The Essential Epicurus: Letters, Principal Doctrines, Vatican Sayings, and Fragments by Epicurus (trans. Eugene O'Connor) Prometheus (1 May 1993) Amazon What do people think of when they think "Epicurean"? If you're Australian, you might think of the section of The Age newspaper that covers recipes, restaurant reviews, food guides. That's what people tend to associate … Continue reading The Essential Epicurus
Tag: Philosophy
Discourses and Selected Writings
Discourses and Selected Writings by Epictetus (trans. Robert Dobbin) Penguin (29 September 2008) Amazon A primer on the principles of happiness, freedom, and living in accordance with nature, the Discourses of Epictetus is seen as a foundational text on Stoicism, cited by people from all walks of life. There is a saying, the right book … Continue reading Discourses and Selected Writings
Nature and Selected Essays
Nature and Selected Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson Penguin (5 December 2003) Amazon If you enjoy reading the essays of Seneca and Montaigne, then Ralph Waldo Emerson works nicely as a next step. He complements them while setting his works apart in a uniquely American way. I am referring to an emphasis on drive and … Continue reading Nature and Selected Essays
The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs
The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs by Charles Clay Doyle, Wolfgang Mieder, and Fred R. Shapiro Yale University Press (18 May 2012) Amazon A great book for those who like language, folksy wisdom, or the way ideas are spread. The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs is a collection of sayings that emerged or became more common during … Continue reading The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs
The Book of Dead Philosophers
The Book of Dead Philosophers by Simon Critchley Knopf Doubleday (10 February 2009) Amazon I wish we had this book when I studied philosophy during my VCE and undergrad years. The ones assigned -- aside from all the photocopied extracts of Plato and Nietzsche -- I'd honestly forgotten until I was drafting this post. Sophie's … Continue reading The Book of Dead Philosophers
King of All Excuses
Front cover for the "King of All Excuses" single. Image via Elektra Records. "Everyone is lying -- about what they make, about how confident they feel, about how hard they work, about how well things are going. Stop comparing yourself to these lies. Stop thinking about them at all." -Ryan Holiday The fourth and final … Continue reading King of All Excuses
The Philosophy of Epictetus
The Philosophy of Epictetus by John Bonforte (ed.) Literary Licensing (15 October 2011) Amazon The Philosophy of Epictetus is a short, mid-twentieth century compilation of the teachings of Epictetus. Edited by John Bonforte, it makes for a nice curated intro to the philosopher, sourced mostly from the Discourses. Based on earlier translations, it's lightly edited … Continue reading The Philosophy of Epictetus
How to Live
How to Live: Or, a Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer by Sarah Bakewell Other Press (20 September 2011) Amazon Michel de Montaigne is one of my favourite philosophers ever, and How to Live by Sarah Bakewell is one of my favourite biographies. It's not just a conventional cradle-to-grave … Continue reading How to Live
Meditations
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (translated by Gregory Hays) Random House (15 May 2003) Amazon This is it. The book that has inspired people from all walks of life, from CEOs and world leaders to ordinary people alike. A favourite of Daily Stoic founder Ryan Holiday. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Originally written in Koine Greek … Continue reading Meditations
The Obstacle Is the Way
The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday Portfolio (1 May 2014) Amazon The book that started a Stoicism revivalist movement, The Obstacle Is the Way is Ryan Holiday's way of figuring ancient philosophical ideas in the modern world. The idea is that the reader can take … Continue reading The Obstacle Is the Way
