The Best Books on Stoicism | The Reading Lists
26TH AUGUST 2018
The Best Books on Stoicism
ACADEMIC, PHILOSOPHY
Stoicism is a school of philosophy which is attracting a lot of interest in the present day. Although, Stoicism was founded a long time ago; the early 3rd century in Athens, to be exact. On a search for the best books on Stoicism, it will be impossible to not hear of some of the most famous practitioners of Stoicism; Epictetus, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius was the emperor of the Roman Empire and at the time, was widely considered to be the most powerful man on the planet. The best books on Stoicism will allow you to discover that the philosophy is heavily focused on how you can practically apply it to your life. What’s most remarkable is how universal and timeless some of the lessons are. Given its popularity, I thought it would be interested to compile a special list of the best books on Stoicism. To ensure that the books in the list really qualify as some of the best books on Stoicism, I had to reach out to a collection of Stoicism experts. Please meet our expert panel who will help us discover the best books on Stoicism.
Massimo PigliucciMassimo Pigliucci earned a doctorate in genetics from the University of Ferrara, Italy, and then a PhD in biology from the University of Connecticut, and finally a PhD in philosophy of science from the University of Tennessee. Massimo Pigliucci was formerly a professor of ecology and evolution at Stony Brook University. In 1997, he received the Theodosius Dobzhansky Prize and is also a regular contributor to Skeptical Inquirer.
Jules EvansJules Evans is a philosopher, author and blogger of Philosophy for Life, who is interested in therapeutic practices from ancient philosophies and wisdom traditions. His first book, Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations, explored how people are rediscovering ancient Greek and Roman philosophies and how Greek philosophy (particularly Stoicism) inspired Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It’s since been named a Times book of the year.
John SellarsJohn Sellars is a Lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London, and a member of Wolfson College, Oxford. Completing his MA and PhD at the University of Warwick, he’s the author of The Art of Living: The Stoics on the Nature and Function of Philosophy, amongst other books. His research focuses on Stoicism, with a particular interest in Roman Stoicism.
Tim LeBonTim LeBon gained a first class degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Trinity College, Oxford and an MPhil in Philosophy at the University of London. He teaches philosophy, personal development and counselling courses and has a particular interest in how philosophy and psychology can be of practical use. He is qualified as a life coach and a psychotherapist and is the author of Wise Therapy: Philosophy for Counsellors.
Gabriele GalluzzoGabriele Galluzzo is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter. He researches the history of ancient metaphysics. He aims to reconstruct ancient texts in their genuine, historical context and to understand the conceptual categories through which philosophy developed in ancient Greece and Rome, and evaluating the significance of ancient thought for contemporary philosophical debates.
Donald RobertsonDonald is a writer and trainer, with over twenty years’ experience. He’s known as an expert on the relationship between modern cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and classical Greek and Roman philosophy. He is the author of six books and many articles on philosophy, psychotherapy, and psychological skills training. His academic qualifications include an MA degree in Mental Philosophy from the University of Aberdeen.
Christopher GillChristopher Gill is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Exeter. My research area is ancient philosophy or thought, especially ethics and psychology. He is the author of numerous books, with one of his most recent being Marcus Aurelius Meditations Books 1-6, translated with an introduction and commentary. In public engagement, he focuses on the role of Stoic ethics as a source of life-guidance.
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You’ve met the panel and now it is time to discover their nominations for the best books on stoicism.
The Inner Citadel: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius by Pierre Hadot
Donald Robertson:
Pierre Hadot was Professor of the History of Hellenistic and Roman Thought at the Collège de France. His scholarly but nevertheless highly readable work on ancient philosophy provided the first systematic overview of “spiritual exercises” in Stoic philosophy. Although he approached these from a philosophical and theological perspective, they’re clearly similar to psychological exercises of the kind used in modern cognitive therapy and self-improvement literature. The Inner Citadel is his main work on Stoicism and a comprehensive scholarly analysis of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, which anyone who loves that book should read.
Stoicism by John Sellars
Gabriele Galluzzo:
This remains my favourite introduction to Stoic philosophy. It is a thoroughly readable and enjoyable book, which acquaints the reader with the essentials of Stoic philosophy as well as with the ancient Stoic texts and sources. Excellent for students and beginners, but also for all those modern readers who wish to set Stoic ethics in the larger context of Stoicism as a philosophical system.
Letters on Ethics by Seneca
Massimo Pigliucci:
If you have to read just one book by the ancient Stoics (but why would you have to limit yourself in such a strange fashion?) then go for Margaret Graver and Anthony Long’s translation of the letters that Seneca wrote to his friend Lucilius. Seneca, one of the most important of the Roman Stoics, wrote these 124 letters as a philosophical testament, as well as an informal curriculum study in the theory and practice of Stoicism. The letters cover all sorts of subjects, from how to behave in crowds to the issue of retirement, from the meaning of life to friendship and love. Seneca writes clearly and beautifully, and reading the letters will feel like being taken by the hand by a fellow traveller who opens up for us the magnificent vistas of Stoic philosophy.
Determinism and Freedom in Stoic Philosophy by Susanne Bobzien
John Sellars:
Susanne Bobzien’s Determinism and Freedom in Stoic Philosophy is one of the most impressive works of modern scholarship on Stoicism out there. It’s a substantial, meticulous, and detailed examination of all the ancient evidence for Stoic thinking about determinism, fate, modal logic, divination, moral responsibility, and freedom in Stoicism, focused mainly on the early thought of Chrysippus, but with a brief foray into Epictetus as well. Anyone who wants seriously to get to grips with Stoic philosophy ought to read this book. While at one level it is a world away from all the practical self-help Stoic books currently available, the concepts that Bobzien examines underpin much of that more practical side of Stoicism.Gabriele Galluzzo:
This is not an easy book or something I could recommend for beginners but remains in my view one of the most important books on Stoicism that have come out over the last thirty years or so. The notion of determinism is often associated with Stoic philosophy and actually represents one of the stumbling blocks when it comes to fully endorsing Stoic philosophy. Determinism, it is often claimed, is incompatible with freedom and responsibility, and makes life and action useless. Bobzien provides an insightful study of determinism in Stoicism and sharply distinguishes it from other notions of necessity with which Stoic determinism is often confused and which the Stoics did not wish to endorse. She thus shows how determinism makes room for freedom, action and responsibility.
Discourses by Epictetus
Jules Evans:
These are the lectures of Epictetus, as written down by his student Arrian. But there’s nothing dry or academic about them. They’re short blasts of wisdom, powerful medicine, that get right to the heart of Stoic philosophy and the Stoic therapy of the emotions. Why are we disturbed? Because of our opinions and beliefs, and our attachment to externals. What should we focus on? Our beliefs. How do we get better? Practice. He repeats these ideas over and over. He also lambasts and ridicules his aristocratic audience for being slaves to popularity, slaves to status, slaves to luxury – as a former slave himself, he is redefining what freedom means, and showing us that true freedom lies within. This book was a huge help to me when I suffered from acute social anxiety – it showed me the antidote was to focus not on others’ approval, but my own beliefs. It worked.
Ethics and Human Action in Early Stoicism by Brad Inwood
Christopher Gill:
This is a pioneering study of Stoic psychology, which has shaped all subsequent work on this subject. The approach combines philosophical sophistication and precision with fine-grained readings of the key texts. After analysing what he calls the Stoic ‘philosophy of action’, he uses this analysis to make sense of Stoic thinking on ethics, emotion, and development. The book has paved the way for other excellent work in this area by, among others, Tad Brennan and Margaret Graver.
How to be a Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living by Massimo Pigliucci
Tim LeBon:
Massimo is a philosophy professor who quite late in life decided to experiment for a year in living like a Stoic. The experiment was so successful that it led to very many lucid blog articles, this book and the experiment being extended indefinitely, or so I believe.Massimo’s background in the philosophy of science makes him an ideal guide. The book covers key areas of practical Stoic teaching, such as the discipline of desire, the discipline of action and the discipline of assent, whilst at the same time demystifying jargon. For example, these 3 disciplines are explained as “What is proper to want or not to want”, “How to Behave in the World” and “How to React to situations”. Massimo clarifies the ideas with stories from his own life – in a similar way to, say, Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (a book which could also be recommended as a neo-Stoic classic). Massimo’s book is a great place to start for the intelligent and curious layperson who wants an intelligent and lucid tour guide of the wonderful palace of Stoicism.
Massimo Pigliucci
I hope the reader and the editor will forgive me this bit of self-indulgence, but How To Be A Stoic was a labour of love and, I believe, a very user-friendly and comprehensive introduction to both ancient and modern Stoic philosophy. In the book, I imagine having a number of enlightening (for me) conversations with Epictetus, while we stroll down the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, or the Domus Aurea (Nero’s villa) in Rome. Occasionally, eating a gelato. It also comes with a set of 12 practical exercises and an appendix comparing the major Hellenistic schools of philosophy. You know, just in case you are curious about our rivals, the Epicureans…
The Daily Stoic: 365 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
Donald Robertson:
The Daily Stoic is a recent book containing daily meditations on new translations by Stephen Hanselman of select Stoic passages. It’s currently a very popular introduction to Stoicism for non-academics and I often recommend it to newcomers. It’s a very easy book to read but nevertheless contains a great deal of sound practical advice about incorporating Stoicism into your daily life. Ryan Holiday is best known as a marketing strategist and entrepreneur so he brings a different perspective to Stoicism, one that I think many ordinary readers find very relatable.
An Essay on the Unity of Stoic Philosophy by Johnny Christensen
John Sellars:
This relatively short book was first published in 1962, well before the scholarly revival of interest in Stoicism in the late 60s and early 70s, let alone the more recent upsurge in practical Stoicism. The book’s chapters deal with ontology (what exists) and the three main parts of the Stoic system – physics, logic, and ethics. As the title indicates, it argues for the systematicity of Stoic philosophy, highlighting how Stoic thought fits together into a coherent and organic whole. For anyone who wants to know the fundamental philosophical foundations of Stoicism, this book maps them out concisely without compromising philosophical precision. While it’s a short book, it is by no means a book for beginners. Readers with no previous knowledge of philosophy may struggle a bit, but it will be well worth the effort.
Stoicism and the Art of Happiness by Donald Robertson
Tim LeBon:
My second choice is Donald’s Robertson’s Stoicism and the Art of Happiness. Donald is a psychotherapist as well as one of the most prolific members of the Modern Stoicism team. This book is part of the “Teach Yourself” series and it consequently includes many case vignettes. exercises, summaries and self-assessment tools. I like it because it’s the sort of book you could work through in a few months, and in so doing learn a lot about ancient Stoicism, your own way of dealing with emotions and adversities, and how to improve.
Marcus Aurelius: A Guide for the Perplexed by William O. Stephens
Massimo Pigliucci:
Although you should really read Marcus’ Meditations (the best modern translation being the one by Robin Hard, Oxford Classics), if you did that right off the bat you would be, well, perplexed. The philosopher-emperor wrote beautifully, but also redundantly and in a somewhat preachy manner, since after all, he was writing his own diary, not a treatise for publication! But Stephens provides an excellent introduction to the man, the times, and of course the book. He discusses the Presocratic philosopher Heraclitus and the Roman Stoic Epictetus, the two major influences on Marcus. Stephens also helps readers deepen their understanding of the Roman emperor’s musings by identifying and discussing the three major themes of the Meditations: the relation between wholes and parts (e.g., the cosmos and us); time, transience, and eternity; and the opposition of virtues and vices. In the end, Marcus comes out as a far more astute philosopher than he is usually given credit for.
Jules Evans:
This is the most beautiful book of Stoic wisdom, to my mind. Seneca is more literary, but personally, I always get the sense Seneca is writing for literary effect, to show off to an audience and advance his career (that’s just my opinion!). Marcus was writing to himself, while he was knee-deep in politics or on military campaigns. He was trying to give himself strength and consolation amid all the stress of being the emperor of Rome. He was also trying to keep himself sane – several of his predecessors as emperor had gone mad with power. Look at how modern leaders go mad with power – imagine being the absolute emperor of Rome! He protects himself from ego inflation by constantly reminding himself of the limit of his control, reminding himself he is not a God, while most of his predecessors pretended they were, and then got furious at the universe for not obeying their commands (Caligula actually ordered his soldiers to whip the sea!). Marcus, far wiser, said to himself ‘vex not yourself at the course of things, they heed not your vexation’. It’s still a very useful book for leaders, and has been a favourite of everyone from Frederick the Great to Bill Clinton!
This is the most beautiful book of Stoic wisdom, to my mind. Seneca is more literary, but personally, I always get the sense Seneca is writing for literary effect, to show off to an audience and advance his career (that’s just my opinion!). Marcus was writing to himself, while he was knee-deep in politics or on military campaigns. He was trying to give himself strength and consolation amid all the stress of being the emperor of Rome. He was also trying to keep himself sane – several of his predecessors as emperor had gone mad with power. Look at how modern leaders go mad with power – imagine being the absolute emperor of Rome! He protects himself from ego inflation by constantly reminding himself of the limit of his control, reminding himself he is not a God, while most of his predecessors pretended they were, and then got furious at the universe for not obeying their commands (Caligula actually ordered his soldiers to whip the sea!). Marcus, far wiser, said to himself ‘vex not yourself at the course of things, they heed not your vexation’. It’s still a very useful book for leaders, and has been a favourite of everyone from Frederick the Great to Bill Clinton!
Stoic Studies by A.A. Long
Christopher Gill:
This is a collection of essays (written over 25 years) by the scholar who, more than any other, has brought Stoic philosophy to the attention of the academic world and broader reading public. The essays are centred on Long’s main interests in ethics and psychology, but also range more broadly. Many of them are famous in their own right (for instance, on Socrates and Hellenistic philosophy, on ethics and nature in Stoicism, and on body and soul in Stoicism); Long’s readings remain fresh and innovative today and are written in his characteristically engaging style.
John Sellars:
This book is a collection of a dozen papers written by A. A. Long over a number of decades. Long has been at the forefront of scholarship on Stoicism in the English-speaking world for some fifty years (the earliest paper in this collection dates from 1971). Many of the papers gathered here address central topics in Stoicism and they were often their first serious treatment. While in some cases much more work has been done on the same topic since these papers remain essential starting points for anyone interested in understanding Stoicism. Papers such as ‘The Logical Basis of Stoic Ethics’, ‘Stoic Eudaimonism’, and ‘Soul and Body in Stoicism’ lay out the key features of Stoic philosophy with admirable clarity.
The Handbook by the Modern Stoicism Team
Tim LeBon:
My third and final choice is the shortest and the least expensive and also in many ways the most practical. It’s the Handbook written by the Modern Stoicism today team as part of the annual Stoic Week. I say “the handbook” but actually, it changes every year, sometimes with a shift of emphasis (for example one year it may focus more on Epictetus, another on Marcus) and sometimes with minor cosmetic improvements. So I’d recommend readers look out for the new version coming out in September 2018 (look at modernstoicism.com). Each handbook gives a brief introduction to Stoicism, followed by a theme for each day, including practical exercises and links to audio and other resources. The idea is that you can live like a Stoic for a week. If you take part in Stoic Week (usually in October or November) you can then also interact with thousands of others across the globe through social media. The Handbook’s main contributors – including Donald Robertson, Professor Chris Gill and John Sellars – know their Stoicism very well and I think succeed in condensing it into a formula you can try out in just one week.
The Role Ethics of Epictetus: Stoicism in Ordinary Life by Brian E. Johnson
Massimo Pigliucci:
Although this book by Brian Johnson is aimed at a scholarly audience, it is eminently accessible and discusses one of the most important — and perhaps least appreciated — innovations of the late Stoicism of 2nd century Rome: role ethics. Epictetus, the slave turned famous teacher, argued that we play a number of conflicting roles in life, and that wisdom consists in figuring out how to navigate them to the best of our abilities. Our most fundamental role is that of human beings, members of the human cosmopolis, and it trumps everything else. Then we have roles that we have chosen (e.g., our career) and others that have been assigned to us (e.g., being someone’s daughter or son). While discussing this aspect of Epictetus’ philosophy, in particular, Johnson manages to provide a general introduction to this crucial Stoic author (of whom, of course, you should read the Discourses and the Handbook, best done in the translation by Robin Hard, Oxford Classics).
Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations by Jules Evans
Jules Evans:
It’s, of course, gross narcissism to nominate my own book, but I’ll tell you why I think this is a good modern introduction to Stoicism. Firstly, it explores the connection to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and interviews the founders of CBT – Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck. Secondly, it tells the stories of modern Stoics, and how they use Stoicism today. It also explores some other ancient philosophies, like Epicureanism, Platonism and Aristotelianism. Ancient philosophy is so rich and varied, why confine yourself to one philosophy? You think one philosophy has all the answers? It doesn’t. Even Stoicism has its flaws and limitations.
Marcus Aurelius: Meditations: Books 1-6 by Christopher Gill
Gabriele Galluzzo:
This book not only offers an accurate and readable English translation (with introduction and commentary) of the first half of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations but also presents a consistent and general reconstruction of Marcus’ ethical project. All too often, Marcus’ Meditations is presented as an eclectic book, in which Stoicism is just one of the philosophical tendencies Marcus takes inspiration from. Gill’s book, by contrast, shows how Marcus’ ethical project is perfectly in keeping with the main tenets of Stoic philosophy. In this way, Marcus’ work is successfully portrayed as a striking example of applied or practical Stoic ethics, that is, as an attempt to apply ethical theory to ordinary life and to an individual’s progress towards virtue.
Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life by A. A. Long
Donald Robertson:
Long is a Professor of Classics at UC Berkley and provides the most comprehensive scholarly work on the Discourses of Epictetus. His book, like Hadot’s, is nevertheless quite popular with non-academics. He focuses on the influence of Socrates on Epictetus, which I think it is absolutely crucial for modern students of Stoicism to understand. Long’s book, though academic, focuses on the practical dimension of Epictetus’ Stoicism, and his notion of a threefold training Stoics in the Disciplines of Desire, Action, and Assent, which relate to three spheres of life, i.e., our feelings, actions, and thoughts respectively. This book might be a slightly more challenging read for non-academics but if they’re really interested in Stoic practices then I’d definitely say it’s worth the effort.
The Morality of Happiness by Julia Annas
Christopher Gill:
This is not, formally, a book on Stoicism; it is a study of Aristotle and Hellenistic ethics as a whole, though Stoic ideas are discussed very fully. But it is a very important work for the modern history of Stoic studies for several reasons. Annas brings out very clearly the philosophical sophistication and cogency of Stoic philosophy and its significance in relation to other ancient theories. Annas’ book has also had a wide reception among those working on modern virtue-ethics and eudaimonism and shows the relevance of Stoic ideas for contemporary theory. Her readings of Stoic ethical ideas offered arresting new insights and raised interpretative and conceptual issues that are still highly significant.
WHICH BOOKS WOULD YOU CONSIDER THE BEST BOOKS ON STOICISM? COMMENT BELOW AND LET US KNOW!
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A.A. LONGBRAD INWOODBRIAN E. JOHNSONCHRISTOPHER GILLDONALD ROBERTSONEPICTETUSJOHN SELLARSJOHNNY CHRISTENSENJULES EVANSJULIA ANNASMARCUS AURELIUSMASSIMO PIGLIUCCIPIERRE HADOTRYAN HOLIDAYSENECASTEPHEN HANSELMANSUSANNE BOBZIENWILLIAM O. STEPHENS
ABOUT ME
My name is Phil Treagus and I am the founder of The Reading Lists. I'm a self-confessed book nerd and now I'm on a mission to uncover the world's most inspiring and important books by interviewing some of the world's most awesome people.
