The inevitability of death seems to counteract our efforts to create a meaningful life. And yet, as the Australian philosopher Dean Rickles reminds us in this concise book, which engages in dialogue with, among others, Seneca and On the Shortness of Life, “a life without death would be like playing tennis without a net.” Only limitations — and death is the ultimate limitation — give meaning to our actions. For Rickles, the value of life lies in its finite nature, and this knowledge is the key to living consciously, avoiding the trap of procrastination and indecisiveness.
Life is Short is a liberating and inspiring book about the brevity of life as a foundational condition and essence from which its meaning arises. By reminding us how precious the time we have is, Rickles invites us to rethink how we might make the most of it.
"Revelatory! Aspiring to offer us a panacea in the ancient sense of the term, Rickles delivers a valuable book for all people." - Times Literary Supplement
"In this small book with immense power, Rickles explores how to live meaningfully in this captivating and profound journey called life." - Publishers Weekly
"A refined and accessible reflection on how the inevitability of death fundamentally gives meaning to human choices." - Choice Reviews
"Rickles shakes us up and makes us feel in all its breadth the paradoxical, age-old truth: that death is what gives life value. We cannot escape the limitations of our kind — but, as Rickles shows us with clarity and humor, we can be free within them." - OLIVER BURKEMAN, author of Four Thousand Weeks
