3 ms·

Can you share some recommendations here?

by ndr 9y ago

phren0logy 9y ago
How to be a Stoic by Massimo Pigliucci (author of the article) A Guide to the Good Life by William Irvine I also read The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday, which read too much like a self-help/business book to me. It might be to some people's tastes, but I found it lacked the substance of the two above. Ryan Holiday does have Daily Stoic email newsletter which is often interesting, though. Edit: Also, the 2003 Hays translation of Meditations is a much more accessible version of the text. I wish it was still in print.
- jarrettch 9y ago
  I've read The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy. I like his writing, but there is a business-y type of vibe to it. I also recently picked up The Daily Stoic book, which does help me get into a Stoic "mindset" (for lack of a better term) to start my day. Although with the way Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is written, you could almost just open up to a random page each morning, read a passage and reflect. But so far I've enjoyed this book.
- Jimpulse 9y ago
  It most certainly is still in print. Fantastic translation.
Red_Tarsius 9y ago
How to be a Stoic changes the historical context of Stoicism to suit Pigliucci's personal views. I do not recommend that book, since his good bits are borrowed from The Inner Citadel. The author lost my respect when he supported the revisionism of the BBC. https://medium.com/opacity/comment-on-klueless-massimo-s-comments-massimo-pigliucci-of-the-mary-beard-twitter-debate-4c99a36de40 https://medium.com/opacity/comment-on-klueless-massimo-s-com... This short essay by GILBERT MURRAY is the best introduction to Stoicism: http://ia600304.us.archive.org/13/items/thestoicphilosop00murruoft/thestoicphilosop00murruoft.pdf http://ia600304.us.archive.org/13/items/thestoicphilosop00mu... After that, you can dive into: - EPICTETUS, Discourses, Fragments, Handbook (Oxford World's Classics. It features both Enchiridion and fragments) - MARCUS AURELIUS, Meditations (Oxford World's Classics) - Any collection of letters and essays written by SENECA - PIERRE HADOT, The Inner Citadel (Harvard Press, Translated by Michael Chase) Don't rush through the material, think deeply about every page you read. Don't forget to understand the life and history of each author. Context is extremely important. Don't let modern sensibilities fill the gaps. If you're looking for a solid introduction to traditional logic, I recommend you Socratic Logic, by Peter Kreeft. Lastly, the only way to truly understand Stoicism is to learn about Socrates and Plato as well.
- ashark 9y ago
  For Seneca, U. of Chicago Press has been releasing a series of new translations[1] over the last few years. Good, if a bit expensive. May be some on the used market by now. Hardship and Happiness would probably be the most useful one if you're looking for his work on Stoicism, followed by Letters on Ethics, then Anger, Mercy, Revenge. They may eventually do a one or two volume "best of" compilation as sometimes publishers do when they release these long, expensive series, and maybe paperback editions. Dunno. There are ebook versions of them if that's your thing. [1] http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/series/CWLAS.html http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/series/CWLAS.html

Can you share some recommendations here?

by ndr 9y ago

Can you share some recommendations here?

How to be a Stoic by Massimo Pigliucci (author of the article) A Guide to the Good Life by William Irvine I also read The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday, which read too much like a self-help/business book to me. It might be to some people's tastes, but I found it lacked the substance of the two above. Ryan Holiday does have Daily Stoic email newsletter which is often interesting, though. Edit: Also, the 2003 Hays translation of Meditations is a much more accessible version of the text. I wish it was still in print.

jarrettch 9y ago
I've read The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy. I like his writing, but there is a business-y type of vibe to it. I also recently picked up The Daily Stoic book, which does help me get into a Stoic "mindset" (for lack of a better term) to start my day. Although with the way Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is written, you could almost just open up to a random page each morning, read a passage and reflect. But so far I've enjoyed this book.
Jimpulse 9y ago
It most certainly is still in print. Fantastic translation.

Red_Tarsius 9y ago

How to be a Stoic changes the historical context of Stoicism to suit Pigliucci's personal views. I do not recommend that book, since his good bits are borrowed from The Inner Citadel. The author lost my respect when he supported the revisionism of the BBC. https://medium.com/opacity/comment-on-klueless-massimo-s-comments-massimo-pigliucci-of-the-mary-beard-twitter-debate-4c99a36de40 https://medium.com/opacity/comment-on-klueless-massimo-s-com... This short essay by GILBERT MURRAY is the best introduction to Stoicism: http://ia600304.us.archive.org/13/items/thestoicphilosop00murruoft/thestoicphilosop00murruoft.pdf http://ia600304.us.archive.org/13/items/thestoicphilosop00mu... After that, you can dive into: - EPICTETUS, Discourses, Fragments, Handbook (Oxford World's Classics. It features both Enchiridion and fragments) - MARCUS AURELIUS, Meditations (Oxford World's Classics) - Any collection of letters and essays written by SENECA - PIERRE HADOT, The Inner Citadel (Harvard Press, Translated by Michael Chase) Don't rush through the material, think deeply about every page you read. Don't forget to understand the life and history of each author. Context is extremely important. Don't let modern sensibilities fill the gaps. If you're looking for a solid introduction to traditional logic, I recommend you Socratic Logic, by Peter Kreeft. Lastly, the only way to truly understand Stoicism is to learn about Socrates and Plato as well.

ashark 9y ago
For Seneca, U. of Chicago Press has been releasing a series of new translations[1] over the last few years. Good, if a bit expensive. May be some on the used market by now. Hardship and Happiness would probably be the most useful one if you're looking for his work on Stoicism, followed by Letters on Ethics, then Anger, Mercy, Revenge. They may eventually do a one or two volume "best of" compilation as sometimes publishers do when they release these long, expensive series, and maybe paperback editions. Dunno. There are ebook versions of them if that's your thing. [1] http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/series/CWLAS.html http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/series/CWLAS.html