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Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2009.
Description
"In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. Using the psychological insights and the practical techniques of the Stoics, Irvine offers a road map for anyone seeking to avoid the feelings of chronic dissatisfaction that plague so many of us. Irvine looks at various Stoic techniques for attaining tranquility and shows how to put these techniques to work in our own life. As he does so, he describes his own experiences practicing Stoicism and offers valuable firsthand advice for anyone wishing to live better by following in the footsteps of these ancient philosophers. We learn how to minimize worry, how to let go of the past and focus on the things we can control, and how to deal with insults, grief, old age, and the distracting temptations of fame and fortune. We learn from Marcus Aurelius the importance of prizing only things of true value, and from Epictetus we learn how to be more content with what we have." "Finally, A Guide to the Good Life shows us how to become thoughtful observers of our own lives. If we watch ourselves as we go about our daily business and later reflect on what we saw, we can better identify the sources of distress and eventually avoid that pain. By doing this, the Stoics thought, we can hope to attain a truly joyful life."--Jacket.… (more)
Media reviews
All in all Irvine does a fine job in offering his “resolutely practical” brand of Stoicism to a popular audience. His citation of the original sources is effective and stimulating of interest. His tone is just the right one for the popular audience he wishes to reach. But Irvine’s work has
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more to offer than that. I believe he has unwittingly done a service to the scholarly audience as well by reminding us that the Stoics (and other ancient schools) were indeed all concerned with ‘meaning of life’ questions ... Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member annbury
This book serves as a practical introduction to the ideas and techniques of the Greek and Roman Stoics. The Stoics regarded philosophy as way to learn how to live one's life, not as an intellectual game. And, contrary to general opinion, they were not about hiding all feeling: they were about
This book starts with a brief review of the Stoics, discusses Stoic psychological techniques, consider a number of aspects of life (social relations, anger, old age) in the light of Stoic thought. I have two criticisms of the book. First, the style, while clear, is pedestrian. Second, and far more important, the author sometimes adds his own ideas to those of the Stoics, without sufficiently clarifying which is which.
Still, I am very grateful to this book. It has set me on a new course -- I have started reading the writings of the Greek and Roman Stoics themselves -- which I think will make my life more joyous and less constrained.
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minimizing unpleasant feelings. They developed a number of techniques for doing this, which -- taken together -- remind me very much of the cognitive behavioral approach to psychotherapy developed by Albert Ellis starting in the 1950's. The basic notion is that you can't control a lot of what happens to you, but you can learn to control your own reaction to it. This book starts with a brief review of the Stoics, discusses Stoic psychological techniques, consider a number of aspects of life (social relations, anger, old age) in the light of Stoic thought. I have two criticisms of the book. First, the style, while clear, is pedestrian. Second, and far more important, the author sometimes adds his own ideas to those of the Stoics, without sufficiently clarifying which is which.
Still, I am very grateful to this book. It has set me on a new course -- I have started reading the writings of the Greek and Roman Stoics themselves -- which I think will make my life more joyous and less constrained.
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LibraryThing member melmore
A really interesting, accessible account of how Stoicism might be applicable to contemporary life. My only quarrel is with what I see as the author's misrepresentation of both the aims and methods of psychotherapy (which he contrast unfavorably with Stoicism). Thought provoking, to say the least...
LibraryThing member William345
This is a very practical guide to living well. Please don't let the grounding in philosophy put you off. The Stoics were the most useful of philosophers. What Irvine has done is to distill the teachings of Seneca, Epictetus, Musonius, Marcus Aurelius and the others into concise guidelines that can
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be applied to everyday life. No abstractions heaped on abstractions here. This is lively prose intended to instill a number of basic mental concepts that can bring tranquility--the overarching Stoic ideal--to our lives. A final section showing why Stoicism fell from popular favor and why we should integrate it into our lives is particularly interesting. Read it as an Introduction to the aforementioned authors, or as a refresher. Show Less
LibraryThing member jcrben
Love the topic and it's good to see it from a modern perspective, but I feel that its focus would be improved by further editing.
LibraryThing member jwhenderson
This is a thorough and well-written introduction to stoicism. Prof. Irvine provides both historical context and a discussion of the major tenets of stoicism. The discussion of Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius were excellent and the common sense approach to topics in ethics including the nature of the
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good life made this a joy to read. The addition of suggestions for the practice of stoicism was a plus. A good book for both beginners and those looking for a refreshing approach to the subject. Show Less
LibraryThing member theodosius
What a great resource for self- understanding and growth. Really enjoyed the philosophical content and his explanation and practice of stocsism.
LibraryThing member adzebill
A pleasantly-written overview of an applied and updated Stoic philosphy—a bit plodding, but it improves as you get into it. Certainly makes one want to read Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus. The comparisons with Zen Buddhism are interesting, and the techniques show interesting similarities with CBT.
LibraryThing member neurodrew
I started this book in the air when returning from vacation, and finished it about a month later. I have been busy and lost track of the argument after stopping reading for a while, so I had to pick up and re-read some parts. William Irving is recommending the practice of stoicism as a practical
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way of enhancing life. He argues that a philosophy of life is essential. He recommends Stoic techniques to rid oneself of expectation, like “negative visualization”. One daily meditates on what life would be like without a loved one, or in old age, or in poverty, in order to appreciate more what one haves. He claims that he has been living like this for a while, and is more tranquil and happy, although his choices seem to be typical for the liberal academic he is. He has several chapters of advice, and an autobiographical chapter. The philosophical part was simple, and this was a good introduction to the Roman Stoics Show Less
LibraryThing member john.cooper
About a third of the way into A Guide to the Good Life, I’d decided that while interesting, the Stoic way of life that the author described was not likely to be a good fit for me. For one thing, the author’s personality and mine couldn’t be more different. He reminds me of certain teachers I
As I continued, the book became more interesting to me. Having decided that I would not commit to the Stoic program, I felt freer to learn from it. For example, the concept of being fatalistic, not about the future, but about the past and the present, is helpful in many contexts. And what Irvine calls “negative visualization,” which isn’t really visualization but a kind of continual reflection, is something I tend to do anyway, and does indeed help mitigate the pain of loss when it comes. I’ve come to appreciate again the value of fortitude in minor matters, of deliberately deciding to accept minor discomforts as a way of strengthening myself, and more importantly, coming to realize that I can be strong in this way, that I need not allow myself to be disturbed when things don’t happen the way I would wish. Simple virtues like this used to be more universally understood and this book does us all a service in reminding us of them.
Still, the Stoic program is not for everyone, and it’s not for me: it doesn’t help me become more myself. The “Stoic Joy” of the subtitle is not joy as I understand it, and I want a fuller engagement with life’s challenges than Irvine’s conception of Stoicism would allow. When I finished this book, I went to the library to learn more about Stoicism and its competing schools, especially Epicureanism. I was disappointed at what I found: the descriptions of Stoicism in other works were nothing like Irvine’s, there were no works like his about other schools of thought, and all the other explanations of Greek thought were abstract to the point of being incomprehensible, not at all concerned with what he calls “psychological techniques.” I’m thankful for Irvine’s book, although it didn’t ultimately aid my personal search for meaning and purpose, and wish there were more like it, aimed toward evangelizing other nearly forgotten ways of thinking and living.
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once had, calm, rational men who spoke in a uniformly soft voice, who were gentle, generous and patient, who dealt with disagreement with equanimity and placid stubbornness—people who would always be described as dedicated, but never as passionate. Irvine writes with the same placid, even, unruffled tone, and like my teachers, his sense of humor is either extremely subtle or entirely absent. To be sure, there are passages in the book that make me laugh (such as an explanation of how things could always be worse involving a man who owns only a loincloth, and then loses the loincloth), but there’s no indication whatsoever that they’re meant that way. And me, I’m the passionate, wry, somewhat moody type. The Stoics’ highest good, tranquility, means little to me if achieving it means cutting myself off from the highs of life as a way of avoiding the lows. And that does seem to be a major part of the program.As I continued, the book became more interesting to me. Having decided that I would not commit to the Stoic program, I felt freer to learn from it. For example, the concept of being fatalistic, not about the future, but about the past and the present, is helpful in many contexts. And what Irvine calls “negative visualization,” which isn’t really visualization but a kind of continual reflection, is something I tend to do anyway, and does indeed help mitigate the pain of loss when it comes. I’ve come to appreciate again the value of fortitude in minor matters, of deliberately deciding to accept minor discomforts as a way of strengthening myself, and more importantly, coming to realize that I can be strong in this way, that I need not allow myself to be disturbed when things don’t happen the way I would wish. Simple virtues like this used to be more universally understood and this book does us all a service in reminding us of them.
Still, the Stoic program is not for everyone, and it’s not for me: it doesn’t help me become more myself. The “Stoic Joy” of the subtitle is not joy as I understand it, and I want a fuller engagement with life’s challenges than Irvine’s conception of Stoicism would allow. When I finished this book, I went to the library to learn more about Stoicism and its competing schools, especially Epicureanism. I was disappointed at what I found: the descriptions of Stoicism in other works were nothing like Irvine’s, there were no works like his about other schools of thought, and all the other explanations of Greek thought were abstract to the point of being incomprehensible, not at all concerned with what he calls “psychological techniques.” I’m thankful for Irvine’s book, although it didn’t ultimately aid my personal search for meaning and purpose, and wish there were more like it, aimed toward evangelizing other nearly forgotten ways of thinking and living.
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LibraryThing member lente
Contains some real gems, but not all of it is helpful.
LibraryThing member ASKelmore
This book took me forever to get through. It is gift-book sized and has fewer than 300 pages, but it was a slog. Some of the information was interesting, for sure, but if Professor Irvine’s understanding of Stoicism is correct, there are definitely a few things that I definitely disagree with.
The book starts with a bit of a background on Stoicism, and how it is misunderstood. Since we commonly use the word stoic to mean unemotional and humorless, Prof. Irvine argues that this is not what the Stoics were all about. They can control their emotions, and try not to waste energy on things beyond their control, but at the same time they still experience joy.
The goal for the Stoics is tranquility, and it is achieved through a few different tactics. One is negative visualization, which is where you picture the things you love going away. The goal is to appreciate them while you have them, yet recognizing that at some point they will be gone. It might seem a little dark, but I kind of get it.
Another tactic is focusing our desires on things within our control. We should be able to identify what is totally outside of our control and never worry about that. We should instead focus on things that are wholly within our control (what we do) and somewhat within out control. So instead of creating a goal of being the best X in the world (which is outside of our control), we should focus on being the X we can be. Then if we aren’t the best X in the world we will know its because of things we couldn’t change anyway. That, too, seems useful.
There’s an air of fatalism in Stoicism. There’s also a weird sort of libertarian / Scientology component. At least, that’s the best way I could describe it. I spent on chapter just infuriated by this white guy talking about how most people are unhappy because they let themselves be unhappy, and they should just not let the external world get to them. He laments being politically correct which, if you’ve read some of my other book reviews or comments on Pajiba, you know is the quickest way to get me to stop taking you seriously. If you think being respectful of other people is somehow a bad thing, or that we shouldn’t ask people to be responsible for how their actions and words affect others, then we don’t really have much to say to each other.
There are some things in here that are helpful, and I might try to incorporate into my life philosophy, but I’m certainly not interested in his version of Stoicism.
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The book starts with a bit of a background on Stoicism, and how it is misunderstood. Since we commonly use the word stoic to mean unemotional and humorless, Prof. Irvine argues that this is not what the Stoics were all about. They can control their emotions, and try not to waste energy on things beyond their control, but at the same time they still experience joy.
The goal for the Stoics is tranquility, and it is achieved through a few different tactics. One is negative visualization, which is where you picture the things you love going away. The goal is to appreciate them while you have them, yet recognizing that at some point they will be gone. It might seem a little dark, but I kind of get it.
Another tactic is focusing our desires on things within our control. We should be able to identify what is totally outside of our control and never worry about that. We should instead focus on things that are wholly within our control (what we do) and somewhat within out control. So instead of creating a goal of being the best X in the world (which is outside of our control), we should focus on being the X we can be. Then if we aren’t the best X in the world we will know its because of things we couldn’t change anyway. That, too, seems useful.
There’s an air of fatalism in Stoicism. There’s also a weird sort of libertarian / Scientology component. At least, that’s the best way I could describe it. I spent on chapter just infuriated by this white guy talking about how most people are unhappy because they let themselves be unhappy, and they should just not let the external world get to them. He laments being politically correct which, if you’ve read some of my other book reviews or comments on Pajiba, you know is the quickest way to get me to stop taking you seriously. If you think being respectful of other people is somehow a bad thing, or that we shouldn’t ask people to be responsible for how their actions and words affect others, then we don’t really have much to say to each other.
There are some things in here that are helpful, and I might try to incorporate into my life philosophy, but I’m certainly not interested in his version of Stoicism.
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LibraryThing member automatthias
'A Guide to the Good Life' reformulates stoicism for the modern times. The Greek and Roman forms of stoicism connected traditional philosophic thought like "how did the world came to be?" "why are we here?" with practical advice of how to live a good life. This kind of advice is mostly absent from
The main goal of a stoic life is acquiring and maintaining tranquility. It's specifically not about pursuing and fulfilling your desires. This is, according to stoics, a dead end, because fulfilling your desires just begets more desires. Instead, you can learn to be content with what you already have. It doesn't mean living like a monk. But it can remove the dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs.
I was already familiar with ideas of stoicism, but stoic exercises and techniques were new to me. The chapter about dealing with insults was especially interesting. I've never heard any advice on this topic before.
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today's philosophy.The main goal of a stoic life is acquiring and maintaining tranquility. It's specifically not about pursuing and fulfilling your desires. This is, according to stoics, a dead end, because fulfilling your desires just begets more desires. Instead, you can learn to be content with what you already have. It doesn't mean living like a monk. But it can remove the dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs.
I was already familiar with ideas of stoicism, but stoic exercises and techniques were new to me. The chapter about dealing with insults was especially interesting. I've never heard any advice on this topic before.
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LibraryThing member adifferentroger
This book is an unusual combination of self help manual and history of philosophy. Irvine describes the basic principles of stoicism (concentrating mainly on the Roman stoics, Epictetus, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius). He then disucusses how one might apply these principles to 21st century Western
Along the way, Irvine explains in some detail a number of psychological techniques for achieving serenity. These include
- negative visualisation, in which by imagining the worst we both appreciate what we already have and prepare for future loss
- identifying what we can and cannot control and ignoring the latter
- accepting that there is nothing we can do to change the past and little to affect the future
- self denial, which brings the same benefits as negative visualisation
- periodic reflection on our behaviour
I would strongly recommend this book.
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life and finally reports back on his own attempts to do just that. Along the way, Irvine explains in some detail a number of psychological techniques for achieving serenity. These include
- negative visualisation, in which by imagining the worst we both appreciate what we already have and prepare for future loss
- identifying what we can and cannot control and ignoring the latter
- accepting that there is nothing we can do to change the past and little to affect the future
- self denial, which brings the same benefits as negative visualisation
- periodic reflection on our behaviour
I would strongly recommend this book.
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LibraryThing member pw0327
I came upon this book in a somewhat unusual manner. I had read How to Be A Stoic by Massimo Pigliucci and he not only referenced Irvine’s book profusely but he recommended that his readers read this book as well. The kidos worked its magic with me and I bought this book on line. I eagerly
Irvine’s tone is different than Pigliucci’s not better, not worse, but different. He is more laid back and truly lived up to the Stoic goal of tranquility. The descriptions and arguments has a very tranquil quality to them, even as he discusses difficult questions like dealing with anger, death, grief, et. al. His voice is that of a gentle guide through the various knotty arguments that is so typical of anything philosophical.
The book starts with a good historical background of Stoicism, we meet the philosophers who make up the bulk of what we are about to read, and we are introduced to both the Greek and Roman Stoics. The second part of the book is devoted to the psychological tools used by the Stoics in order to practice Stoicism. This can be considered as teaching the reader to use the tools and to becoming comfortable wielding the weapons of great import.
The third part of the book is devoted to specific topics which have proven to be difficult for people to navigate as they attempt to live a Stoic life. The aforementioned topics of anger, death, grief, insults, social relations, etc. were covered in short compact chapters detailing the ways a philosopher could approach the discussion and ensuing argument. This section was a touch pedantic but it was a necessary exercise because it allowed us into the mind of a practicing Stoic and gave us a glimpse of what practicing philosophers do: state problems, formulate arguments and most importantly guide us through his reasoning.
The most impressive and important section of this book to me is the last section: Stoicism for Modern Lives. Three excellent chapters proceed from the description of the fall of Stoicism in the public eye and throughout history, to reasons why we should reconsider Stoicism as a personal philosophy, the meaning of having a personal philosophy, and finally he describes his own journey through making Stoicism his own personal philosophy. The last two chapters made the most impact on me personally as Dr. Irvine drew us into his personal experience and allowed us to look behind the curtain into how he was able to explore Stoicism in his own way. His chapter on reconsidering Stoicism is particularly impactful as he made some very salient arguments for taking the personal journey into investigating the practice.
Even though I had committed myself to practicing Stoicism on my own, this book made the act seem much less dramatic and much more matter of fact for someone to partake in this most personal of journeys. I am at a beginning stage obviously, but I feel reassured and comfortable in knowing that I can always reach back and gain wisdom from this remarkable book.
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attacked this book as soon as I finished Pigliucci’s book, and I am very glad that I did. Irvine’s tone is different than Pigliucci’s not better, not worse, but different. He is more laid back and truly lived up to the Stoic goal of tranquility. The descriptions and arguments has a very tranquil quality to them, even as he discusses difficult questions like dealing with anger, death, grief, et. al. His voice is that of a gentle guide through the various knotty arguments that is so typical of anything philosophical.
The book starts with a good historical background of Stoicism, we meet the philosophers who make up the bulk of what we are about to read, and we are introduced to both the Greek and Roman Stoics. The second part of the book is devoted to the psychological tools used by the Stoics in order to practice Stoicism. This can be considered as teaching the reader to use the tools and to becoming comfortable wielding the weapons of great import.
The third part of the book is devoted to specific topics which have proven to be difficult for people to navigate as they attempt to live a Stoic life. The aforementioned topics of anger, death, grief, insults, social relations, etc. were covered in short compact chapters detailing the ways a philosopher could approach the discussion and ensuing argument. This section was a touch pedantic but it was a necessary exercise because it allowed us into the mind of a practicing Stoic and gave us a glimpse of what practicing philosophers do: state problems, formulate arguments and most importantly guide us through his reasoning.
The most impressive and important section of this book to me is the last section: Stoicism for Modern Lives. Three excellent chapters proceed from the description of the fall of Stoicism in the public eye and throughout history, to reasons why we should reconsider Stoicism as a personal philosophy, the meaning of having a personal philosophy, and finally he describes his own journey through making Stoicism his own personal philosophy. The last two chapters made the most impact on me personally as Dr. Irvine drew us into his personal experience and allowed us to look behind the curtain into how he was able to explore Stoicism in his own way. His chapter on reconsidering Stoicism is particularly impactful as he made some very salient arguments for taking the personal journey into investigating the practice.
Even though I had committed myself to practicing Stoicism on my own, this book made the act seem much less dramatic and much more matter of fact for someone to partake in this most personal of journeys. I am at a beginning stage obviously, but I feel reassured and comfortable in knowing that I can always reach back and gain wisdom from this remarkable book.
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LibraryThing member jpsnow
I found this book so useful that I stopped reading my library copy and purchased one of my own so I could start over and annotate in the margins throughout. Irvine went all-in on creating a practical guide to living as a stoic in our modern world. After a brief overview of stoicism’s roots in
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ancient Greece and Rome, he relies on the four most prominent Stoics as the basis for his philosophical guide. In general, he remains true to their writings rather than inventing his own version. The one place he does add some interpretation of his own is to reconcile their basis in the Gods as the source by replacing it with a more modern perspective grounded in evolutionary biology. This book is a compelling case for practicing Stoicism - if the reader’s primary goal is tranquility. That’s the one question I left from the book still pondering. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
The historical background was interesting, but the rest was too pompous.
LibraryThing member RossannaB
If you had gone to Epictetus and said, “I want to live a good life. What should I do?” he would have had an answer for you: “Live in accordance with nature.”
Ever since I heard William B. Irvine on the "Waking Up" app (as it turns out reciting some paragraphs from the book in question), I've
However, there is something about the fact that regardless of how well-conditioned we are to say such things, they don't quite click. After all, we are more used to repeating them than living by them.
Unlike small talks, which handed me each tool at a time, this book provided a kit to put those tools into and a framework. Each tool - be it negative visualisation, trichotomy of control, self-deprecating humour - found its screws and nails in rich-enough context, with repetition legitamasing. Quotes by Stoics such as Seneca and Epectitus, as well as a neat guide through the history of Stoicism, were a much welcome addition to an overall strategic (self-helpy) structure of the book.
This book is not extremely persuasive - and that's exactly what turns it into a pleasant read.
What, if not impressive, then at the very least commendable is that the author, though sharing his personal journey with Stoicism and the kind of effect it had on his overall well-being (which was, thankfully, only sprinkled in the book itself and was served as a desert by the end of it), underlined "the benefit of the doubt". You don't think that Stoicism suits you? Well, you might be right. There is no "the only way", with many other apart from Stoicism to explore in pursuit of one goal - a philosophy of life.
Even the author himself questions whether he won't look back a couple of years after at his "Stoic phase" in dismay.
The author does a great job presenting a somewhat neo, modern-age Stoicism, with evolution instead of Zeus and no suggestions to go outside barefoot or live in barrels.
Coming from personal experience, I assume this book might be helpful for those working consciously through their anxiety-related issues (especially when it comes to formulating narratives) and those willing to challenge their pessimistic inclinations - this book calibrates pessimism to be more realistic, with positive things not being swept under the rug as well. Though it primarily focuses on moderation and appreciation of what one already has, it provides a basis to seek happiness in it - happiness which may remain undiscovered until consciously awakened and assessed.
Ever since I heard William B. Irvine on the "Waking Up" app (as it turns out reciting some paragraphs from the book in question), I've
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grown to wonder about the "Stoic tools" he mentioned. To me, they sounded not so much "not Stoic" but more so slightly redundant to the point of there being barely any use in sticking "Stoicism" label to them to make them shimmer fancy. After all, it's nothing new to hear "things could've been worse" or "all is in your hands" - if we are to thank Stoicism for those clichés, be so. However, there is something about the fact that regardless of how well-conditioned we are to say such things, they don't quite click. After all, we are more used to repeating them than living by them.
Unlike small talks, which handed me each tool at a time, this book provided a kit to put those tools into and a framework. Each tool - be it negative visualisation, trichotomy of control, self-deprecating humour - found its screws and nails in rich-enough context, with repetition legitamasing. Quotes by Stoics such as Seneca and Epectitus, as well as a neat guide through the history of Stoicism, were a much welcome addition to an overall strategic (self-helpy) structure of the book.
This book is not extremely persuasive - and that's exactly what turns it into a pleasant read.
What, if not impressive, then at the very least commendable is that the author, though sharing his personal journey with Stoicism and the kind of effect it had on his overall well-being (which was, thankfully, only sprinkled in the book itself and was served as a desert by the end of it), underlined "the benefit of the doubt". You don't think that Stoicism suits you? Well, you might be right. There is no "the only way", with many other apart from Stoicism to explore in pursuit of one goal - a philosophy of life.
Even the author himself questions whether he won't look back a couple of years after at his "Stoic phase" in dismay.
The author does a great job presenting a somewhat neo, modern-age Stoicism, with evolution instead of Zeus and no suggestions to go outside barefoot or live in barrels.
Coming from personal experience, I assume this book might be helpful for those working consciously through their anxiety-related issues (especially when it comes to formulating narratives) and those willing to challenge their pessimistic inclinations - this book calibrates pessimism to be more realistic, with positive things not being swept under the rug as well. Though it primarily focuses on moderation and appreciation of what one already has, it provides a basis to seek happiness in it - happiness which may remain undiscovered until consciously awakened and assessed.
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LibraryThing member qaphsiel
Gives a good presentation of Stoicism, but otherwise fails to be particularly engaging. Also, the author seems to be unable to get out of his myopic (and apparently very cut-throat and mean) academic world and so dwells a lot on how to be a closet Stoic to avoid being mocked for it. Finally, he
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takes pains to point out how one's Stoic demeanor will surely piss off those who are being insulting. I'm at best semi-stoic, and that mostly by happenstance, but I'm sort of thinking this can't be a very stoic attitude. Anyhow, if there's a Complete Idiot's Guide to Stoicism or a Stoicism For Dummies, either is surely a better option for getting turned on to Stoicism than this dry set of pages. Show Less
LibraryThing member BibliophageOnCoffee
Great for people who are new to the concept of having a life philosophy, even if they ultimately decide that stoicism is not the philosophy they want to adopt.
Subjects
Awards
PROSE Award (Honorable Mention — Philosophy — 2008)
Original language
Greek (Ancient)
Physical description
xii, 314 p.; 19 cm
ISBN
9780195374612
Local notes
NT