Wisdom by Jason A. Merchey

A canny blend of expert quotations, insightful observations, and personal anecdotes, Jason A. Merchey’s Wisdom: A Very Valuable Virtue That Cannot Be Bought is an intensive, yet highly readable, study of the concept of wisdom across history.

Merchey’s work springs from the idea that wisdom is currently underappreciated, particularly in the United States. The text highlights the necessity of balancing the American tendency to focus on individual exceptionalism with concern for the collective common good. Drawing on the importance of “the wisdom of crowds,” Merchey ends each chapter with an extensive list of quotes aimed at provoking questions from readers.

The book proceeds by foregrounding essential inquiries, such as whether it’s possible for someone to learn wisdom, or whether attaining wisdom actually leads to a better quality of life. The text is keenly broken into sections by subject matter – for example, emotional intelligence, doubt, modesty, and open-mindedness – to make it easier for the reader to focus on particular topics of interest.

The most affecting material tends to come from the author’s own advice and analysis, so the work is most successful when Merchey discusses life or offers opinions on the thoughts of others, as opposed to just listing quoted material. Overall, Wisdom is an intriguing, perceptive, and well-researched compendium of information that will leave readers thinking differently not just about the concept of wisdom, but intelligence in general.