A Life Well Lived: Dialogues with a “Kabouter"

Manfred Kets de Vries, a psychoanalyst, executive coach, consultant, management educator, researcher, and writer, has written a book that explores the deepest questions and concerns of human beings through the use of stories, riddles, and puzzles. The book is one of the most important books he has written for coaches, students, leaders, managers, educators, or anyone seeking a more reflective text to guide them through the multitude of questions that we face in work and in life. The kabouter, a familiar figure in Dutch folklore, challenges the traveler to question and reflect upon his life and values, guiding him toward the insights that will help him achieve a life well lived.

Format: Hardback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Manfred Kets de Vries is a multifaceted individual who wears numerous "hats" such as psychoanalyst, executive coach, consultant, management educator, researcher, and writer. However, regardless of the hat he is wearing, every question he receives revolves around a single theme: "How can I live a well-lived life?"

Throughout his extensive experience in these various disciplines, Professor Kets de Vries has come to recognize the immense significance of stories in addressing human dilemmas and offering solutions to this fundamental question. Consequently, this book stands as one of his most significant contributions, particularly for coaches, students, leaders, managers, educators, and anyone seeking a thoughtful and introspective text to navigate the multitude of inquiries we encounter in both our professional and personal lives.

Drawing upon a rich literary tradition that includes encounters with wise "others" from fantastical or magical realms, such as The Little Prince, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Once and Future King, and the Harry Potter novels, Professor Kets de Vries animates an exploration of the deepest concerns and questions of human beings. He constructs an extended Socratic dialogue between his two selves: the first, a naïve traveler lost in the Siberian wilderness, and the second, a reflective avatar who comes to his aid. The avatar takes the form of a "kabouter," a familiar figure in Dutch folklore whose counterpart can be found in various cultures worldwide and across centuries of storytelling.

Through the medium of stories, riddles, and puzzles, the kabouter challenges the traveler to question and reflect upon his life and values, guiding him—and readers—toward the insights that will enable them to lead a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032582504