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Abstract

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    </div><h2 id="bc67">Cambridge Companion to the Stoics, by Brad Inwood</h2><p id="0712">Look no further than The Cambridge Companion to the Stoics, released in 1999. Brad Inwood has curated a collection of essays by current scholars that cover the history and effect of Stoicism, as well as a careful examination of its fundamental beliefs.</p><p id="2eed">The Cambridge Companion to the Stoics is a demanding tome of deep value that belongs on the bookshelf of any aspiring Stoic scholar. It is ideal for individuals wishing to take the next step in their engagement with Stoicism.</p><div id="98a1" class="link-block">
      <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1203531.The_Cambridge_Companion_to_the_Stoics?ac=1&amp;from_search=true&amp;qid=H8sUWYlurw&amp;rank=1">
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            <h2>The Cambridge Companion to the Stoics</h2>
            <div><h3>The Cambridge Companion to the Stoics book. Read 11 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. This volume…</h3></div>
            <div><p>www.goodreads.com</p></div>
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    </div><h2 id="383f">Discourses and Selected Writings, by Epictetus</h2><p id="acf4">When it comes to fundamental Stoic literature, where better to begin than with the work of the philosopher whose no-nonsense practical knowledge laid the groundwork for much of the Stoic philosophy that came after him?</p><p id="fbea">Epictetus, a former slave turned philosophical teacher, operated a school in Nicopolis in the early second century AD.</p><p id="255e">Epictetus’ most famous pupil, zealously documented the lessons. These recordings have been hailed as a remarkable guide to Stoic ethics and moral self-improvement throughout the years, addressing issues such as mortality, fear, disease, family, friendship, love, freedom, and how to live a decent life.</p><p id="7f60">Epictetus’ Discourses and Selected Writings contains potentially life-changing insight that is as relevant, accessible, and enlightening today as it was 2,000 years ago, making this great book absolutely important for every student of Stoicism.</p><div id="c862" class="link-block">
      <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4143812-discourses-and-selected-writings?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=HJHIO6pnR0&amp;rank=2">
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            <h2>Discourses and Selected Writings</h2>
            <div><h3>This is relatively disappointing, coming directly from a reading of Seneca. But I don't think that's because Epictetus…</h3></div>
            <div><p>www.goodreads.com</p></div>
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    </div><h2 id="0272">Letters from a Stoic, by Seneca</h2><p id="2d0c">While Seneca, a Roman senator, and dramatist, preached serenity and moderation through his Stoic philosophy, his life (which spanned 4 BC to 65 AD) was marked by enormous change.</p><p id="611f">Seneca was exiled to the island of Corsica by Emperor Claudius in 41 AD due to a political conflict but was allowed to return in 49 AD to become a tutor to Nero.</p><p id="5428">Seneca became Nero’s counselor after he became Emperor. ⁣ Seneca’s power over Nero diminished with time, and in 65 AD, he was forced to commit suicide for supposed collaboration in Nero’s assassination — a charge of which he was likely innocent.</p><p id="e81b">These events may seem distant from the twenty-first century, yet there is much to be learned from Seneca’s wit, intelligence, and fortitude in confronting them.</p><p id="a646">Letters from a Stoic — a compilation of letters Seneca penned during his lifetime. It is supremely accessible, and reading them is like having unique access to a deep, beautiful well of profound, practical wisdom addressed directly to you. If you’re a fan of Stoicism, your library won’t be complete without Seneca.</p><div id="95aa" class="link-block">
      <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/97411.Letters_from_a_Stoic?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=bA4dAkfd4H&amp;rank=1">
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            <h2>Letters from a Stoic</h2>
            <div><h3>I found the tone of Seneca's letters far more pers

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onable and persuasive than Meditations, entirely because of the…</h3></div> <div><p>www.goodreads.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*SBwl2aWtiUFVBq23)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h2 id="530b">Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius</h2><p id="5eee">Marcus Aurelius is a titan of the Stoic tradition and the last of the main three Stoic names described in this list.</p><p id="513c">Aurelius, the Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, ruled during a period marked by numerous major military engagements as well as the Antonine Plague, a pandemic that ravaged the Roman Empire, killing five million people.</p><p id="435b">Despite — or because of — these traumatic circumstances, Aurelius promoted a philosophy of peace and tranquillity. In the centuries since the great man’s death, his Meditations, a collection of his personal reflections written without the intention of publication, have been praised by countless writers, philosophers, monarchs, and politicians as a significant source of modern understanding of ancient Stoic philosophy.</p><p id="61ce">Aurelius’ Meditations is a must-read for anybody interested in Stoicism, as it contains important insights on how to deal with adversity and live a decent life.</p><div id="bb77" class="link-block"> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30659.Meditations?ac=1&amp;from_search=true&amp;qid=Yesf6iBKJX&amp;rank=1"> <div> <div> <h2>Meditations</h2> <div><h3>Ah I had a far better review in my mind, but it has, like morning mist, cleared out from my mind leaving a jumble of…</h3></div> <div><p>www.goodreads.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*7kXiTn1jxUBOh0gD)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h1 id="fa93">Conclusion</h1><p id="0169">Like I always mention in most of my posts, <b>knowledge without use is worthless.</b> We read we acquire knowledge to use in life and improve ourselves.</p><p id="258c">There are tons of good books we can read, but I encourage you to read one and use the knowledge in it.</p><p id="f1ae">Consider the same with these stoic books. Just reading and using the knowledge of Seneca, (it’s my favorite book and it’s considered as the bible of stoicism) you can become totally different person improving your life.</p><p id="08ee"><i>I write about self-improvement and productivity. </i>Connect with me on <a href="https://twitter.com/davit_kar">Twitter</a>. Let’s chat.</p><div id="f73e" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/5-distractions-you-need-to-quit-in-order-to-succeed-c39f959a6c5a"> <div> <div> <h2>5 Distractions You Need To Quit In Order To Succeed</h2> <div><h3>Identify toxic habits and cut them from your life now.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*noIQ-iCgxreHPvVDo1d6tQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="4621" class="link-block"> <a href="https://david-kar.medium.com/4-areas-of-life-in-which-i-invest-b851ab073154"> <div> <div> <h2>4 Areas Of Life In Which I Invest</h2> <div><h3>That’s where you need to invest your time money and energy</h3></div> <div><p>david-kar.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*_bcShYMDufUNBk5MuvcLkQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="6a81" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-i-keep-myself-focused-on-my-goals-c306b809996a"> <div> <div> <h2>How I Keep Myself Focused on My Goals</h2> <div><h3>6 techniques I use to accomplish my goals.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*82Q3PbUw9kr86uSm23d95Q.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

5 Best Books on Stoicism to Improve Your Life

Stoicism Books that will improve your identity and life.

Oladimeji/pexels
  • Is there a way to improve your life? — yes.
  • Can stoicism help you? — yes.
  • When is it possible? — Whenever you are ready.

Stoic knowledge from the ancient Greco-Roman era floats around the internet and resonates with millions on social media, particularly with Stoic philosophers Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius.

It appears to be all the rage, despite the fact that it was developed about 2,500 years ago by the ancient Greek philosopher Zeno of Citium.

This is most likely due to how incredibly useful Stoic wisdom can be. Unlike other philosophy, which is often perceived as outdated or pointless (here’s why philosophy in today’s world is actually as relevant and important as ever), Stoicism gets right to the heart of our everyday attitudes and behaviors, and its core principles are distilled in many famous natty aphorisms and quotations.

But what is stoicism? you may ask…

Dailystoic defines Stoicism in a very clear and simple way.

It’s a philosophy designed to make us more resilient, happier, more virtuous and more wise–and as a result, better people, better parents and better professionals.

Consider this quote from Marcus Aurelius:

You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

Or, as Epictetus puts it:

It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.

Seneca on life’s brevity:

It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested. But when it is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no good activity, we are forced at last by death’s final constraint to realize that it has passed away before we knew it was passing. So it is: we are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill-supplied but wasteful of it… life is long if you know how to use it.

All of the quotations were taken from the books listed below. Stoicism is a full-fledged, holistic value system that can be adopted as a philosophy for all elements of life, beyond these practical nuggets of wisdom advising us to keep calm and focus on what’s within our own control (and govern our attitudes toward everything outside that control).

This reading list comprises the best and most accessible beginning books on the subject, as well as the most essential original works from the great Stoic thinkers themselves.

How to Be a Stoic, by Massimo Pigliucci

Massimo Pigliucci’s How to Be a Stoic, published in 2017, is an excellent place to start for anyone interested in Stoicism. Pigliucci uses straightforward, simple language to establish Stoicism and leads the reader through its key ideas through captivating imagined discussions with Epictetus, one of the most prominent Stoics of all time.

Pigliucci transposes ancient Stoic wisdom into the twenty-first century with this simple manner, unlocking practical wisdom for difficulties we face today, making How to Be a Stoic a very pleasant starting point to Stoicism.

Cambridge Companion to the Stoics, by Brad Inwood

Look no further than The Cambridge Companion to the Stoics, released in 1999. Brad Inwood has curated a collection of essays by current scholars that cover the history and effect of Stoicism, as well as a careful examination of its fundamental beliefs.

The Cambridge Companion to the Stoics is a demanding tome of deep value that belongs on the bookshelf of any aspiring Stoic scholar. It is ideal for individuals wishing to take the next step in their engagement with Stoicism.

Discourses and Selected Writings, by Epictetus

When it comes to fundamental Stoic literature, where better to begin than with the work of the philosopher whose no-nonsense practical knowledge laid the groundwork for much of the Stoic philosophy that came after him?

Epictetus, a former slave turned philosophical teacher, operated a school in Nicopolis in the early second century AD.

Epictetus’ most famous pupil, zealously documented the lessons. These recordings have been hailed as a remarkable guide to Stoic ethics and moral self-improvement throughout the years, addressing issues such as mortality, fear, disease, family, friendship, love, freedom, and how to live a decent life.

Epictetus’ Discourses and Selected Writings contains potentially life-changing insight that is as relevant, accessible, and enlightening today as it was 2,000 years ago, making this great book absolutely important for every student of Stoicism.

Letters from a Stoic, by Seneca

While Seneca, a Roman senator, and dramatist, preached serenity and moderation through his Stoic philosophy, his life (which spanned 4 BC to 65 AD) was marked by enormous change.

Seneca was exiled to the island of Corsica by Emperor Claudius in 41 AD due to a political conflict but was allowed to return in 49 AD to become a tutor to Nero.

Seneca became Nero’s counselor after he became Emperor. ⁣ Seneca’s power over Nero diminished with time, and in 65 AD, he was forced to commit suicide for supposed collaboration in Nero’s assassination — a charge of which he was likely innocent.

These events may seem distant from the twenty-first century, yet there is much to be learned from Seneca’s wit, intelligence, and fortitude in confronting them.

Letters from a Stoic — a compilation of letters Seneca penned during his lifetime. It is supremely accessible, and reading them is like having unique access to a deep, beautiful well of profound, practical wisdom addressed directly to you. If you’re a fan of Stoicism, your library won’t be complete without Seneca.

Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius is a titan of the Stoic tradition and the last of the main three Stoic names described in this list.

Aurelius, the Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, ruled during a period marked by numerous major military engagements as well as the Antonine Plague, a pandemic that ravaged the Roman Empire, killing five million people.

Despite — or because of — these traumatic circumstances, Aurelius promoted a philosophy of peace and tranquillity. In the centuries since the great man’s death, his Meditations, a collection of his personal reflections written without the intention of publication, have been praised by countless writers, philosophers, monarchs, and politicians as a significant source of modern understanding of ancient Stoic philosophy.

Aurelius’ Meditations is a must-read for anybody interested in Stoicism, as it contains important insights on how to deal with adversity and live a decent life.

Conclusion

Like I always mention in most of my posts, knowledge without use is worthless. We read we acquire knowledge to use in life and improve ourselves.

There are tons of good books we can read, but I encourage you to read one and use the knowledge in it.

Consider the same with these stoic books. Just reading and using the knowledge of Seneca, (it’s my favorite book and it’s considered as the bible of stoicism) you can become totally different person improving your life.

I write about self-improvement and productivity. Connect with me on Twitter. Let’s chat.

Self Improvement
Stoicism
Life Lessons
Life
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