The Meaning of Life: Letters from Extraordinary People and their Answer to Life's Biggest Question

by James Bailey

James Bailey was unemployed, heartbroken, and questioning his purpose on the planet. In desperate search of an answer, he decided to write to luminaries from all fields and ask one simple What is the meaning of life?

Then he waited.

Slowly but surely their responses arrived through his letterbox.

From entrepreneurs and environmentalists, to artists, authors and adventurers, this book gathers a kaleidoscope of perspectives on what it means to be human. With over one hundred enlightening responses, it's more than just a collection of letters; it's a roadmap to finding your own path.

With letters from Dame Jane Goodall, Helen Sharman OBE, Bindi Irwin, Dr Astro Teller, Catherine Coleman Flowers, Lizzie Carr, Professor Jean Golding OBE, Professor Ian Frazer AC, Dr Michael Irwin, Professor Anil Seth, Sir Tim Smit KBE, Edward O. Wilson, Dr Mya-Rose Craig, Professor Lord Robert Winston, Bill McKibben, Henry Marsh CBE, Dr Kathryn Mannix, Dame Hilary Mantel, Julian Fellowes, Michael Frayn FRSL, Jodi Picoult, Anthony Horowitz CBE, Tony Wheeler, AO, Pico Iyer, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak FBA, Amol Rajan, Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Simon Calder, Monica Heisey, Donna Ashworth, Gyles Brandreth, Danny Wallace, Rupi Kaur, Susan Pollack MBE, Martine Wright MBE, Simon Weston CBE, Mike Haines MBE, Natalie Queiroz MBE, Sir Terry Waite KCMG CBE, Chris Moon MBE, Matt Lewis, Brian Clark, John Hoskison, Benedict Allen, Tom Turcich, Ann Daniels, Dame Ellen Macarthur, Mark Beaumont BEM, Ben Smith, Yves Rossy, Jessica Watson, Fatima Whitbread MBE, Chris Eubank, Gail Muller, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Bonita Norris, Alexander Campbell, David Smith MBE, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Rachel Portman OBE, Sir Michael Eavis, Sananda Maitreya, Ruth Rogers CBE, Luke Jerram, Stefan Sagmeister, Tommy Cannon, The Connor Brothers, David Hurn, Max Fosh, Jonathan Goodwin, Joan Armatrading CBE, Sir John Major KG CH, President Jimmy Carter, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Bishop Guli, Dr Rowan Williams, Zara Mohammed, Rabbi David Rosen KSG CBE, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Richard Reed, Claire Williams OBE, Dame Stephanie Shirley, Julie Bentley, Dave Fishwick, Dr Sarah Hughes, Richard Farleigh, Marvin Rees OBE, Jack Kornfield, Oliver Burkeman, Dr Sara Kuburic, Adam Grant, Celeste Headlee, Mark Manson, Beth Kempton, Cory Allen, Professor Peter Adamson, Melissa Sterry, Mark Stevenson, Joshua Fletcher, Gretchen Rubin, Charles Duhigg, Roxie Nafousi, Matt Ridley, and Charles Salvador.

Genres: Nonfiction

406 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 3, 2025

Reviews

[Cassie Renais · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting for what it was, but as a book, there are some thematic struggles that are almost impossible to overcome. I'm still on the fence about whether or not I would give this book to someone having an existential crisis, because I don't know if it's practically helpful, or if it would just feed the tailspin.

Firstly, most people seem to agree that worldly achievements and prestige are not what make life meaningful- but almost all (if not all) responses in the book come from people who have attained worldly achievements/prestige. So it's hard to take their word for it; it comes off a little bit humble-braggy, that they can only look back and say that what mattered was friends, family, and relationships because they also ticked the other big box of "success" that people typically seek.

Secondly, the answers get a little same-samey remarkably quickly. This is good and bad, because it is encouraging to see a consensus form about what the meaning of life is, but it also makes the book a bit boring, reading the same answer over and over again. With a few exceptions, everyone agrees that being mindfully present in life (actively ascribing meaning to it) and fostering connections and community with other people and the natural world are the two most important things. They all express these two or three themes in slightly different language, but it all boils down to the same advice: get over yourself, pay attention to the small stuff, and live in relation to other people and things - life is the journey, not the destination.

Thirdly, I strongly suspect these answers are skewed by the pool of respondents. One other big theme was the idea of giving more than you receive, of feeling like you make a positive impact on the world. Lovely sentiment, but probably overrepresented because so many of the respondents are in some form of charity or activism. It would be interesting to see some responses from Wall Street bankers, billionaires, middle-rung politicians, CEOs of multinational corporations and so on.

Thus, with these thematic issues noted, it's still a good read overall, and perfect for picking up and putting down depending on how much time you have. I also appreciated that the book included the original format of the response if it was handwritten or on a unique letterhead - this broke up the reading experience and gave it an extra charm when all the responses started blurring together.

[Michelle Mallette · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1932, philosopher and writer Will Durant published The Meaning of Life, a collection of high-minded thoughts from 100 luminaries at a time when the Western world was struggling under the weight of the Great Depression. Nearly 100 years later, in 2015, a young Brit was struggling himself, carrying a heavy debt for his education but unable to find paid employment. His friends all seemed to have it figured out, but Bailey’s love life was in shambles, and he was living in his late grandfather’s holiday trailer. Wondering what his purpose in life was, a google search eventually led Bailey to Durant’s project, and he decided to duplicate the effort. “Surely someone would have the answer to help me,” he writes (p. 4). He sunk what little money he had left in stationery and stamps, and mailed off this request: “I am currently replicating Durant’s study, and I’d be most appreciative if you could tell me what you think the meaning of life is, and how you find meaning, purpose and fulfilment in your own life?” This book is the result, a collection of responses from famous folks like Hilary Mantel, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Jane Goodall, Jimmy Carter, and 101 others. It’s organized by the category of the writer: Scientists & Environmentalists; Writers; Survivors & Campaigners; Athletes & Adventurers; Artists & Entertainers; Political, Religious & Business Leaders; Thinkers, Philosophers & Futurists; Prisoners. There’s only 1 in the last category. The table of contents lists all the writers and page numbers. Each entry starts with an introduction of the writer, and their response, which varies from a brief line or two, to several pages. The long ones are more self-promoting than illuminating, which I found disappointing, though to be fair the writers are often promoting their causes or foundations. There’s no one answer to this big question, of course; it’s my opinion that there isn’t a single meaning, but rather that each of us is intended to finding ways to make our lives meaningful. Still, I enjoyed browsing through this collection of thoughts. It’s fun to pick up and flip the pages to explore the writers and their answers. (It makes a great bathroom book, lol!) I kind of wish it had been organized differently, though I expect Bailey wrestled long and hard over this aspect. Could the answers have been organized by a theme? Not all are dated, but after discovering one answered in 2023, I wondered about that too, as the pandemic surely influenced some later answers. The book also lacks an index, so you can’t look up a specific name, or get a sense of the diversity of the authors that Bailey strove for. An interesting project, and anything that gets people to slow down and think about what they are doing gets my vote. A big thanks to the Grand Forks (B.C.) & District Public Library for including this British title in its adult biography print collection. It will have crossover appeal to thoughtful teens.

[Richard F · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's always difficult to review anthology-style books. In some ways they are good because they provide a broad slice of opinion and perspective, and there is generally something in there for everyone. However they are also usually lacking in a common thread or narrative.

This book is no different, except that the author has arranged the letters into chapters according to the professional background of their creators. This does offer a little extra insight into the overall question, since it appears that people with the same passions or talents generally seem to have the same outlook on life and its meaning.

There are a few well-written responses which serve as food for thought, and I did highlight some passages and takes notes on responses that struck a chord. I think every reader will find something, but most of those people I feel will then be at a loss of what to do with that insight, and this is where I would prefer a book with more structure.

So it's worth a dabble. You will probably find some inspiration from a familiar name or two.

3.5 stars.

[Estela Peña Molatore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Traduje este libro en el que el autor envía cientos de cartas a personalidades de diversas disciplinas como literatura, deportes, ciencia, filosofía y también a sobrevivientes, luchadores sociales e incluso un prisionero preguntándoles por el sentido de la vida. las respuestas son variadas, algunas, las menos, cínicas y un tanto frías, la mayoría esperanzadores. resulta muy interesante leer a tantos personajes relevantes de la historia contemporánea reflexionando sobre el sentido de la vida.
Dentro del género, libros de inspiración, es una buena opción..