes the Symposium more accessible and enjoyable than ever before.
Series: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers
View all-
How to Be Healthy
The second-century Greek physician Galen, the most famous doctor in antiquity after Hippocrates, is a central figure in Western medicine. A talented doctor, surgeon, writer, philosopher, teacher, pharmacologist, and inventor, Galen attended the court of Marcus Aurelius, living through outbreaks of plague (likely smallpox) that devastated the Roman Empire. He also served as a physician for professional gladiators, boasting that...Hardback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Care about Animals
An entertaining and enlightening anthology of classical Greek and Roman writings on animals - and our vital relationships with them. How to Care about Animals is a fascinating menagerie of passages from classical literature about animals and the lives we share with them. Drawing on ancient writers from Aesop to Ovid, classicist and farmer M. D. Usher has gathered a...Hardback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Do the Right Thing
There are times when we've all felt that we haven't been treated as we deserveβthat we've been misjudged, shortchanged, or given a raw deal. And, at one time or another, other people have probably felt that we've treated them just as unfairly. How to Do the Right Thing draws on the principles of ancient Stoicism as articulated by the Roman...Hardback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Flourish
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics is one of the greatest guides to human flourishing ever written, but its length and style have left many readers languishing. How to Flourish is a carefully abridged version of the entire work in a highly readable and colloquial new translation by Susan Sauve Meyer that makes Aristotle's timeless insights about how to lead a good life...Hardback$5300Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
How to Focus
Distraction isn't a new problem. We're also not the first to complain about how hard it is to concentrate. Early Christian monks beat us to it. They had given up everything to focus on God, yet they still struggled to keep the demons of distraction at bay. But rather than surrender to the meandering of their minds, they developed powerful...Hardback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Stop a Conspiracy
In 63 BC, frustrated by his failure to be elected leader of the Roman Republic, the aristocrat Catiline tried to topple its elected government. Backed by corrupt elites and poor, alienated Romans, he fled Rome while his associates plotted to burn the city and murder its leading politicians. The attempted coup culminated with the unmasking of the conspirators in the...Hardback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Win an Argument
Timeless techniques of effective public speaking from ancient Rome's greatest orator All of us are faced countless times with the challenge of persuading others, whether we're trying to win a trivial argument with a friend or convince our coworkers about an important decision. Instead of relying on untrained instinctβand often floundering or failing as a resultβwe'd win more arguments if...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Be a Farmer
Whether you farm or garden, live in the country or long to move there, or simply enjoy an occasional rural retreat, you will be delighted by this cornucopia of writings about living and working on the land, harvested from the fertile fields of ancient Greek and Roman literature. An inspiring antidote to the digital age, How to Be a Farmer...Hardback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Be Queer
An irresistible anthology of ancient Greek writings that explore queer desire and love 'Eros, limb-loosening, whirls me about again, that bittersweet, implacable creature.' Sappho The idea of sexual fluidity may seem new, but it is at least as old as the ancient Greeks, who wrote about queer experiences with remarkable frankness, wit, and insight. How to Be Queer is an...Hardback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Be a Bad Emperor
What would Caligula do? What the worst Roman emperors can teach us about how not to lead If recent history has taught us anything, it's that sometimes the best guide to leadership is the negative example. But that insight is hardly new. Nearly 2,000 years ago, Suetonius wrote Lives of the Caesars, perhaps the greatest negative leadership book of all...Hardback$4499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Get Over a Breakup
A modern translation of the ancient Roman poet Ovid's Remedies for Loveβa witty and irreverent work about how to fall out of love. Breakups are the worst. On one scale devised by psychiatrists, only a spouse's death was ranked as more stressful than a marital split. Is there any treatment for a breakup? The ancient Roman poet Ovid thought so....Hardback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How to Give
To give and receive well may be the most human thing you can do, but it is also the closest you can come to divinity. So argues the great Roman Stoic thinker Seneca (c. 4 BCEβ65 CE) in his longest and most searching moral treatise, On Benefits (De Beneficiis). James Romm's splendid new translation of essential selections from this work...Hardback$5499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780691256887
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 28 January 2025
Country: United States
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Illustration: 1 b/w illus.
Contributors:
- Translated with commentary by Armand D'Angour
- Edited and translated by Armand D'Angour
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 114.0mm
Height: 171.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 208
About the Author
Armand D'Angour is professor of classics at Jesus College, University of Oxford. He is the editor and translator of How to Innovate: An Ancient Guide to Creative Thinking (Princeton), Socrates in Love, and The Greeks and the New.
Also by Plato
View all-
Republic
HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. Plato's Republic has influenced Western philosophers for centuries, with its main focus on what makes a well-balanced society and individual.Paperback$999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
14% offThe Republic
Plato's The Republic stands as a seminal text in the realms of philosophy, political theory, and literature. Written during the fourth century B.C., this masterwork has profoundly shaped Western thought for millennia and continues to be exceedingly relevant in contemporary discussions. The narrative unfolds in the form of a dialectical exchange where Socrates engages with various interlocutors to explore and...Paperback$1800Elsewhere:$2300Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Plato: Complete Works
Immerse yourself in the profound world of ancient philosophy with Plato: Complete Works, a definitive collection that brings together all surviving works attributed to Plato. This comprehensive volume allows readers to explore the breadth and depth of Plato's thought, capturing his most celebrated dialogues, such as the Republic, the Symposium, the Phaedrus, and the Phaedo, alongside lesser-known but equally significant...Hardback$9999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
20% off
The Last Days of Socrates
The Last Days of Socrates by Plato is a profound and gripping account of the trial and eventual execution of one of the greatest philosophers in history. This new translation by Christopher Rowe offers a fresh perspective on the timeless dialogues that capture Socrates' unwavering commitment to his principles and his unique approach to life and death. Set in 399...Paperback$2400Usually:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Symposium
In the course of a lively drinking party, a group of prominent Athenian intellectuals, including philosophers, playwrights, and aristocrats, come together to exchange views on the nature of eros, or desire. The setting of this engaging dialogue is the home of the tragedian Agathon, where the guests take turns delivering speeches that delve into various aspects of love, culminating in...Paperback$2300Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
20% offThe Republic and Other Works
Explore the profound philosophical insights of one of historyβs most influential thinkers with The Republic and Other Works by Plato. This comprehensive compilation brings together some of Plato's most significant dialogues, presenting a masterclass in classical Greek philosophy. In The Republic, Plato explores the nature of justice, the characteristics of the just society, and the education required to create such...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$3400Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Plato: Five Dialogues
The second edition of Five Dialogues presents G. M. A. Grube's distinguished translations, as revised by John Cooper for Plato, Complete Works. A number of new or expanded footnotes are also included along with an updated bibliography.Paperback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Symposium
Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilisation and...Paperback$1999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Republic
HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. Plato's Republic has influenced Western philosophers for centuries, with its main focus on what makes a well-balanced society and individual.Paperback$1299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Last Days of Socrates
The trial and condemnation of Socrates on charges of heresy and corrupting young minds is a defining moment in the history of Classical Athens. In tracing these events through four dialogues, Plato also developed his own philosophy, based on Socrates' manifesto for a life guided by self-responsibility. Euthyphro finds Socrates outside the court-house, debating the nature of piety, while The...Paperback$2100Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Republic
The Republic by Plato remains one of the most profound and influential works in Western philosophy and political theory, offering keen insights into the heart of human justice and governance. Set as a Socratic dialogue, the narrative unfolds through the engaging discussions between Socrates and a group of Athenian citizens. These dialogues explore the nature of justice, the formation of...Hardback$3100Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
Theaetetus
Set against the backdrop of the days leading up to the trial and execution of Socrates in 399 BC, Theaetetus is a profound philosophical dialogue penned by Plato. The narrative revolves around a conversation between Socrates, Theodorus the geometrician, and Theaetetus, an earnest and promising youth. Together, they embark on a quest to explore the essence of knowledge, making this...Paperback$5200Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks
More from Philosophy & Psychology
View all-
Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a transformative guide that demonstrates how tiny, incremental changes in behaviour can fundamentally reshape your life. Rather than urging sweeping transformations, Clear advocates for the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions. Whether itβs performing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes earlier, or making a brief, focused phone call, these minuscule adjustments,...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseHow Lucky Am I
The first full book featuring social media sensation Mr. Skelly, with over 5 million global followers, a skeleton who teaches us that life is a gift to be treasured, reminding us how lucky we all are to live in this present moment. For readers of The Book of Gifts and The Little Frogβs Guide to Self Care. In this poignant,...Hardback$4299Elsewhere:$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Creative Act
Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day and then ages out. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed...Hardback$4400Elsewhere:$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Winner's Formula
The Neuroscience of Peak Performance, Success, and Happiness Why do some people win all the time? Why do others languish? From Olympians to Formula 1 drivers, addicts to billionaires, cognitive neuroscientist Dr Kerry Spackman has spent decades working to help people understand how to succeed. In The Winner's Formula, Kerry explains what goes on in your brain when you are...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Strangers
The must-read memoir of the end of a marriage and the start of a personal revolution, based on the iconic Modern Love essay in the New York Times and perfect for fans of Glennon Doyle. "A beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship" β Joyce Carol Oates How do we go on when a loved one betrays us?...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
23% off
1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four
In the drab and oppressive world of 1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell introduces us to Winston Smith, a man haunted by the omnipresent surveillance and control exercised by the Party and its enigmatic leader, Big Brother. Winston works diligently at the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter historical records to fit the ever-changing narrative dictated by the...Paperback$1000Usually:$1299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Lessons on Living
Bestselling author Nigel Latta's simple psychological toolkit for life's ups and downs. Over thirty years working as a clinical psychologist, Nigel Latta assembled a personal toolkit based on three simple principles. These principles helped him to be more resilient, joyful, and attuned to what matters most. The same principles have helped him through some difficult times as well, such as...Paperback$2900Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
21% offAroha
Aroha by Dr Hinemoa Elder is an enlightening exploration of timeless Maori wisdom, intricately woven into a contemporary context. This top-selling non-fiction title from New Zealand in 2021 introduces readers to 52 traditional Maori proverbs, known as whakataukΔ«, each offering a profound lesson for every week of the year. Dr Elder, a respected Maori psychiatrist, delves into these powerful sayings...Hardback$1900Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Eat Your Ice Cream
The New York Times bestseller that presents a bold new vision for living well and ageing with purpose from a world-renowned health expert THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From a leading doctor and world-renowned health expert, the simple, uplifting and practical guide to cutting through the wellness noise, living well and ageing with purpose. βEssential reading for anyone who...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Better Never Stops
The Art and Science of Continuous Improvement From delinquent to doctor, Paul Wood knows first-hand how far we can take our lives if we address what holds us back. At the age of 18, Wood was sent to New Zealand's toughest prison. Almost 11 years later, in 2006, he walked out a free man, escaping his past and becoming a...Paperback$2700Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Courage to be Disliked
The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga presents an enlightening and thought-provoking dialogue between a philosopher and a young man disillusioned with life. In a series of conversations, the philosopher introduces the principles of Alfred Adler's psychology, advocating for personal empowerment and mental freedom. Through this engaging dialogue, the young man learns to confront the societal...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The DOSE Effect
The DOSE Effect offers small habits to boost your brain chemistry. "This book will help you find more motivation, create deeper connections, energise your body, and destress your mind," says Jay Shetty, author of Think Like a Monk. Life can feel overwhelming, but it doesnβt have to be. Todayβs fast-paced world leaves many of us struggling with extreme emotional highs...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
