Sorry, I did not get a thing out of this book, except that the author has struggled a lot and has a fairly negative attitude. He also believes in muses. (Guess if you don't feel on top of it, it's comforting to know there are muses out there.) Okay, maybe you believe in muses too. (If you do, you might like this book.) My good friend, whose opinion I value greatly, recommended it. He loved it. I didn't. We debate. I have better things to do with my time than read stories about how the author failed so many times before he reached a modicum of success, and then became a philosopher. So why do I take the time to write this review? Because I think you might spend your time better elsewhere. It's a small contribution; but, nonetheless, a contribution.