u003cbu003e"Most people will never find a great psychiatrist or a great Buddhist teacher, but Mark Epstein is both, and the wisdom he imparts in u003ciu003eAdvice Not Givenu003c/iu003e is an act of generosity and compassion. The book is a tonic for the ailments of our time."--Ann Patchett, u003ciu003eNew York Timesu003c/iu003e bestselling author of u003ciu003eCommonwealthu003c/iu003e u003c/bu003eu003cbru003e u003cbru003e Our ego, and its accompanying sense of nagging self-doubt as we work to be bigger, better, smarter, and more in control, is one affliction we all share. But while our ego is at once our biggest obstacle, it can also be our greatest hope. We can be at its mercy or we can learn to work with it. With great insight, and in a deeply personal style, renowned psychiatrist and author Dr. Mark Epstein offers a how-to guide that refuses a quick fix. In u003ciu003eAdvice Not Givenu003c/iu003e, he reveals how Buddhism and Western psychotherapy, two traditions that developed in entirely different times and places, both identify the ego as the limiting factor in our well-being, and both come to the same conclusion: When we give the ego free rein, we suffer; but when it learns to let go, we are free.