The Art of Living

By: Dietrich von Hildebrand, Alice von Hildebrand

Narrated by: Joe Jameson

Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

A book of everyday ethics by a man whom Pope St. John Paul II called “one of the great ethicists of the 20th century”, The Art of Living is Dietrich von Hildebrand’s essential guide to the moral life.

In just over four hours, Dietrich von Hildebrand, with his wife Alice, presents a distinctive view of the virtuous life that begins with reverence, “the mother of all virtues”, and includes chapters on “Faithfulness”, “Goodness”, “Hope”, “The Human Heart”, and many others.

The essays that make up this book began as a popular series of radio lectures in 1930s Germany, and their conversational tone comes through in this new edition, which maintains Alice von Hildebrand’s original translation and updates this beloved work for a new generation of listeners.

The Art of Living promises to provide clarity, hope, and fresh insights for those seeking to live life more fully, faithfully, and beautifully.

©2017 Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project (P)2021 Hildebrand Project

A Breathe of Fresh Air

I'm not philosopher. I'm a simple layman who loves the Catholic Faith. Dietrich and Alice von Hildebrand are quite simply a breathe of fresh air. Their logic is sound and they turn deep theological virtues into what I can only describe as common sense.
AMDG - Ryan

Timely Wisdom

This book speaks to us in 2023 as much as it spoke to the people when it was written. Simultaneously convicting and challenging. Great listen.

Rules for Life

Great reader, great and wise philosophy to boot. A way to live your life. Also, Alice von Hildebrand is amazing.

So good!

This is one of the greatest books ever written in philosophy and theology! Absolutely love it!

Highly recommended

I was not familiar with the work of Dietrich Von Hildebrand before listening to this audiobook, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The book is an accessible guide to examining one's life, habits, thoughts, and actions. The writer presents his profound insights into human nature and his own experience with humor and grace. I found the book inspiring and entertaining. The narrator's smooth and natural delivery made it a pleasure to listen to. I would like to hear more from this author and narrator.

An index of virtue

This book is a though-provoking review of several virtues from a Catholic intellectual perspective. A few quotes really stood out including this one from the chapter on faithfulness: "As surprising as it may sound, inconstant people never change themselves."

My favorite chapters were the ones by Alice von Hildebrand. From her essay on communion: "There is only one solution to the scourge of our time - solitude - and this solution is Christ."

The narrator was not my favorite, but the reading was clear and easy to listen to.

Rich and Persuasive

This is a stimulating introduction to the moral vision of a passionate, brilliant and devout Catholic. Structured as a survey of fundamental moral virtues, it emphasizes the transcendent/ecstatic character of moral life. That is to say, moral values call us to turn our attention away from ourselves, to subordinate ourselves to realities separate from ourselves and valuable quite independent of our personal “welfare” in any ordinary sense. This emphasis contrasts with most Aristotelian/Thomist accounts of morality, which focus on the flourishing of the moral agent according to his nature. These two perspectives are arguably reconcilable, but many listeners (especially those with vivid memories of their own adolescence) will find Von Hildebrand’s perspective more helpful in describing moral action and development.

The book also contains a précis of Von Hildebrand’s justly celebrated defense of the spiritual nature and moral relevance of the “heart,” i.e. human affectivity. Those who take the trouble to understand his argument on this point are likely to feel illuminated and refreshed.

The narration is sober, sensitive and unobtrusive. Exactly what the book calls for.

Letters From Spiritual Parents To Their Children

As Peter Kreeft wrote in the introduction to The Art of Living, the essays compiled in this book on reverence, faithfulness, responsibility, veracity, goodness, hope, virtue, and the human heart, are timeless guides for anyone seeking to live a happy life and to be a good person with good values. The essays, conversational in tone, are easy to read, insightful, and, at times, even humorous! In the seven essays by Dietrich and two by Alice, it is clear that both have such a strong grasp on the philosophical, literary, and psychological traditions not simply because they studied them but also because this happy couple lived life to the full and allowed what entered their intellect to reach their heart. Thus, their insights are trustworthy, authentic, full, and accessible to anyone.

If you are new to the von Hildebrands, you should know that Dietrich and Alice were very happily married until Dietrich's death in 1977. While the von Hildebrands didn't bear any natural children during their marriage, it became clear on my second read of The Art of Living that this work could very well be read as a compilation of letters from two spiritual parents to all of the spiritual children they adopted during their lifetime and all of the spiritual children who have chosen or will choose them as their spiritual guardians in the future. Each page is filled with wisdom organized in a way that can easily be passed down from this generation to the next, and I truly believe that if we put into practice what they preached, we'd all be a bit better off.

If you are looking for a book you can return to and seek counsel from again and again during different stages of your life, look no further. But beware! It might just inspire you enough to start living life differently—to practice the art of living with a heart wide open!