Phil Cousineau - The Painted Word

The Painted Word

Event Links and More

STOKING THE CREATIVE FIRES: The Workshop: Nine Practices and Exercises to Unlock Your Creativity

February 27 - 28, 2026

Phil Cousineau is presenting on "Stoking the Creative Fires" for The Sophia Institute on Friday evening, Feb 27, with a workshop on Saturday, Feb 28.

If you're seeking inspiration, or searching for meaning through creativity, please consider joining Phil Cousineau person in Charleston, South Carolina (or you can sign up virtually)!

THE WILD WEST OF IRELAND with Phil Cousineau The Myths, Music, and Magical Literature of Connemara, Clare, and the Aran Islands

April 6 - 16, 2026

Join storyteller and mythologist Phil Cousineau on a pilgrimage and cultural adventure to the Wild West of Ireland, where Celtic folklore and Viking legends exist side by side with Christian mysticism and the finest Irish music, literature, and movies.

IRELAND: Three glorious days in the Aran Islands, as well as the sacred sites of Clonmacnoise Monastery, the Holy Well of Saint Brigid; the lunar landscape of the Burren, Thoor Ballylee (Yeats' Tower), Lady Gregory's Coole Park, Roundstone, Renvyle, Dublin, and more.

GREECE - Join Phil Cousineau on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Greece!

September 30 - October 12, 2026

Mythologist and author Phil Cousineau leads us on an Odyssey through Greece's timeless myths and breathtaking beauty.

"The Wisdom of The Odyssey: A Journey to Greece with Phil Cousineau - Life Lessons from Homer's Epic"

GREECE: Athens, Corinth, Mycenae, Napflion, Sparta, Olympia, Ithaka, Delphi, Eleusis and more

University of Detroit Mercy Alumni News feature on Phil Cousineau

No myth: Alumnus explores his calling through writing, traveling.

"When Phil Cousineau was a first-year student, he couldn't keep his eyes open in class."

Story by Adam Bouton.

Phil Cousineau on Creativity and Passing the Torch at TEDxSanJose | People, Passion, Possibilities: Making a Difference

Watch Phil's TEDx talk on YouTube

Wordcatcher on NPR's Top Books of of the Year list

Listen here to Susan Stamburg's "Indie Booksellers Pick 2010 Favorites" segment on NPR's Morning Edition.

The New York Times on the Global Spirit TV series

Review of The Blue Museum

The San Francisco Chronicle

Contact Phil Cousineau

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Global Spirit on PBS TV

The "internal travel" TV series hosted and co-written by Phil Cousineau, produced by CEM Productions and Link Media

Books by Phil Cousineau

Novel

The Lost Notebooks of Sisyphus: A Novel with Commentary

A timeless allegory that helps us come to terms with our own daily struggles and shines new light on Camus' existential conclusion that, "We must imagine Sisyphus as happy."

Nonfiction

Who Stole the Arms of the Venus de Milo?

Who Stole the Arms of the Venus de Milo? is an exhilarating, course-correcting account about one of the most iconic sculptures ever created.

Burning the Midnight Oil: Illuminating Words for the Long Night's Journey Into Day

An eclectic and electric collection of soulful prose, poems, and reflections from great thinkers throughout the ages. Whether beguiling readers with glorious poetry or consoling them with prayers from fellow restless souls, this book can relieve any insomniac's unease.

The Oldest Story in the World

"This book is a brooding, daring, exploration of the secret strength of storytelling, in which Phil Cousineau addresses the central theme which runs through all of his work—the transportive power of words." - New Perspectives

Stoking the Creative Fires: Nine Ways to Rekindle Passion and Imagination

Cousineau writes, "Creativity is as natural as breathing. To create is to grow, which in turn makes us feel vitally alive."

The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide to Making Travel Sacred

"Geared toward modern-day pilgrims looking for inspiration and a few spiritual tools for the road. —Theodore Roszak, San Francisco Chronicle

Beyond Forgiveness: Reflections on Atonement—Healing the Past, Making Amends, Restoring Balance in Our Lives and World

As indispensable as forgiveness has been to the healing process throughout history, there is another equally profound action that is needed for ultimate reconciliation, which Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas Gandhi, calls “the other side of the coin.”

The Painted Word: A Treasure Chest of Remarkable Words and Their Origins

Cousineau, linguistic detective and dictionary delver, is back with a priceless treasury of word stories and literary obscura that will enchant any lover of language.

Wordcatcher: An Odyssey Into the World of Weird and Wonderful Words

Phil Cousineau grew up in a family that took the dictionary with them on vacations. In Wordcatcher, he writes about the origins of his love of words, and describes more than 300 of his favorite words and the fascinating stories behind them.

The Book of Roads Travel Stories

This captivating book of Phil Cousineau's travel stories and reflections illuminates 25 years of adventures on the road.

The Olympic Odyssey: Rekindling the True Spirit of the Great Games

Reaching far back to the mythic and historic origins of the Games nearly 3,000 years ago, Cousineau examines the driving motivation behind these first ancient gatherings, which was peaceful competition in an atmosphere of fair play and brotherhood, as well as the pursuit of excellence in mind, body, and spirit.

A Seat at the Table

Huston Smith in Conversation with Native Americans on Religious Freedom, edited and with a preface by Phil Cousineau. A collection of illuminating conversations, in which, ten influential American Indian spiritual and political leaders provide an overview of the critical issues facing the Native American community.

The Way Things Are: Conversations with Huston Smith on the Spiritual Life

"Where can we find what is ultimately meaningful? How can we discover what is truly worth knowing?" In one form or another Huston Smith posed these questions to himself—and the world—all his life.

Once and Future Myths: The Power of Ancient Stories in Modern Times

Once and Future Myths draws on history, movies, pop culture, and Phil Cousineau's own life experience—as he shows how myths are timeless stories that continue to shape and affect our lives. By taking us on a unique path to personal growth through a deep examination of our lives, Cousineau shows how we are all living out the myths that have been a part of humanity through the ages.

Soul: An Archaeology

Soul defies definition, yet it surrounds us, permeating every aspect of our lives and culture - from art, music, and literature to religion, society, and identity. Long fascinated by the conundrum of the soul, Phil Cousineau set out to follow its elusive trail by collecting the voices of those who have, since ancient times, sought their own understanding of the "inner universe."

Coincidence or Destiny?

Coincidence or Destiny? Stories of Synchronicity That Illuminate Our Lives threads together what Cousineau calls "sly winks of fate" from ordinary individuals around the world, to well-known scholars to famous movies—each story demonstrates how meaningful coincidences can profoundly change and guide people's lives.

The Soul of the World

Juxtaposing eclectic reflections with stunning photographs from around the world, this modern book of hours serves as a "pocket cathedral," creating space for reflection and renewal at any time, in any place.

Poetry

Night Train: Poems

An unflinching collection of narrative poems ranging from the humorous to the spiritual, the philosophical to the historical.

The Blue Museum: Poems

The author's collected poetry, prose poems and found poems.

Deadlines: A Rhapsody on a Theme of Famous and Infamous Last Words

Phil Cousineau's compilation of last words is a contemplation of the soulful relationship between death and language, love and death.

Fungoes and Fastballs Baseball Haiku

Short, punchy haiku poems that celebrate the marvelous moments that are at the heart of baseball, American pastime.