Eric Weiner awarded 2022 Towson University Prize for Literature

By Phaedran Linger on May 31, 2022

This year’s Towson University Prize for Literature has been awarded to Maryland journalist and speaker Eric Weiner for his latest publication "The Socrates Express."

Weiner is a Baltimore native and the New York Times bestselling author of "The Geography of Bliss." His most recent book, “The Socrates Express,” is an attempt to answer life’s most vital questions through the combination of philosophy and global travel.

In a pilgrimage across Europe to India, the author uncovers surprising life lessons from philosophers around the world. Weiner says his smartphone is responsible for inspiring the idea for the book. 

“I was staring at it one day, which I do too often, and marveling at how it contains so much information,” he says. “In the palm of my hand was virtually all of human knowledge, but I wondered if my smartphone could make me wiser.” 

In search of wisdom, Weiner researched and read the teachings of 14 philosophers from Socrates to Confucius. During this time of investigation, he traveled by train through ancient cities that coincided with each reading to recapture how philosophy teaches us how to lead wiser, more meaningful lives. 

“Trains and philosophy go together well. Both encourage us to think,” Weiner says.

“The Socrates Express” has gained praise from the “Washington Post” and NPR, and was named an Amazon’s Best pick. The book has also been mentioned in National Geographic and the “Wall Street Journal.”

“A smart, funny, engaging book full of valuable lessons, ‘The Socrates Express’ is not an explanation—it’s an invitation to think and experience philosophy filtered through Weiner’s words…’The Socrates Express’ defies classification,” says NPR reviewer Gabino Iglesias. “Yes, it is a book about philosophy, but it’s also a book about being human, traveling, learning and—sometimes—coffee.”

Established in 1979 with a grant from Alice and Franklin Cooley, the TU Prize for Literature is awarded annually for a book or book-length manuscript of fiction, poetry, drama or imaginative nonfiction by a Maryland writer. 

The prize is granted on the basis of literary and aesthetic excellence and determined by a panel of distinguished judges appointed by the university. Judges for the competition are anonymous.

“‘The Socrates Express’ is an introduction to the lives and ideas of some great philosophers and thinkers like Epicurus, Simone Weil and Confucius,” said one of the judges of the competition. “It is an engaging memoir, and Weiner's writing is informative, thoughtful and down-to-earth, making the book a pleasure to read."

In times of good or bad, Weiner turns to these philosophers’ teachings for their reservoirs of wisdom. His personal favorites are Henry David Thoreau, Gandhi and the Stoics. He says that the process of writing this book has altered his perception on life, leading him to question any previous assumptions and provide appreciation more often.

Weiner says receiving the TU Prize for Literature is an honor.

“It is especially gratifying for me given that I grew up in Baltimore and, in fact, lived in Towson for a while,” Weiner says. “So, since gratitude is an important part of the philosophical life, thank you Towson University.”