Please help contribute to this list of popular books on Stoicism as a way of life. Vote for books on the list or suggest additions. This list isn’t for academic texts or translations of ancient Stoic texts but modern introductions to Stoicism as a way of life. What would you recommend to a friend?
Goodreads: Popular Books on Stoicism
The restriction against translations might disqualify Sharon Lebell’s The Art of Living, but I really think it deserves to be on the list. In addition to the paraphrase of Epictetus, it contains a couple of great essays about living as a modern Stoic.
I like Sharon Lebells ‘A Manual of Living’ too, a good introduction to Epictetus and Stoicism
Possibly. It’s a borderline case because it’s mainly a paraphrase of an ancient text, as I understand it. Probably worth including as long as it doesn’t just mean people then add loads of other translations of Epictetus, etc.
K. Seddon, Stoic serenity (2006)
A.A. Long, Epictetus, A stoic and socratic guide to life (Oxford 2002)
Keith Seddon’s book, yes, but I think Long’s book is mainly an academic text, rather than a popular guide to Stoicism in daily life aimed at the general public.
Pierre Hadot: “Inner Citadel”
Keith Seddon: “Epictetus Handbook and the Tablet of Cebes
Hadot’s book, like Long’s, is perhaps a bit more academic than what we had in mind. It’s not really meant as a guide to applying Stoicism in modern life, but it’s an excellent academic treatise on The Meditations.
The Handbook of Epictetus and The Tablet of Cebes are translations of ancient texts so they’re not for this particular list. Also, the Tablet of Cebes is generally believed to be a Platonic text rather than Stoic. 🙂