For most of us, the major questions of life continue to perplex: Who am I? Why am I here? How should I live? In the late 19th century, a class of thinkers emerged who made solving these problems central to their work. They understood that such questions demand answers and that without understanding what it means to be human, we will remain in the dark. Through the biographies and theories of luminaries ranging from Sigmund Freud to Erich Fromm, novelist Frank Tallis—author of the Max Liebermann mysteries—offers thoughtful, accessible commentary on how to think about companionship, parenting, identity, aging, and much more.