Practical Philosophy?

So now we have articles about philosophy in the "health and well-being" section of the newspapers! Julian Baggini talks about a new series of philosophy books which aim to teach the "art of living". What happened to the good old "Examined Life" I wonder?

He also quotes Alain de Botton whose "The Consolations of Philosophy" (an example of the genre) has to be one of the worst books I have ever read - truly an insult to reason and the history of human thought. Philosophers were aghast at the book and its popular success and rightly so. Here is one review. He has also written a book on Proust called "How Proust Can Change Your Life" which is as idiotic and as irritating as the title makes it out to be.