Join Massimo Pigliucci and Epictetus for an open and honest conversation to discover the true nature and power of Stoicism.
Summary
In How to Be a Stoic, Massimo Pigliucci tries to uncover the greatest lessons there are to learn from Stoicism. He asks the old master, Epictetus, to guide him. This wonderful dialogue based on the Discourses and Handbook of Epictetus gives us great insights into Stoic philosophy. It builds a bridge between the ancient school of thought and the modern-day world. Personal stories and examples of contemporary Stoics sketch an excellent image of this philosophy’s continued relevance.
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Based on the three disciplines of Desire, Action, and Assent, Epictetus and Massimo walk us through some of the major obstacles in life. As we go through these three key concepts, we dissect the powerful exercises Stoicism has to offer. Going over the dichotomy of control, living in accordance with nature, and the gods, How to Be A Stoic is a comprehensive and detailed introduction to Stoicism. It is a modern classic when it comes to making Stoic philosophy practical.
Review
How to Be a Stoic is one of the best books to read at the beginning of your Stoic journey. Especially after having read the discourses and handbook of Epictetus. So much so, that we have highlighted it in our Stoic Reading List for Beginners. It is the perfect companion to get all the wisdom from this ancient master.
Watch our interview with Massimo Pigliucci on the Via Stoica Podcast.
The author structures the book clearly and expands on key Stoic concepts throughout. The three main topics give both novice and seasoned Stoics a clear overview and serve as a great reminder when life demands it. The addition of personal anecdotes makes the philosophy more relatable and practical. It also adds to the intimacy of this conversation between Massimo Pigliucci and Epictetus.
The author has done a wonderful job of making Stoicism accessible to a wide audience by keeping it light and staying away from making it too complex. In easy-to-understand examples and explanations, it embodies the spirit of Stoicism, that it is available to everyone.
Recommendation
As mentioned before, this book is featured on the Stoic reading list for beginners. Because it makes the key principles of Stoic philosophy so accessible to everyone, this is a good way to make your beginnings with Stoicism. It also holds the mirror up to your behavior and can therefore also be used for self-improvement in general.
As a testament to the practicality of the philosophy, How to Be a Stoic doesn’t leave you with any excuses not to work at being better. It is an eye-opener to the relevancy of Stoicism and why we need more of it in our lives today.
Final thoughts
Massimo Pigliucci and Epictetus did a wonderful job at reviving this ancient philosophy. How to Be a Stoic is not only a beautiful book to read because of the intimate conversation these two had, but also because of the sincerity that is shown on each page. The author managed to capture the importance Stoicism has in his life and wishes to share that with the world.
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