Cross-posted from Goodreads
Seneca, Musonius, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius… these famous Roman stoics would be happy to see their philosophies being passed on to the twenty-first-century civilization with a pragmatic simplicity.
This one has to be one of the few philosophical books written in a clear, direct, and instructive language. Understanding the Stoic way of life can itself be challenging. However, Dr. Irvine has done a fantastic job at simplifying definitions, histories, bios, and the Stoic philosophy itself using plenty of relatable analogies. The text is a little repetitive, though, but repetition may be good or bad depending on how well one retains the lessons. I don’t mind repetition as I am a relatively slow reader, so a refresher after a couple of days feels good.
I think the book has done its job to convince me about the benefits of Stoicism and the possibility to try it without much effort and side effects.
[…] A note from my diary dated Jan 27, 2021. The trigger came from reading A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy. […]
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