The Cultural Tutor

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

'For anyone who has enjoyed The Cultural Tutor on X, this book will be more of the same delight. Expect nuggets of insight and wisdom, wrapped in the author's trademark warmth and wit' Alain de Botton

Who does the Mona Lisa actually depict?
Why do we still look to the Greeks and Romans to inform our politics?
Where do we find meaning in a world dominated by technology?
Culture is like a language. Art, architecture, history and philosophy are its grammar. And, like a language, anyone can learn it.
In 2022, Sheehan Quirke took to Twitter (now X) as The Cultural Tutor with the aim of making culture accessible for everyone. He wrote about poetry, paintings, building design, and counter-intuitive but fascinating facts about history and geography. It wasn’t the sort of content you usually find on a newsfeed – and yet it has flourished, gaining over 1.7 million followers.
Taught in forty-nine short lessons – from Babylon to Brutalism, Ronaldo to Ragnarök – Sheehan takes readers on a delightful and fascinating journey through culture. From provocative questions (is mythology any different to science?) to illuminating stories (did you know that the highest paid athlete in history was a Roman charioteer?), The Cultural Tutor will give you everything you need to begin your own adventures in the world of culture and to see the everyday wonders that surround us.

© Sheehan Quirke 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Critics Review

'For anyone who has enjoyed The Cultural Tutor on X, this book will be more of the same delight. Expect nuggets of insight and wisdom, wrapped in the author's trademark warmth and wit.'
Alain de Botton
'The Cultural Tutor is dedicated to a cosmopolitan view of culture. It writes about every continent, every religion, every tradition of art and poetry. And it is open in terms of what constitutes culture. It is not just opera; it is sport. It is not just ancient philosophy; it is the origins of modern-day flags.'
The Times
'A remarkable book. The Cultural Tutor is a witty, wide-ranging, and engaging exploration of humanity's shared heritage, from ancient history to modern art. This is precisely the kind of book I wish I'd had much earlier in my own journey of understanding, offering not just knowledge, but a richer way to see the world, including a compelling introduction to Stoic philosophy.'
Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor and How to Think Like Socrates

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