A Guide To The Good Life - by Willian B. Irvine

It takes a certain frame of mind and the experiences that come with age to embrace stoicism as a philosophy for life.

This book is an introduction and, moreover, a practical guide. It’s a well paced and informative piece. It discusses common questions and tackles the skepticism that arises when reading about or adopting a stoic life.

It’s a base for those unaware of its principles and it’s certainly a first step on the path of discovery and understanding the work of great thinkers like Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and Seneca. It’s filled with insights on how to balance stoic ideas and behaviours with our day-to-day.

Personally, it’s one of the most quotable books I’ve ever read. I found myself making annotations on almost every page. I do feel that it makes for a better experience if whoever reads it can relate to the subjects and stoicism in general on a personal level.

These days people may not see the need to adopt a philosophy for life. Instead, we spend our days working with the goal of affording the latest consumer gadget. We resolute to believe that if we buy enough, we will have a life both meaningful and maximally fulfilling. These, instead, tend to lead to a life plagued with anger, anxiety, fear, grief and envy, which for stoicism, will not be a good life.