Get a Life! A Guide to Finding a Philosophy to Live By

by Alan Poon

AN IRREVERENT GUIDE TO THE GOOD LIFE
Learn Philosophy. Sound Smart. Live Well.

Do you find yourself dissatisfied by the soullessness of the modern world but can't stomach the cultishness of religion. You're not alone. Philosophers through the ages have tackled the art of living well from all angles. Explore alternatives to the script contemporary society has given us. Why is life worth living? What things are worth fighting for? Where do we find meaning? How do we be good and do good? Wisdom comes in many shapes and sizes.

Take a PHIL 101-level tour of eight philosophies of life, both ancient and modern, western and eastern. Learn the epic origin story of the Buddha and find tranquility in Buddhism. Pass Willy Wonka’s tests of character and practice the virtues of Aristotelianism. Listen in on an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and find resilience in Stoicism. Watch Rick and Morty cartoons and embrace the radical freedom of Existentialism. Or give Daoism, Confucianism, Epicureanism, or Secular Humanism a try!

Don't be scared by PHILOSOPHY – this book mercilessly cuts through the mumbo jumbo of academia to distill complicated ideas into plain English, focusing on practical applications to live a life of purpose, fulfillment, and happiness. Discover a philosophy of life that's right for you!

Genres: Nonfiction

177 pages, Paperback

Published August 19, 2025

About the author

Alan Poon was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Vancouver. As a child, he read a complete encyclopedia set for fun (it's like Wikipedia, but printed). He had a reputation as a teenage rebel, writing his own answers on multiple-choice tests and fearlessly opening the door to debate Jehovah's Witnesses. Armed with an engineering degree, he works as a mailman and has no credentials to talk about philosophy. That hasn't stop him from trying.

Reviews

[Joan Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make no mistake about it, Alan Poon’s guide to finding a philosophy to live by is not a light read, even though it is written in a modern accessible style that treats the reader like a curious friend to whom he is willing to impart advice. He recognises that in every one of us there is a quest for meaning, and while the certainty of religion is no longer a given, he believes that finding answers is now more important than ever. And so, he briefly sets out the basic philosophies that man has created over time , from the ancient philosophies of the East such as Taoism and Buddhism; the Ancient West such as Aristotelianism and Epicureanism; and finally the Humanist and Existentialist philosophies of more recent times. He uses modern analogies when introducing new philosophies , for example, Stoicism is initially illustrated by the Startrek character Spock, and he discusses the Disney film Mulan when explaining the philosophy of Confucianism. Every human being, he tells us, is free to choose the path that suits them best, although he warns us to limit our choice of life philosophies to one or two , to see if we feel comfortable , rather than go overboard. This is an interesting book, that needs to be digested slowly. I admire the author’s knowledge and erudition, as well as his approachable style, and find it stimulating and helpful to learn more about different philosophies. However, I remain slightly sceptical that any human being can deliberately choose their path in life, completely untrammelled by past influences and experiences, although Alan Poon’s book will doubtless help in that important quest for meaning.

[Pauline Stout · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fascinating book is an introduction to philosophy. To be more specific it is a very brief introduction to 8 different schools of philosophical thought. When I say very brief I mean it. The book basically gives the bullet points of each system’s basic beliefs and the beliefs of the people that would practice each school of thought, with the understanding that the comparison can help the reader to pick a philosophy to live by and also the understanding that if a person wants to know more about any particular school of thought they can do so themselves after they know the basics.

Overall I would have to say this really enjoyed reading this. There were several schools of thought in here I was unfamiliar with and reading about them was interesting. I fully admit to not knowing much about each school of philosophy so I can’t say how well each was summarized. I think each school as written in a way that was very easy to understand, especially for the basic beginner like myself. I find myself very curious about multiple of the philosophical schools I read about in here and will be looking up more books about them in the future.

There is a little Buzzfeed style quiz at the end of this to help the reader see where their thoughts already lie in relation to everything discussed in the book and I really like that addition. It can help a reader see what they might want to read into further.

Overall I really liked this and I highly recommend it.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get a Life is such a clever title, and honestly, it delivers. This little gem gives you a sweeping overview of eight philosophies—ancient East (Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism), ancient West (Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Epicureanism), and modern age (existentialism, secular humanism). Basically, it’s a world tour of “how to live your best life” through the eyes of history’s greatest thinkers.

Alan’s writing style is humorous and light, which makes the big concepts go down easy. You never feel like you’re slogging through a dry textbook; instead, it’s like a witty friend explaining the gist of each philosophy over coffee. He occasionally points out the quirks of a system (and sometimes its founders), but never in a way that turns you off—it feels more like an invitation to explore and decide for yourself.

Personally, I loved the sections on Buddhism, Aristotelianism, and Stoicism. They gave me new ways of looking at balance, virtue, and resilience that actually feel applicable to everyday life. The whole book is quick and enjoyable, and it definitely whets your appetite to dive deeper. If you’ve ever been curious about philosophy but didn’t know where to start, Get a Life makes it fun, approachable, and a surprisingly practical guide for figuring out what resonates with you.

Special Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the gifted copy 🫶🏼

[Andrew McAllan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually read books about philosophy, but Get a Life! caught my eye because it looked different from the usual dry, hard-to-read stuff. I’m glad I gave it a shot. This book is actually a great starter for anyone who’s curious about philosophy but doesn’t want to wade through a bunch of complicated jargon.

Alan Poon takes eight big philosophies—like Buddhism, Stoicism, Existentialism, Daoism, Humanism, and a few others—and breaks them down in a way that’s easy to follow. He mixes in real-life examples and even pop culture references, which makes the ideas feel more relatable and less like something you’d only hear about in a college lecture. It’s not super long or overly detailed, but that’s kind of the point—it’s a primer.

What I liked most is the tone. It’s quirky, friendly, and straight to the point. It feels like a friend explaining this stuff over coffee rather than a professor talking at you. It gave me a better idea of what these different philosophies are about and which ones I might want to learn more about.

If you’re already deep into philosophy, this book might feel a little basic. But if you’re new to it and want an easy, approachable way in, this is a solid place to start. It’s clear, it’s fun, and it makes big ideas feel a lot less intimidating.

[Ray Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Excellent Philosophical/Practical Guide to Life

Get a Life: A Guide to Finding a Philosophy to Live By (by Alan Poon) presents a smorgasbord of philosophies, both Eastern and Western, for the reader to choose from. And it’s hardly the stodgy philosophical treatise that one might imagine. The point is not to judge the metaphysics of these philosophical systems (or their beliefs about the fundamental nature of reality) but rather their practical stratagems and techniques for dealing with the ups and downs of life. The book is well written and teeming with intelligence and wit. Openminded seekers will find it a delight to read. The less openminded or less self-reflective maybe not so much, though its competent presentations may well open some minds. Even Stoicism and Epicureanism, despite their modern-day bad raps, are shown to have remarkably beneficial ways of looking at things. Readers will likely find themselves wanting to incorporate something from each of these philosophies in their lives.

[Mia Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poon starts his guide with a wonderfully optimistic viewpoint, stating that it is the best time in history to be alive. He acknowledges that finding a “personal philosophy” is not likely to be on our list of things that we believe will improve our life, but he explains that it should be. In finding a personal philosophy, Poon believes that what is important in life will become apparent, and this isn’t material abundance or pleasurable experiences.

He also takes a hard look at political ideology, economics, and social systems. With a philosophical approach, he examines why people turn to motivational books and life coaches in their search for happiness. Poon hasn’t written one of those books, nor does he claim to be a coach. What he provides is an examination of various philosophies from Confucianism to Daoism and more including Epicureanism. The book also provides a quiz to helping one find their personal philosophy. I warn that using the chart in a Kindle version is not ideal. So, grab the hardcover and you might just find a new way of life.

[Martin Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

There have been so many different ideas over the last few thousand years about what makes life meaningful and how to be happy. When I picked up this book, I didn’t realize quite how many different trains of thought there are, or how different from each other they are. There seems to be more and more young people in our world struggling to find purpose in their life. If that’s you, this book is an awesome starting point.
Framed as a book designed to help you find a path to a meaningful life, this book is very well written and engaging. It covers Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Epicureanism, Existentialism, and Secular Humanism. The book gives an easy to understand and follow summary of all of these different philosophies, putting you in a perfect position to start figuring out what is right for you. I also like the 36 philosophy statements at the end to help you figure out which philosophy resonates most with you right now.

[Helena Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get A life is an especially relevant book for our modern world, with so many of us struggling to find a philosophy (or two) to live by that really resonates. The problem is, there are so many different ideologies and sorting through them all can feel like just another hurdle to navigate. This book presents eight of the major philosophies, giving a balanced and thoughtful analysis without getting too complicated.

The philosophies range from the ancient to the more modern and are presented in an accessible, easy to read style. The tone is thoughtful but also light hearted and humorous at times, feeling like philosophy does not always need to be heavy and serious. It is a great reference for those who have previously shied away from philosophy, believing it might be beyond their understanding.

Overall this is an interesting and possibly life changing read for anyone genuinely searching for deeper meaning.

[Helen Wu ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get a Life! A Guide to Finding a Philosophy to Live By is a witty starter kit for everyday philosophy. Alan Poon distills complex traditions into plain, accessible language with playful pop culture references. I especially appreciated the quick self-assessment at the end, which helps readers reflect on which philosophy might suit them best. It is a helpful touch for anyone new to exploring these ideas.

For me, this paired nicely with How to Live a Good Life (Massimo Pigliucci, ed.), which I read last summer in my doctoral program. That one felt like sitting in a room with many teachers, comprehensive and informative, while Get a Life! offers a lighter, more approachable entry point.

Recommended for readers curious about philosophy but wary of heavy academic texts.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC!

[Sal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan Poon’s book Get a Life! implements humor into the process of picking a way to live via one of life’s major philosophies and concepts. Some are well known (Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, humanism, and existentialism); others less so (Aristotelianism and epicureanism). The book is billed as stripping down the complicated aspects of these philosophies, but don’t let that fool you. The text in the relatively short read is dense with in-depth, I would say complex insights. Readers will finish it with much to think about.

Leading off with a good Socrates quote about the worth of examining a life, “The Introductory Spiel” section aptly conveys what many already know about our modern world but perhaps don’t often think about: We have it really good in a lot of ways, and it’s an exciting time to be living, but what’s with all the isolation and lack of close friends these days? You get the idea. What follows is a lot of insights from Poon that I’m not qualified to break down but enjoyed reading.

The author reveals at the end that he’s a mailman with an engineering degree with no bona fide credentials to discuss philosophy, but that’s being modest. He’s a smart guy and this is an entertaining read. I hope his next book delves into religious philosophies.

[Vanessa Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alan Poon’s Get a Life! A Guide to Finding a Philosophy to Live By is a delight: elegantly and fluently written, easy but at the same time thought-provoking to read, and satisfying to finish.

After an entertaining introduction which makes clear that this book is no heavy, conceptually impregnable tome, the author reviews eight significant strands of Eastern (Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism) and Western (Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Epicureanism, Existentialism and Secular Humanism) philosophical thought. He prefaces each section with a clear historical background and metaphysical / ethical analysis before suggesting how different strands of the ideology could be adapted for and/or followed in modern life.

Alan Poon wears his evident learning lightly and writes with deft humour and helpful analogies. The only very minor flaw for this reader is that there were occasional typos and slightly infelicitous turns of phrase which I briefly tripped on; as the book is otherwise so excellent, it perhaps warrants a further line edit.

Highly recommended for readers interested in the historical context of philosophical schools of thought and their relevance and application today.