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The Practicing Stoic
The great insights of the Stoics are spread over a wide range of ancient sources. This book brings them all together for the first time. It systematically presents what the various Stoic philosophers said on every important topic, accompanied by an eloquent commentary that is clear and concise.
The result is a set of philosophy lessons for everyone — the most valuable wisdom of ages past made available for our times, and for all time.
The result is a set of philosophy lessons for everyone — the most valuable wisdom of ages past made available for our times, and for all time.
292 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2018
About the author
Ward Farnsworth
21 books203 followersWard Farnsworth is Dean and John Jeffers Research Chair at the University of Texas School of Law. He formerly was Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at the Boston University Law School. He has served as a law clerk to Anthony M. Kennedy of the United States Supreme Court and to Richard A. Posner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and worked as a Legal Adviser to the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal in the Hague. He received his J.D. with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School, and his B.A. from Wesleyan University.
Farnsworth is the author of books on law, philosophy, rhetoric, and chess. He also has published scholarly articles on the economic analysis of law, constitutional law, statutory interpretation, jurisprudence, and cognitive psychology. He serves as Reporter for the American Law Institute’s Restatement Third, Torts: Liability for Economic Harm.
Farnsworth is the author of books on law, philosophy, rhetoric, and chess. He also has published scholarly articles on the economic analysis of law, constitutional law, statutory interpretation, jurisprudence, and cognitive psychology. He serves as Reporter for the American Law Institute’s Restatement Third, Torts: Liability for Economic Harm.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 452 reviews
July 7, 2018
I love reading great works like those of Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Cicero, and others, and have always been interested in the thinking of the Stoics. This book lays out the history and philosophy of the Stoics in an absolutely clear and accessible way, without dumbing down the complexity. The body of work is presented in a systematic, thoughtful framework that is rarely seen in this kind of book. I found the answers to questions that I didn't know I had. I'd read much of this material before, in the works by the individual authors, but seeing this synthesis gave me new insight and understanding.
June 15, 2018
Excellent--
This, too, was a windfall for me. I was browsing through the labyrinthine bookshelves at Powell's in Portland this past April and noticed this. (There really is something about being able to browse books physically at a bookstore—it allows for more immediate connection/recognition, for fortuitous discoveries.) Unlike other books on Stoicism, this basically collects and organizes the original sources (translated, of course) by theme, in a roughly progressive manner to aid learning. So most of the book consists of quotes from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and others (Cicero, Adam Smith, Montaigne, Johnson, and other "descendants" of the philosophy), with succinct and superbly helpful comments by the author to provide context and explain the principles involved.
Probably because I read this in tandem with Van Norden's Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy and having immersed myself in the practice of Buddhism (both Theravada and Zen), I was able to see SO MANY similarities among three wildly different ancients philosophies. I was especially amazed by how similar Buddhist tenets are to Stoicism—basically, Stoicism plus meditative practice (not the ruminating meditation of Marcus Aurelius, but the "focus your attention on your breathing" type of meditation) would pretty much equal Buddhism (at least as taught by Goenka or Stephen Batchelor): clinging to externals as the source of suffering/misery, the role of one's own judgment in creating that very misery, the importance of detachment, perspective of impermanence, the effort to see reality as it is, the encouragement for compassion and "public life" (which can include just helping others), etc. The remarkable coincidences among the three philosophies—and here, I'm counting "classical Chinese philosophy" as one, but really I have in mind Confucius/Mengzi and Taoism as expounded by Daodejing and Zhuangzi that don't exactly map onto Stoicism and Buddhism, but nonetheless share some really interesting similarities—suggests to me something of philosophical convergence, which might in turn suggest something like truth, or at least a method or pragmatic philosophy that works to help allay human suffering. Forget about why it works, the theory of it—if a philosophy works, it works. Who cares why?
So. On the whole, highly, highly recommended, and I'll be reading up on Stoicism for sure.
This, too, was a windfall for me. I was browsing through the labyrinthine bookshelves at Powell's in Portland this past April and noticed this. (There really is something about being able to browse books physically at a bookstore—it allows for more immediate connection/recognition, for fortuitous discoveries.) Unlike other books on Stoicism, this basically collects and organizes the original sources (translated, of course) by theme, in a roughly progressive manner to aid learning. So most of the book consists of quotes from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and others (Cicero, Adam Smith, Montaigne, Johnson, and other "descendants" of the philosophy), with succinct and superbly helpful comments by the author to provide context and explain the principles involved.
Probably because I read this in tandem with Van Norden's Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy and having immersed myself in the practice of Buddhism (both Theravada and Zen), I was able to see SO MANY similarities among three wildly different ancients philosophies. I was especially amazed by how similar Buddhist tenets are to Stoicism—basically, Stoicism plus meditative practice (not the ruminating meditation of Marcus Aurelius, but the "focus your attention on your breathing" type of meditation) would pretty much equal Buddhism (at least as taught by Goenka or Stephen Batchelor): clinging to externals as the source of suffering/misery, the role of one's own judgment in creating that very misery, the importance of detachment, perspective of impermanence, the effort to see reality as it is, the encouragement for compassion and "public life" (which can include just helping others), etc. The remarkable coincidences among the three philosophies—and here, I'm counting "classical Chinese philosophy" as one, but really I have in mind Confucius/Mengzi and Taoism as expounded by Daodejing and Zhuangzi that don't exactly map onto Stoicism and Buddhism, but nonetheless share some really interesting similarities—suggests to me something of philosophical convergence, which might in turn suggest something like truth, or at least a method or pragmatic philosophy that works to help allay human suffering. Forget about why it works, the theory of it—if a philosophy works, it works. Who cares why?
So. On the whole, highly, highly recommended, and I'll be reading up on Stoicism for sure.
June 29, 2019
Of the many available books on Stoicism, three things make Farnsworth’s The Practicing Stoic stand out:
1. The Stoics largely speak for themselves; the book is organized around topics and most of the content comes from the original sources. So, for example, the chapter on “judgment” presents, with commentary, the original writings of Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius—the big three late Stoics—on that topic. This way, you can compare and contrast each authors thoughts on the same topic, which is very interesting and useful. It’s easier to digest this way rather than reading the collected works of each author separately.
2. In addition to the original writings of the Stoics, the original writings of other prominent supporting authors are included, including Adam Smith, Plutarch, Samuel Johnson, Arthur Schopenhauer, and more. While these authors are not Stoics themselves, the examples provided demonstrate stoic influence.
3. The content is organized by topic in twelve chapters, covering judgment, externals, perspective, death, wealth and pleasure, what others think, valuation, emotion, adversity, virtue, and learning. There is also a final chapter responding to the criticism of Stoicism. The organization of content in this way is easier to assimilate and refer back to, especially considering the Stoics wrote in a rather disorganized way.
In all, this is one of the best books on the practice of Stoicism I’ve come across. As the author states himself, if you’re looking for an in-depth theoretical examination of the philosophy of Stoicism, you’ll have to look elsewhere. This book is really for those who want a practical guide to living by stoic principles and appreciate learning the material primarily from the original sources, without having to read through each source separately and organize the material manually.
1. The Stoics largely speak for themselves; the book is organized around topics and most of the content comes from the original sources. So, for example, the chapter on “judgment” presents, with commentary, the original writings of Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius—the big three late Stoics—on that topic. This way, you can compare and contrast each authors thoughts on the same topic, which is very interesting and useful. It’s easier to digest this way rather than reading the collected works of each author separately.
2. In addition to the original writings of the Stoics, the original writings of other prominent supporting authors are included, including Adam Smith, Plutarch, Samuel Johnson, Arthur Schopenhauer, and more. While these authors are not Stoics themselves, the examples provided demonstrate stoic influence.
3. The content is organized by topic in twelve chapters, covering judgment, externals, perspective, death, wealth and pleasure, what others think, valuation, emotion, adversity, virtue, and learning. There is also a final chapter responding to the criticism of Stoicism. The organization of content in this way is easier to assimilate and refer back to, especially considering the Stoics wrote in a rather disorganized way.
In all, this is one of the best books on the practice of Stoicism I’ve come across. As the author states himself, if you’re looking for an in-depth theoretical examination of the philosophy of Stoicism, you’ll have to look elsewhere. This book is really for those who want a practical guide to living by stoic principles and appreciate learning the material primarily from the original sources, without having to read through each source separately and organize the material manually.
April 5, 2019
As someone who has been reading the works of the Stoics for many years, the premise of this "manual" struck me as very useful. The book is arranged into topic-based chapters - "Perspective", "Desire", "Adversity", "Death" etc. - with selections of Stoic writers on those subjects arranged with commentary and context. This makes the book something that can be usefully read straight through, as I have just done, but I know it will be one that I will go back to and consult periodically as those topics arise in my life.
And this works with the essence of Stoicism, which is not a set of dogmas or primarily a metaphysical system, but a way to (try to) live your life. It fits with the ancient Greek conception of philosophy not as an epistemology, but as a way to strive for εὐδαιμονία - a good life, or flourishing life, literally "good spirit". I read Farnsworth's manual while using Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman's The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on the Art of Living and the two complemented each other well. The practicality of Stoicism, with its exercises, daily meditations and a sense of a system that you strive to use even if you never fully master, is a strong element in Farnsworth's commentary.
The final chapter, "Stoicism and Its Critics", was a good way to end the book. Again, it shows that Stocism is not dogmatic and is and should be open to criticism both from within and from outside. I recently came across someone I follow and admire on Twitter making some rather disparaging comments about the modern resurgence of Stoicism, dismissing Stoicism as a philosophy for "a morally complacent individual". This struck me as a rather bizarre description - there are many ways you could describe the Stoics, but "morally complacent" would not be one of them. When questioned, it turned out he was basing his conception of Stoicism on the fact that it has become fashionable lately and popular with what he called "Davos types". Why it has become popular with that sort I have no idea - I imagine last year they were embracing the Danish concept of "hygge and next year it will be something else. But that doesn't really tell us much about Stoicism (any more than its inexplicable adoption by Madonna tells us much about Kabbala), given that it's not just "Davos types" who have an interest in Stocism.
A little more digging and I found his disdain was based on some dubious Roman gossip about Seneca's business dealings and an idea that he, as a rich man who was also a Stoic, was a hypocrite or someone who used his philosophy to justify his wealth. Farnsworth shows that Seneca and the other Stoic's attitude to wealth was rather more complex than that and, when actually understood, undermines this criticism completely. To the Stoics wealth is neither intrinsically good or bad and whether you have it (as Seneca and Marcus Aurelius did) or don't (like Epictetus), the issue is more how you regard it and what you do with it and why. This criticism of Stoicism via Seneca and some rather petty Flavian damnatio memoriae (he was an adviser to the most hated member of the previous dynasty after all) goes back to Macaulay writing on Francis Bacon in 1837 and since his disparaging remarks are about all many nineteenth century gentlemen ever read of Seneca, the mud seems to have stuck. Farnsworth goes a long way toward correcting Macaulay's sniffy dismissals.
This is a good book both for those looking for a good introduction to the Stoics and for those who would like a useful guide to a useful and challenging philosophical system. I know I'll now go back to my daily reading of Marcus Aurelius with a much clearer understanding of the Stoic system of thought.
And this works with the essence of Stoicism, which is not a set of dogmas or primarily a metaphysical system, but a way to (try to) live your life. It fits with the ancient Greek conception of philosophy not as an epistemology, but as a way to strive for εὐδαιμονία - a good life, or flourishing life, literally "good spirit". I read Farnsworth's manual while using Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman's The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on the Art of Living and the two complemented each other well. The practicality of Stoicism, with its exercises, daily meditations and a sense of a system that you strive to use even if you never fully master, is a strong element in Farnsworth's commentary.
The final chapter, "Stoicism and Its Critics", was a good way to end the book. Again, it shows that Stocism is not dogmatic and is and should be open to criticism both from within and from outside. I recently came across someone I follow and admire on Twitter making some rather disparaging comments about the modern resurgence of Stoicism, dismissing Stoicism as a philosophy for "a morally complacent individual". This struck me as a rather bizarre description - there are many ways you could describe the Stoics, but "morally complacent" would not be one of them. When questioned, it turned out he was basing his conception of Stoicism on the fact that it has become fashionable lately and popular with what he called "Davos types". Why it has become popular with that sort I have no idea - I imagine last year they were embracing the Danish concept of "hygge and next year it will be something else. But that doesn't really tell us much about Stoicism (any more than its inexplicable adoption by Madonna tells us much about Kabbala), given that it's not just "Davos types" who have an interest in Stocism.
A little more digging and I found his disdain was based on some dubious Roman gossip about Seneca's business dealings and an idea that he, as a rich man who was also a Stoic, was a hypocrite or someone who used his philosophy to justify his wealth. Farnsworth shows that Seneca and the other Stoic's attitude to wealth was rather more complex than that and, when actually understood, undermines this criticism completely. To the Stoics wealth is neither intrinsically good or bad and whether you have it (as Seneca and Marcus Aurelius did) or don't (like Epictetus), the issue is more how you regard it and what you do with it and why. This criticism of Stoicism via Seneca and some rather petty Flavian damnatio memoriae (he was an adviser to the most hated member of the previous dynasty after all) goes back to Macaulay writing on Francis Bacon in 1837 and since his disparaging remarks are about all many nineteenth century gentlemen ever read of Seneca, the mud seems to have stuck. Farnsworth goes a long way toward correcting Macaulay's sniffy dismissals.
This is a good book both for those looking for a good introduction to the Stoics and for those who would like a useful guide to a useful and challenging philosophical system. I know I'll now go back to my daily reading of Marcus Aurelius with a much clearer understanding of the Stoic system of thought.
July 20, 2020
This is the best modern treatment of stoicism for a general public that I have read since Irvine's "A guide to the good life". Both books have a lot in common. Neither of them elaborates on the metaphysics of stoicism. They emphasize the ethics and the psychology of stoicism, and how this is relevant for modern man. They also deal with the same criticisms of stoicism, such as its supposed lack of compassion and its alleged hypocrisy. They also explain that stoicism, instead of being a killjoy philosophy, is actually a way to reach a deeper level of happiness, that is not dependent on the varying fortunes of external circumstances.
The main difference lies in the approach. Farnsworth builds his book in chapters that each deal with a specific theme, and then reaches back to the original authors. His personal contribution lies then in "translating" those thoughts in insights that are relevant for modern man.
The main difference lies in the approach. Farnsworth builds his book in chapters that each deal with a specific theme, and then reaches back to the original authors. His personal contribution lies then in "translating" those thoughts in insights that are relevant for modern man.
September 16, 2018
This book is so outstanding and enlightening that it must be read at least twice. The first time you'll underline and highlight the deep veins of wisdom and insight in nearly every paragraph, and the second time you'll revisit everything you dogeared and annotated the first time. An intellectual analgesic for this age of chronic psychic inflammation.
December 19, 2021
Ward Farnsworth has compiled and arranged the writings of Stoics and similar themes from later writers (c. 1500-1850) into a wonderful "user's manual". He breaks down Stoic teachings into their component themes and then gives primary source quotes from the philosophers themselves. One can learn many things from this book, such as that the Stoics were more wise regarding psychology than any professor today.
Stoic teaching is not natural to man. We are born with the sinful propensity to always want more and to be vain in the company of others. Our fear and need for public approval lead us to ignoble acts. But I view the teachings of the Stoics as a life practice in pursuit of virtue, or the right control of the passions via reason. Christianity also aligns very well with what the Stoics taught. One can detect many similarities in how Christianity and Stoicism treats the pursuit of pleasure, the innate sinfulness of man, the seven deadly sins, the need for truthfulness, and of serving a higher principle for its own sake. No matter what, God is watching our actions and thoughts; we best make them as righteous as we can through dedicated practice, repentance, and by reminding ourselves what is at stake. As hard as it is in the modern world, we must all build our own personal and familial castles to outlast the wasteland around us.
Stoic teaching is not natural to man. We are born with the sinful propensity to always want more and to be vain in the company of others. Our fear and need for public approval lead us to ignoble acts. But I view the teachings of the Stoics as a life practice in pursuit of virtue, or the right control of the passions via reason. Christianity also aligns very well with what the Stoics taught. One can detect many similarities in how Christianity and Stoicism treats the pursuit of pleasure, the innate sinfulness of man, the seven deadly sins, the need for truthfulness, and of serving a higher principle for its own sake. No matter what, God is watching our actions and thoughts; we best make them as righteous as we can through dedicated practice, repentance, and by reminding ourselves what is at stake. As hard as it is in the modern world, we must all build our own personal and familial castles to outlast the wasteland around us.
July 9, 2023
After carrying all 20+ boxes of my books during moving, I vowed to never purchase another book that my local library does not have. This book is forcing me to break that promise because I need my own copy. I thought it was a good time to read about stoicism since I threw my back out last week, I could not walk or sit down for a couple of days due to the pain. Although I am about 70% now, I was not that annoyed it happened. In fact I was laughing at times at how funny it was that I threw my back out over something as trivial as putting doing two 30 pound dumb bells like I am a 90 year old man or something. I think this book was the reason why I was so chill about the pain and inconvenience of not being able to walk.
Anyway, the way the stoic philosophy is presented by the author is straight from the source, he's more of a tour guide that leads the way, showing all the important stops and lets the philosophers do the heavy lifting. He doesn't get in the way but more importantly he uses quotes from authors who have also been influenced by various stoic writers who have their own interpretation in a different time period, Montaigne's passages are peppered throughout the book not to mention others such as Adam Smith.
The result is you get multiple time periods throughout humanity that spreads thousands of years but all espousing the same ideas which captures how timeless the stoics philosophy is. I don't know if you have ever seen a video of a Mcdonald's burger that doesn't rot or mold after years, that's what stoicism is on a greater time scale. In fact as time goes on, it becomes more and more relevant with advent of social media and the endless noise, thirstiness for micro fame and the degree of importance many have on maintaining a particular image.
Social media is a unique form of imprisonment, many times people sign on and without knowing it, chain themselves to the opinions of others. Placing so much power in another's hands just for the psychological dose of trying to be revered by strangers. There's a beauty in stoicism that tells us we should cut off the connection between searching for honors, conformity or any status because it is based on the opinions of others. It breeds a level of ambition that forces us to sacrifice tranquility, peace of mind and causes immense psychological pain because we're always chasing a goal that we have no control over.
There's a profound level of freedom achieved when you break the connection from your own goals to searching for constant approval. When you're intrinsically motivated to do whatever is you want to do without searching for external goals, the chances of you reaching those goals and feeling underwhelmed goes dramatically down. The less likely you get to a point in your life where you ask yourself:
"Have I even really lived?"
"I spent all this time living for other peoples expectations"
You get the idea, the stoics had this one right. They talk about the dangers of conformity and this is another present day issue. For instance, we talk about loving creatives, we talk about loving failure, all of these bullshit mantras we pretend to live up to but never embody. Think of Steve Jobs, his legacy is that of a visionary, we talk about him as if he has mythical properties. Let's go back 25 years and imagine, a man with disheveled hair, who does not believe in using deodorant pitching an idea to you about how a small device in your pocket could do what a computer can do. How many of you would invest in his ideas? Don't lie, we all know a very few percent of people would do this because we love success when it's undeniable not when it's still in waiting.
We talk about appreciating freedom of expression and bolstering unique ideas but that's not true. We have a culture where we make fun of failures, where we make fun of people who are different by calling them "weird", where we make fun of peoples ideas that are non conventional until its proven. This is what non conformity is all about, being able to appreciate something thats different to us without feeling threatened by it, without feeling like our self worth is being attacked by someone doing something non conventional so we need to denigrate them to make them feel stupid so we can protect our beloved sense of self. We should be appreciating failures and thanking people who have failed and showing us what not to do for taking that risk not pointing and laughing at them without taking any risks ourselves. The stoics understood this more than any philosophy and they deserve credit for it. It takes a lot of will power to be different, to be weird, to challenge the status quo. You will get pushback for it, you will be laughed at, you will be ridiculed until its successful and then you will be celebrated. That is the cycle, so next time you notice something non conventional about someone, praise them for it because that person likely has heard many critiques about themselves from people who gave up their own individuality so they can feel a fake sense of acceptance from strangers they will never meet.
Now lets go onto material items, the stoics nailed this topic too. Go on any social media and you'll see some pic of a dude's arm holding the steering wheel of an expensive car, showing off his expensive watch. This person may think they're clearly the shit because they can afford these items, trying to show you their economic class they reside in as a way to gain status. What does it say about humans that one of the richest people in the world is the owner of luxury brands like Hermes (more like Herpes (sorry I had too)), Louis Vuitton, Rolex or whatever bullshit that exists out there. These goods are positional items that people buy because they desperately want to tell you how relevant or what class they reside in.
Overall I would give this book 5 stars, the best book on stoicism and I will be buying this and regretting it during the next move.
Anyway, the way the stoic philosophy is presented by the author is straight from the source, he's more of a tour guide that leads the way, showing all the important stops and lets the philosophers do the heavy lifting. He doesn't get in the way but more importantly he uses quotes from authors who have also been influenced by various stoic writers who have their own interpretation in a different time period, Montaigne's passages are peppered throughout the book not to mention others such as Adam Smith.
The result is you get multiple time periods throughout humanity that spreads thousands of years but all espousing the same ideas which captures how timeless the stoics philosophy is. I don't know if you have ever seen a video of a Mcdonald's burger that doesn't rot or mold after years, that's what stoicism is on a greater time scale. In fact as time goes on, it becomes more and more relevant with advent of social media and the endless noise, thirstiness for micro fame and the degree of importance many have on maintaining a particular image.
Social media is a unique form of imprisonment, many times people sign on and without knowing it, chain themselves to the opinions of others. Placing so much power in another's hands just for the psychological dose of trying to be revered by strangers. There's a beauty in stoicism that tells us we should cut off the connection between searching for honors, conformity or any status because it is based on the opinions of others. It breeds a level of ambition that forces us to sacrifice tranquility, peace of mind and causes immense psychological pain because we're always chasing a goal that we have no control over.
There's a profound level of freedom achieved when you break the connection from your own goals to searching for constant approval. When you're intrinsically motivated to do whatever is you want to do without searching for external goals, the chances of you reaching those goals and feeling underwhelmed goes dramatically down. The less likely you get to a point in your life where you ask yourself:
"Have I even really lived?"
"I spent all this time living for other peoples expectations"
You get the idea, the stoics had this one right. They talk about the dangers of conformity and this is another present day issue. For instance, we talk about loving creatives, we talk about loving failure, all of these bullshit mantras we pretend to live up to but never embody. Think of Steve Jobs, his legacy is that of a visionary, we talk about him as if he has mythical properties. Let's go back 25 years and imagine, a man with disheveled hair, who does not believe in using deodorant pitching an idea to you about how a small device in your pocket could do what a computer can do. How many of you would invest in his ideas? Don't lie, we all know a very few percent of people would do this because we love success when it's undeniable not when it's still in waiting.
We talk about appreciating freedom of expression and bolstering unique ideas but that's not true. We have a culture where we make fun of failures, where we make fun of people who are different by calling them "weird", where we make fun of peoples ideas that are non conventional until its proven. This is what non conformity is all about, being able to appreciate something thats different to us without feeling threatened by it, without feeling like our self worth is being attacked by someone doing something non conventional so we need to denigrate them to make them feel stupid so we can protect our beloved sense of self. We should be appreciating failures and thanking people who have failed and showing us what not to do for taking that risk not pointing and laughing at them without taking any risks ourselves. The stoics understood this more than any philosophy and they deserve credit for it. It takes a lot of will power to be different, to be weird, to challenge the status quo. You will get pushback for it, you will be laughed at, you will be ridiculed until its successful and then you will be celebrated. That is the cycle, so next time you notice something non conventional about someone, praise them for it because that person likely has heard many critiques about themselves from people who gave up their own individuality so they can feel a fake sense of acceptance from strangers they will never meet.
Now lets go onto material items, the stoics nailed this topic too. Go on any social media and you'll see some pic of a dude's arm holding the steering wheel of an expensive car, showing off his expensive watch. This person may think they're clearly the shit because they can afford these items, trying to show you their economic class they reside in as a way to gain status. What does it say about humans that one of the richest people in the world is the owner of luxury brands like Hermes (more like Herpes (sorry I had too)), Louis Vuitton, Rolex or whatever bullshit that exists out there. These goods are positional items that people buy because they desperately want to tell you how relevant or what class they reside in.
Overall I would give this book 5 stars, the best book on stoicism and I will be buying this and regretting it during the next move.
November 2, 2020
One of the most in-depth explications of Stoicism that I’ve encountered.
April 22, 2019
This book is a synthesis of the writing of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. Each chapter covers a topic, such as "Judgement" or "Learning", in which Farnsworth guides the reader through subtopics with the three's works quoted with comment and context.
It could be a handy pocket reference in time of need, or introduction to the original text of the ancient stoic. Sadly, what the book didn't achieve is breathing new life into Stoic teaching by situating them in the many new experiences brought by modern life and technology. Although book title contains the words "User's manual", which gives the impression of practicality and techniques, reading through it still feels detached from practicality from time to time. This is mainly due to Farnsworth quoting the ancient authors consistently, without offering much of a modern perspective. It would also be interesting to speculate what Seneca would have to say to technology and social media? How does one achieve eudaimonia in the age of algorithm? But of course, Stoic believes certain human experiences are timeless. It is also unfair to blame this book for not doing enough - after all, its goal is not to fit the old teaching with new observation, but simply present the original Stoicism text.
Personally, I would think of A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine to be a better introduction to Stoicism in the modern age.
Originally Posted Here: https://www.buemlned.me/2019/review-f...
It could be a handy pocket reference in time of need, or introduction to the original text of the ancient stoic. Sadly, what the book didn't achieve is breathing new life into Stoic teaching by situating them in the many new experiences brought by modern life and technology. Although book title contains the words "User's manual", which gives the impression of practicality and techniques, reading through it still feels detached from practicality from time to time. This is mainly due to Farnsworth quoting the ancient authors consistently, without offering much of a modern perspective. It would also be interesting to speculate what Seneca would have to say to technology and social media? How does one achieve eudaimonia in the age of algorithm? But of course, Stoic believes certain human experiences are timeless. It is also unfair to blame this book for not doing enough - after all, its goal is not to fit the old teaching with new observation, but simply present the original Stoicism text.
Personally, I would think of A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine to be a better introduction to Stoicism in the modern age.
Originally Posted Here: https://www.buemlned.me/2019/review-f...
September 14, 2018
This book, I think, will come to be recognized as a classic of stoicism. It really should be on the bookshelf—no, on the nightstand(!)—of any modern practitioner of stoicism. It is, essentially, a thematically arranged anthology of passages from both the ancient stoics (Epictetus, Seneca, Aurelius, etc.) and various stoic “sympathizers” (such as Montaigne, Schopenhauer, and Samuel Johnson), through history. But it is not JUST an anthology, inasmuch as Farnsworth provides context and commentary throughout.
It really is a rich book. I have been reading it a few pages at a time for the last few months. It presents the most convincing case I have read for the relevance of stoicism to modern life. I will even say that its ideas have helped me through some troubling events in my recent life, helping me to think about those events in more fruitful ways.
So I say, if you are interested in the possibility of stoicism as a philosophy of life, this is the book you should read.
It really is a rich book. I have been reading it a few pages at a time for the last few months. It presents the most convincing case I have read for the relevance of stoicism to modern life. I will even say that its ideas have helped me through some troubling events in my recent life, helping me to think about those events in more fruitful ways.
So I say, if you are interested in the possibility of stoicism as a philosophy of life, this is the book you should read.
August 29, 2023
This book is an excellent and my preferred primer to Stoicism. Engaging, lucid, clearly structured and ultimately practical. Cannot recommend it high enough. 5*+
Re-reading via Audible as a follow-up to Derren Brown's Happy: Why more or less everything is absolutely fine.
The audiobook is read by a wonderful John Lescault. Ward Farnsworth's prose PLUS John Lescault voice-over = an absolute treat!
Related books:
- The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
- A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy
- Think like a Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World
- Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
- Happy: Why more or less everything is absolutely fine
Re-reading via Audible as a follow-up to Derren Brown's Happy: Why more or less everything is absolutely fine.
The audiobook is read by a wonderful John Lescault. Ward Farnsworth's prose PLUS John Lescault voice-over = an absolute treat!
Related books:
- The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
- A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy
- Think like a Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World
- Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
- Happy: Why more or less everything is absolutely fine
September 13, 2020
Five stars are not enough to rate this book. Here‘s an additional one: ⭐️
November 5, 2023
it's great! a precisely catalogued volume of Stoic teachings, supported by modern thinkers who show up when relevant. the author does a lot of cherry-picking to shape a more personal perspective, groups works by subject and highlights the occasional contradiction among ancient philosophers. the result is an accessible and coherent thread and plenty of food for thought, though it leans heavily on quotes and excerpts with little expansion, which sometimes made it come across as weirdly superficial to me. i feel like i'll re-read this very soon to absorb some more
April 23, 2023
Stoic literature is a protiene shake for the soul
September 23, 2023
I now realize that every single good piece of advice I've ever found in a self-development book or heard from some coaching YouTuber was just dumbed-down stoicism for TikTok users.
And it's hard to blame them, really. It's great advice that I've been trying (and usually failing) to follow in my life ever since a fairly traumatic event in late 2021, not knowing they were all basically stoicism, and I'm glad I finally got to learn more about the OG philosophy.
And it's hard to blame them, really. It's great advice that I've been trying (and usually failing) to follow in my life ever since a fairly traumatic event in late 2021, not knowing they were all basically stoicism, and I'm glad I finally got to learn more about the OG philosophy.
March 31, 2019
Great book to read through and keep as reference for good and bad times in life. The title is a good description of the goal of the book, which is to provide practical advice on living. As a result, the focus is on Stoic ethics. The author does a great job of presenting the best version of Stoicism, discussing Stoic ideas with their own words, the author's learned commentary and putting Stoics in conversation and debate. The ideas are helpfully organized into topics, and while most of the Stoics quoted are Romans, the book also cites more modern students of the Stoics from Montaigne to Samuel Johnson. The author does a good job defending Stoics against criticism. Stoics are not heartless but experienced, hoping to teach through reasoning instead of experience how to best handle the vicissitudes of life. Stoics that were wealthy (Seneca in particular) are not hypocrites but recognize wealth as an indifferent, it was fine to prefer an indifferent as long as one does not attach too much weight to it. The Stoics were also the first to admit that they were not prefect and much of their advice is aspirational.
The gist of Stoicism is the liberating idea that while there are many things that we do not control, we control the most important things, how we react to those things that we do not control. By not inducing too much self-anguish over the things external to us, but by controlling our judgements to those externals, we free ourselves. It's ultimately an empowering philosophy and a gentle one. We often think that bad things happen, and then we are injured by bad things. But the Stoic insight was to decompose this process to three steps instead of two. A thing happens, we judge it be bad, and then we are hurt by that judgement. The other sight is that often our judgements are skewed by social convention or irrationalities. We do not value the things we have until we lose them. We crave fame from the crowd while despising the masses. We flash to anger when we are insulted. We project our insecurities onto others. Much of Stoicism is about realizing how skewed and irrational these judgements are. The book is broken into helpful sections on essentially Stoics teachings on correcting these judgements. Stoics use a variety of tactics to get us to see it from a different view, from citing the customs of unfamiliar cultures, or the view of children. But Stoicism is not nihilistic or relativist. To the Stoics, what matters is living life with virtue. Clearing our eyes simply allows us to do that better. This book is an excellent start and a good source to return to.
The gist of Stoicism is the liberating idea that while there are many things that we do not control, we control the most important things, how we react to those things that we do not control. By not inducing too much self-anguish over the things external to us, but by controlling our judgements to those externals, we free ourselves. It's ultimately an empowering philosophy and a gentle one. We often think that bad things happen, and then we are injured by bad things. But the Stoic insight was to decompose this process to three steps instead of two. A thing happens, we judge it be bad, and then we are hurt by that judgement. The other sight is that often our judgements are skewed by social convention or irrationalities. We do not value the things we have until we lose them. We crave fame from the crowd while despising the masses. We flash to anger when we are insulted. We project our insecurities onto others. Much of Stoicism is about realizing how skewed and irrational these judgements are. The book is broken into helpful sections on essentially Stoics teachings on correcting these judgements. Stoics use a variety of tactics to get us to see it from a different view, from citing the customs of unfamiliar cultures, or the view of children. But Stoicism is not nihilistic or relativist. To the Stoics, what matters is living life with virtue. Clearing our eyes simply allows us to do that better. This book is an excellent start and a good source to return to.
November 19, 2021
This is an excellent book about a wonderful philosophy, namely Stoicism. Right now I am kind of regretting that I listened to this book as an audiobook: oftentimes I listened to it while doing other things and did thus not pay full attention to it.
This book is perfect for all those who want to know more about Stoicism or for those who want to know what impact philosophy might have on day to day life. This is certainly one of the characteristics of stoicism that makes it stand out from what we usually call philosophy: it is so practical. Most of its proponents agree: this is a philosophy that should help you become a better human being and to live "the good life". It's theoretical underpinnings matter too little, especially if they bear no fruits in one's actions.
What I like a lot about this book is that it stays very close to the original sources. It basically consists of commented quotations of all the great stoic thinkers: Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus and others and shows their genius. The commentary by Farnsworth is very illuminating and the way that he constructed the chapters around different topics (such as desire, adversity, death, etc.) is also very helpful.
"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment." - Marcus Aurelius
No matter if you agree with all the details of this philosophy or not, in my opinion, having a good look at what the stoics had to say will make anyone a clearer thinker. Farnsworth shows us the way in this amazing book.
This book is perfect for all those who want to know more about Stoicism or for those who want to know what impact philosophy might have on day to day life. This is certainly one of the characteristics of stoicism that makes it stand out from what we usually call philosophy: it is so practical. Most of its proponents agree: this is a philosophy that should help you become a better human being and to live "the good life". It's theoretical underpinnings matter too little, especially if they bear no fruits in one's actions.
What I like a lot about this book is that it stays very close to the original sources. It basically consists of commented quotations of all the great stoic thinkers: Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus and others and shows their genius. The commentary by Farnsworth is very illuminating and the way that he constructed the chapters around different topics (such as desire, adversity, death, etc.) is also very helpful.
"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment." - Marcus Aurelius
No matter if you agree with all the details of this philosophy or not, in my opinion, having a good look at what the stoics had to say will make anyone a clearer thinker. Farnsworth shows us the way in this amazing book.
February 4, 2020
An excellent thematic compedium of quotes from the suriviving writing of prominent Stoics (primarily Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius) and their intellectual inheritors (a wide selection of quotes from Michel de Montaigne, Adam Smith, Samuel Johnson, and more.)
This is an entirely contemporary book, with an accesible writing style, but it reminds me -- in a good way -- of the type of project an 18th century intellectual might set for themselves. It is on my list of books to revisit at a later date, as it is the type of work that I expect will read differently at different stages of my life.
I agree with Farnsworth that "[t]here is a distinct pleasure to be had, for those with a taste for it, in receiving these lessons from their original sources. An observation about our world that seems sharp and accurate gains a different kind of force when we see it expressed twenty centuries ago. The truth improves with age."
Note: The great cover art is "Les jeunes lionceaux recurent sa benediction" from J.J. Grandville's Scenes de la vie privee et publique des animaux. If you have ever been owned by a Norwich Terrier the expression on the right-most lion cub's face is uncannily familiar.
This is an entirely contemporary book, with an accesible writing style, but it reminds me -- in a good way -- of the type of project an 18th century intellectual might set for themselves. It is on my list of books to revisit at a later date, as it is the type of work that I expect will read differently at different stages of my life.
I agree with Farnsworth that "[t]here is a distinct pleasure to be had, for those with a taste for it, in receiving these lessons from their original sources. An observation about our world that seems sharp and accurate gains a different kind of force when we see it expressed twenty centuries ago. The truth improves with age."
Note: The great cover art is "Les jeunes lionceaux recurent sa benediction" from J.J. Grandville's Scenes de la vie privee et publique des animaux. If you have ever been owned by a Norwich Terrier the expression on the right-most lion cub's face is uncannily familiar.
October 14, 2021
I’ve been an enthusiast of the writings of the Stoics but it is refreshing to read Mr. Farnsworth’s book even if one already has read the Stoics because his command of the subject (and this goes for all his writing) is masterful.
Hard philosophy students or Purists of Stoicism should know in advance that the cosmology is mostly ignored.
Also, the quotations are not limited to the usual cast of characters (Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Rufus, Epictetus) but includes writers and thinkers whose thoughts are sometimes consonant with Stoic ideals. (Nietzsche, Plutarch, Montaigne, Cicero, Epicurus, Schopenhauer).
I was especially delighted by the unexpected discussion of Nietzsche’s construction of amor fati and the Eternal Reoccurrence.
The organization of the chapters into different themes (Judgments, Externals, Perspective, Death, Desire, Wealth and Pleasure, What others Think, Valuation, Emotion, Adversity, Virtue, and Learning) was excellent and the choice of quotations and corresponding commentary informative, insightful, and, most importantly, fun.
A book that is a benefit to beginners as well as those already well-versed in the Ancient Philosophy.
Hard philosophy students or Purists of Stoicism should know in advance that the cosmology is mostly ignored.
Also, the quotations are not limited to the usual cast of characters (Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Rufus, Epictetus) but includes writers and thinkers whose thoughts are sometimes consonant with Stoic ideals. (Nietzsche, Plutarch, Montaigne, Cicero, Epicurus, Schopenhauer).
I was especially delighted by the unexpected discussion of Nietzsche’s construction of amor fati and the Eternal Reoccurrence.
The organization of the chapters into different themes (Judgments, Externals, Perspective, Death, Desire, Wealth and Pleasure, What others Think, Valuation, Emotion, Adversity, Virtue, and Learning) was excellent and the choice of quotations and corresponding commentary informative, insightful, and, most importantly, fun.
A book that is a benefit to beginners as well as those already well-versed in the Ancient Philosophy.
October 1, 2020
A philosophy that sounds very appealing to me as an introvert but does not resonate with me on many values.
The most basic ideal of stoicism from my understanding is reason before emotion. Which is a good ideal but some of the examples given by the author to support it weren’t the very best and I would understand it if people misunderstood it as being robotic instead of human.
Stoicism pushes people to not be materialistic and to be accepting of whatever their situation in life is. On face value that is acceptable, however, it seems to me that this means that people should lack ambition and to be satisfied with whatever life hands them. But in fairness, I might have misunderstood this point.
The list of points that I fully agree with or slightly agree with or completely disagree with is long, so my only advice is to read a little about stoicism, I believe everyone can learn a little something from it that will benefit them.
The most basic ideal of stoicism from my understanding is reason before emotion. Which is a good ideal but some of the examples given by the author to support it weren’t the very best and I would understand it if people misunderstood it as being robotic instead of human.
Stoicism pushes people to not be materialistic and to be accepting of whatever their situation in life is. On face value that is acceptable, however, it seems to me that this means that people should lack ambition and to be satisfied with whatever life hands them. But in fairness, I might have misunderstood this point.
The list of points that I fully agree with or slightly agree with or completely disagree with is long, so my only advice is to read a little about stoicism, I believe everyone can learn a little something from it that will benefit them.
May 9, 2018
Ward Farnsworth announced himself to the general reading public in 2010 with the release of Farnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric. It was a bold move, that title (I’m reminded of the Incomparable Max’s first book, published at age twenty-four, which he christened The Works of Max Beerbohm). But it’s a very fine book and I’ve been educating myself with it a bit at a time for the past year or so. Likewise, I’ve been working through his equally delightful follow-up, Farnsworth’s Classical English Metaphor.
Precedent be damned, he did not title his newest book Farnsworth’s Classical Roman Stoicism, but it follows the pattern set by the first, in which a rhetorical figure (Epizeuxis, say) was briefly defined, then illustrated with well-chosen quotations before moving on to Chiasmus or some other concept. Similarly, in The Practicing Stoic Farnsworth considers one idea at a time (judgment, death, desire, etc.), describing in his own words the Stoic understanding of such and illustrating it with copious citations from marble-busted heavies like Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and (my personal favorite) Seneca. Recourse is also made to later authors like Montaigne, Dr. Johnson and Schopenhauer to demonstrate the lingering influence of Stoic thought.
It’s difficult to imagine a more appealing or better organized introduction to Stoicism for those who, for whatever reason, find it impossible to engage directly with the undiluted Stoics themselves. If Farnsworth’s book earns a readership of any size, he will have accomplished a civic good, because God knows we could use some practical, old-school philosophy in our whimpering, infantilized age.
But this is not to say that I have no complaints with the book, or with Stoicism. I think, for example, that Farnsworth could have spent more time contemplating the point at which our judgments and the objective qualities of events may in fact align with one another, and how we may know when that is so. I am very willing to agree that the mass of our judgments are disordered but it does not follow that (to adapt Hamlet’s words) “there is [absolutely] nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” I can hardly blame Mr Farnsworth, however, since this seems to be a weak point of classical Stoicism itself.
Precedent be damned, he did not title his newest book Farnsworth’s Classical Roman Stoicism, but it follows the pattern set by the first, in which a rhetorical figure (Epizeuxis, say) was briefly defined, then illustrated with well-chosen quotations before moving on to Chiasmus or some other concept. Similarly, in The Practicing Stoic Farnsworth considers one idea at a time (judgment, death, desire, etc.), describing in his own words the Stoic understanding of such and illustrating it with copious citations from marble-busted heavies like Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and (my personal favorite) Seneca. Recourse is also made to later authors like Montaigne, Dr. Johnson and Schopenhauer to demonstrate the lingering influence of Stoic thought.
It’s difficult to imagine a more appealing or better organized introduction to Stoicism for those who, for whatever reason, find it impossible to engage directly with the undiluted Stoics themselves. If Farnsworth’s book earns a readership of any size, he will have accomplished a civic good, because God knows we could use some practical, old-school philosophy in our whimpering, infantilized age.
But this is not to say that I have no complaints with the book, or with Stoicism. I think, for example, that Farnsworth could have spent more time contemplating the point at which our judgments and the objective qualities of events may in fact align with one another, and how we may know when that is so. I am very willing to agree that the mass of our judgments are disordered but it does not follow that (to adapt Hamlet’s words) “there is [absolutely] nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” I can hardly blame Mr Farnsworth, however, since this seems to be a weak point of classical Stoicism itself.
October 28, 2021
I listened to this book. I think I am going to buy a hard copy so I can highlight and annotate sections I found to be particularly though provoking.
I am religious, I personally believe in God, the stoic view of God is rather nebulous and that is fine. I found a lot of very practical, applicable, advice that is helpful in viewing this world with all of its attendant trappings. The central concept of not allowing oneself to be unduly tied or influenced by external stimuli and things makes so much sense regardless of ones ideology.
That death is an eventuality for everyone, that in the large picture everyone's life is short, that one should strive for virtue in all things and at all times...these are concepts that are, in my own opinion, indisputable.
I did not agree with everything in the book but that was not my expectation in listening to it. It provided a lot of opportunity for thought and self reflection and I feel that I will be a better person for it.
I am religious, I personally believe in God, the stoic view of God is rather nebulous and that is fine. I found a lot of very practical, applicable, advice that is helpful in viewing this world with all of its attendant trappings. The central concept of not allowing oneself to be unduly tied or influenced by external stimuli and things makes so much sense regardless of ones ideology.
That death is an eventuality for everyone, that in the large picture everyone's life is short, that one should strive for virtue in all things and at all times...these are concepts that are, in my own opinion, indisputable.
I did not agree with everything in the book but that was not my expectation in listening to it. It provided a lot of opportunity for thought and self reflection and I feel that I will be a better person for it.
January 9, 2020
This book basically collects quotes from stoics and categorizes them in different themes. If someone is seeking to gain insight into the stoic philosophy, I don't see how this book can offer any deeper analysis. The book I am using as benchmark is the " The Inner Citadel" by Hadot, which has the best insight of stoic philosophy I have seen. The book of Farnsworth is standing on the opposite side of this spectrum, by just repeating the quotes of philosophers in different words.
June 17, 2019
The Practicing Stoic: A Philosophical User’s Manual is exactly that! The author has done a terrific job of putting together Stoic principals into topics that apply to everyday life. It was an easy read but more important now a reference guide always there when I need it. He also introduced several new Stoic writers such as Montaigne that provide a more modern interpretation of Stoic principals.
August 13, 2019
Best book on Stoicism. Organizes all the points with great passages from Stoic thinkers.
January 8, 2021
Really enjoyed it, but I wish that I had the physical book to take notes and jump around more easily.
May 10, 2022
An excellent handbook for anyone curious about Stoicism and what it means to live a life devoid of attachments. Some key learnings:
Having what you prefer to pleasing but not having it is just spilled milk. It's better to look at things you can't control in that way.
Identify externals - don't get fooled by thinking you have any control over them. A 5-step way to not let any situation cause you unhappiness:
1. Break the event down into parts
2. Think of people as humans, without considering their reputation or wealth
3. Body, possessions, reputation, office - none of these are of our own doing, and are hence, out of our control.
4. What people think about you or do to you isn't in your hands. You can't control that, but you can control how you react to these situations.
5. Detach from all externals (Thinking statements like "let this not happen," "how will this happen," etc. is meaningless).
Identify what's up to us- and modify our judgments about events accordingly.
1. Learn to identify what we imagine that we can't control but actually can.
2. Usually, we are barely conscious of the things we CAN actually control, which includes our opinions, desires, reactions etc. These are things of our doing. They are called internals.
3. Focus on the internals to change the quality of your life and your mood.
The purpose of Stoicism is to move the center of gravity from things we can['t control (externals) to things we can control (internals). It's important to remember that your center of gravity inside lies inside you, and does not keep moving from thing to place to people. Hence, YOU are the one who can control your moods and thoughts, not anyone else.
Adapt to events if the events don't adapt to you.
Only judge something as it appears on first appearance. Don’t add your judgement. Don’t add words like "wow" or "alas" as these attach meaning to events. By themselves, events have no meaning, only what we attach to them. The idea your first words attach to it stay with us for long. Be very careful of your first perception of any event.
Having what you prefer to pleasing but not having it is just spilled milk. It's better to look at things you can't control in that way.
Identify externals - don't get fooled by thinking you have any control over them. A 5-step way to not let any situation cause you unhappiness:
1. Break the event down into parts
2. Think of people as humans, without considering their reputation or wealth
3. Body, possessions, reputation, office - none of these are of our own doing, and are hence, out of our control.
4. What people think about you or do to you isn't in your hands. You can't control that, but you can control how you react to these situations.
5. Detach from all externals (Thinking statements like "let this not happen," "how will this happen," etc. is meaningless).
Identify what's up to us- and modify our judgments about events accordingly.
1. Learn to identify what we imagine that we can't control but actually can.
2. Usually, we are barely conscious of the things we CAN actually control, which includes our opinions, desires, reactions etc. These are things of our doing. They are called internals.
3. Focus on the internals to change the quality of your life and your mood.
The purpose of Stoicism is to move the center of gravity from things we can['t control (externals) to things we can control (internals). It's important to remember that your center of gravity inside lies inside you, and does not keep moving from thing to place to people. Hence, YOU are the one who can control your moods and thoughts, not anyone else.
Adapt to events if the events don't adapt to you.
Only judge something as it appears on first appearance. Don’t add your judgement. Don’t add words like "wow" or "alas" as these attach meaning to events. By themselves, events have no meaning, only what we attach to them. The idea your first words attach to it stay with us for long. Be very careful of your first perception of any event.
January 12, 2023
This book was almost like reading into my own mind. It echoed yet expanded upon thoughts and ideas ive encountered in my own mind and in life. It really helped me quiet the dark thoughts and reinforced the values of the tenets i hold dear. Anyone who is receptive to it will find this book useful in improving their lives and themselves. Upon reading this i also realized that ive been practicing stoicism for as long as i can remember without even knowing it. The analogies of comparing ideas with real world examples made it very easy to understand for anyone.
That being said if one is closed minded or not receptive or just not in the mood for this type of book, it may be a bit dry when reading. After not enjoying Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations myself, his input and thoughts on stoicism in this book were enjoyable and enlightening when put into words in this book.
That being said if one is closed minded or not receptive or just not in the mood for this type of book, it may be a bit dry when reading. After not enjoying Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations myself, his input and thoughts on stoicism in this book were enjoyable and enlightening when put into words in this book.
July 11, 2021
Man nuoširdžiai čia yra geriausia knyga apie psichologinį atsparumą. Kartais net sunku pagalvoti, kaip daug dalykų, kuriuos graikai, o šiuo atveju ir romėnai, nes kalbam apie stoikus, taikė 2000 metų atgal ir jie kaip niekad aktualūs šiandien.
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