'A Guide to the Good Life' by William Irvine is a practical guide to living a Stoic life in the modern world. Irvine delves into the philosophy of Stoicism, focusing on reducing negative emotions through techniques like negative visualization and self-denial. He provides historical context on Stoicism and introduces readers to prominent Stoic thinkers like Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. The book offers a blend of self-help advice and philosophical insights, aiming to help readers achieve tranquility and contentment in their daily lives.
The writing style of 'A Guide to the Good Life' is described as accessible, personal, and compelling by readers. Irvine's approach to Stoicism is seen as practical and applicable to contemporary life, with the book offering techniques and guidelines for incorporating Stoic principles into everyday situations. Some readers appreciate Irvine's efforts to distill the teachings of ancient Stoics into concise guidelines that can bring tranquility and a sense of purpose to modern readers.
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From The Publisher:
One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in
ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives.
In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. Using the psychological insights and the practical techniques of the Stoics, Irvine offers a roadmap for anyone seeking to avoid the
feelings of chronic dissatisfaction that plague so many of us. Irvine looks at various Stoic techniques for attaining tranquility and shows how to put these techniques to work in our own life. As he does so, he describes his own experiences practicing Stoicism and offers valuable first-hand advice
for anyone wishing to live better by following in the footsteps of these ancient philosophers. Readers learn how to minimize worry, how to let go of the past and focus our efforts on the things we can control, and how to deal with insults, grief, old age, and the distracting temptations of fame and
fortune. We learn from Marcus Aurelius the importance of prizing only things of true value, and from Epictetus we learn how to be more content with what we have.
Finally, A Guide to the Good Life shows readers how to become thoughtful observers of their own lives. If we watch ourselves as we go about our daily business and later reflect on what we saw, we can better identify the sources of distress and eventually avoid that pain in our life. By doing this,
the Stoics thought, we can hope to attain a truly joyful life.
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1 comment(s)
I read selected chapters of the book as I felt that some of them do not apply to me.
The book is written outstandingly. I felt that it perfectly maintains the balance between the philosophical dimension and the practical element of Stoicism. So, it is nearer to original texts compared to Ryan Holiday books but not so dry like the original texts.
Overall, it can be a good starting point for someone interested in understanding Stoicism.
What can you read after
A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy?
About the Author:
William B. Irvine is Professor of Philosophy at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He is the author of On Desire: Why We Want What We Want.
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