| Title | : | The Tao of Seneca: Practical Letters from a Stoic Master, Volume 1 |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Audible Audio |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
The Tao of Seneca: Practical Letters from a Stoic Master, Volume 1 Reviews
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"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."
This amazing book (Volume 1 of 3) is filled with words and pearls of wisdom that will guide us to live a wise, contented and practical life. It is in the form of letters, from Seneca to his young protege. Seneca feels that this is the best way to get and pass wisdom - listening to the wise and the old.
The Tao of Seneca: Practical Letters from a Stoic Master, Volume 1 is based on Stoicism, which is a practical philosophy of life. This philosophy is more rational and down-to-earth, particularly when compared to the faith based philosophies like religions. The most important highlight of this philosophy is, that it is first and foremost an ethical way of thought and living.
The contents of this book, even though written way back about 2000 years ago, feel like they were written as recent and fresh as yesterday. They are so very applicable for today`s life. Indeed, the contents of these letters can be counted as timeless truths and pearls of wisdom .
Timothy Ferriss does a pretty good job of deconstructing and simplying these wise words, by adding his personal notes and life experiences of today`s modern stoics.
A must-read!"Happy the man who improves other people not merely when he is in their presence but even when he is in their thoughts."
(Source: Wikipedia)
Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BC – AD 65) -
These are the first 65 letters of Seneca to Lucilius. There's a lot to gain from reading about stoicism if only to compare one's way of living to the way of living of the stoics.
Seneca tells Lucilius how to live a good life. At the heart of it: learning to distinguish vice from virtue and developing the discipline to follow the virtuous path. He tackles on various themes: friendship, death, grief, fear, travel, work, inequalities, wealth, poverty...
What can I say? Lucilius was a lucky guy. -
Great daily listen for short trips. Buy if you like meditation, etc., January 22, 2016
Note re: all the negative reviews.
Yes, there's a few bugs in the audio every 10 mins for the first hour or so. The audio glitches last like 2-3 seconds, but that resolves pretty quickly. I'm sure they will fix it. Don't let 5 seconds of glitched audio taint your view of the value of the other 99.9% of the audio. Funny enough, the stoic philosophy helps you let things slide a little easier, so a bit of buggy audio may be a brilliant test to see if you get thrown into 1-star-review-rage ;)
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When I hear Seneca I think BORING, like reading the Bible. I tried to read "Letters From A Stoic" but I just couldn't do it, it felt like something I was forced to read in high school, so I resisted it.
My philosophy on audio is that I'd rather listen to a podcast, but I'm glad I bought this audiobook.
The first letter is pretty long, and so is the last one ... the rest aren't like that.
The bulk of the letters are short enough to make part of your daily ritual. You can listen to one a day since the majority of them are bite size 5-15 minute chunks.
The preface is a fun origin story.
If you are in a high stress environment, in a high performance career or trying to attain a greater level of self-development, these ancient letters give good insight on the Stoic philosophy.
Well worth the 1 credit on audible, I preordered the other 2 as well.
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My 3 favorite quotes from this book have been:
"Why do you wonder that globetrotting does not help you, seeing that you take yourself with you ." - BAM you just got served by Socrates.
"You know Harpaste, my wife's female clown; she has remained in my house, a burden incurred from a legacy. I particularly disapprove of these freaks; whenever I wish to enjoy the quips of a clown, I am not compelled to hunt far; I can laugh at myself. Now this clown suddenly became blind. The story sounds incredible, but I assure you that it is true: she does not know that she is blind. She keeps asking her attendant to change her quarters; she says that her apartments are too dark."
^My wife's female clown? If anything, this book is an eye opening look into the lives of people in Roman times.
"I have no fear of ceasing to exist. It is the same as not having begun."
^Wise words on death.
UPDATE June 2016:
I started this book in January 2016 and I just finished it. My goal was 1 letter a day ... I obviously fell off the rails more than a few times, since there are ~70 chapters - but I'm very happy with the book. The insight into the daily lives and thoughts of people in Seneca's time is very interesting. I will definitely move on to Volume 2. -
It was okay. Seneca's arguments have a lot of the trappings of most of the philosophers of that time using for example "great chain of being" arguments to justify particular beliefs, which is a bit of a turnoff. But, many of the topics discussed were surprisingly relevant, and made me put a more critical eye on my feelings towards old age, speaking plainly vs speaking with unnecessary flourish, death, valor and honor, purposeful philosophy vs wasteful mental gymnastics, and so on. In short, the reasoning was shaky but the subject matter and viewpoint was pretty interesting.
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Tim Ferriss, an angel investor, advisor to big companies like Facebook, Uber, etc reprinted some Seneca papers as "guiding manual" to those big CEOs. Not all papers are good, not all advice makes sense, should have been a mix between various philosophers and not only Seneca. I liked the most the papers around slavery and of Masters, that even the rich have one once they get older...makes a lot of sense. Otherwise, I find it as a good way to influence those CEOs to Stoicism and in an extension to cynicism.
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Seneca's letters are surprisingly accessible and packed with wisdom. Not a quick read, however. Each letter needs to be pondered. They definitely left me thirsting for more stoic philosophy.
I could have done without Tim Ferriss' introduction, however. In one place he interrupts the flow of the letters to warn us that the next letter "On Being" was not as practical and applicable as the rest of the letters. What he derided as "Seneca on Shrooms" turned out to be one of my favorites.
"On The Faults of the Spirit" had my sides splitting. You can read it here:
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Moral_...
My only reservation about this work is that he is so preoccupied with death that in places he seems to be speaking of suicide in somewhat glorifying terms. I get his point, but it's belabored. -
There is a lot of recent hype about Stocism. Instead of reading tweets and small factoids it's good to read some of the early work on it to form your own opinion. This book is just that.
It's amazing that these letters were written around 2,000 years ago as it's just as relevant today. For those familiar with modern self help books or NLP etc there isn't anything groundbreaking here. Still worth the read as a side book. -
These ancient letters from a philosopher to his friend/student are fascinating. They have practical wisdom and simple challenges to offer. They're especially suited for those who are wealthy, as Seneca and his friend were from the elite class of Roman society. So they challenge the idea that pleasure is worth pursuing and warn against the corrupting influence of the crowds. They include challenges to fast and wear simple clothing for a few days and ask yourself, "Is this the condition I so feared?"
And they're also redundant and pompous. I liked them, but I don't know that I'll live differently because of them. -
Audiobook. This is completely excellent, a highly inspiring work. It's the first volume of a series of letters written by a Roman mentor to his young compatriot. The intervening 20 centuries have removed nothing of the wisdom and relevance of the statements. The original translation is from the early 20th century (and it brings a full flavor of Seneca's writings to suggest that he seems to have been very impressed with himself!).
The basic premise of Stoicism is existentialism of the soul; regardless of circumstance, or even the condition of the body, the reality of one's soul transcends all. Everything is external except the soul, which remains preserved as long as it is not defied or denied by one's lifestyle or attitude. It posits that a person can never be truly enslaved if his soul is free. This principle has been echoed in many teachings since Seneca's day.
The style of delivery may not be for everyone; it's certainly not touchy-feely or woo-woo but a blunt, self-reliant, and self-controlled approach to personal enlightenment and moral improvement. It would be very useful reading for anyone going through a tough time such as personal loss or illness, but it's also inspiring when things are going well and you need to be reminded not to take good times for granted. Stoicism has much in common with other philosophies, and my thought is that if everyone attempted to live by these basic principles then the world would be a happier place.
I'd have to admit that I was pleased to have read this as an audiobook. Listening to someone read this to me while I did other things (cycle commuting, working out on my indoor rower, watering my garden) was a lot easier than if I had sat down to read it myself. That might sound a bit lazy, but in fact the reading was absolutely meditative and allowed me to drink in the gist while my subconscious was flowing on other things. If I had tried to read the text from a book while on my couch, I would have found it difficult to concentrate fully on it. -
This was one of the most important books that I read in my entire life. It changed me in so many ways that is indescribable.
Full of knowledge on how to live well, in peace with your mind and soul. How to be good (in a sense of justice). How to not fall into the traps of your own mind. How to be polite, to live in the present, to not be hunted by the past or worried about the future.
How to connect with nature and other people. How to be honorable and respectful.
The stoicism has a lot to teach, especially in this world we live where people tend to give more meaning to things that one should.
It took me almost a year to read this. (Actually listen to). Because every letter Seneca writes to Epicurius is so full of wisdom that you need time to digest. -
While I rate the writings of Seneca highly, this audiobook left a lot to be desired. First of all the introduction and interruptions by Tim Ferriss are annoying. I don't care what his favourite letters are, or why. Or that he thinks that the next letter is "Seneca on mushrooms." It's up to the listener of these letters to decide which are relevant or interesting.
I also found it incredibly cheap that this is just volume 1, when I have the entire collection of letters in one volume at home. The narration was also weird, in that the narrator puts on a voice to sound more like Seneca (a wise, Roman philosopher with a beard). This gets old really fast and you can tell that it's an act the longer you listen to it. It doesn't add anything of value to the actual letters.
For me, this version of Seneca's letters to Lucilius are quite mediocre in the way they are brought to us. Next time I'll try to steer clear of audiobook versions of classic philosophical works. -
I use it regularly while commuting. It’s good to reinforce stoic principles and concepts on a daily basis.
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I know it’s in the next letter but
“With that stump of an arm he conquered two kings” sums it up quite nicely. -
Great performance by the audiobook narrator. As for the content, if we're reading it 2000 years later, it really should be an automatic 5.0 on Goodreads.
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The Tao of Seneca by Seneca – one of the greatest thinkers in the history of humankind
http://realini.blogspot.com/2013/10/d...
10 out of 10
Seneca, AI and The Future of Philosophy
I am convinced that Artificial Intelligence will change philosophy, just as it will transform almost all other areas of human development, replacing humans at the cashier desk, in doctor’s offices, on the battlefield, at the wheel of cars…evidently, philosophy is a whole together different kettle of fish, ‘love of wisdom’ should not be in any way attributed to a machine – love in that context would be an oxymoron, albeit if we ‘philosophize’ and think of Thomas Mann, humans do not have the ability to ‘love’ on a regular basis, and we find the definition of the word in art, our feelings are generally much feebler and are not best described by ‘my love is as a fever longing still for that which longer nursest the disease…’
But I dare say that after Singularity will have taken place
http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/10/w... this reader will give his Cortana, AI assistant as a task to think of the Best Possible Philosophy aka Religion of the Future, which would be one that is most likely personalized – as in one for me, another one for you – unless of course we do not all transcend into a Nightmare Alley – I hear good things about this new release by the way, Guillermo del Toro at the helm, Bradley cooper, Cate Blanchet and quite a few others…we definitely need to see this soon – a dumb future like in Idiocracy, which is quite possible, seeing that more than a billion – what am I saying, maybe three or more – opt for the most ludicrous leaders and democracy does not seem to work.
That is another task for AI aka the Intelligence that will cumulate and surpass all that humankind has been able to know, understand, think – to philosophize and work out a new system, for democracy alas does not fulfill its task and yes, Churchill was right in saying it is the worst – except for all others – and I have had the ‘chance’ to live under communism and still enjoy the benefits, which will outlast me, but we need look no further than America and see what the Ultimate Idiot and his one hundred million plus admirers (he has fans outside the borders of his country, maybe north of the billion mentioned)
To stay with philosophy and Seneca – who is allegedly the subject of this note, but it looks like AI has already taken over here, in that it makes this admirer long for the moment when all that Thinking and Philosophizing Power will be available to talk to, have It explain things, find solution to quagmires – why not, even extract me from the Quarantine (splendid chef d’oeuvre by Jim Crace, a note on it is ready to be posted on the blog soon)
http://realini.blogspot.com/ in which I find myself, trapped with two macaws that are left into my exclusive care, which means that I cannot leave the house and the birds to scream and shout, except for a couple of hours or so, then there is the pressure of selling, financial duress, the big fracture dividing the rest of the family, the prospect of war next door and gas as dear as gold…in a nutshell
Artificial Intelligence will be able to square the circle and find the perfect combination between Seneca, Stoicism and Hedonism, with touches of Zen Buddhism - which I understand shares much with Stoicism
http://realini.blogspot.com/ - and introducing rules form Positive Psychology – research confirms many if not most Stoic precepts…take the example of the effect that money has on wellbeing, where although it is important in that sleeping on the street does not condone happiness, money does not equal bliss, as demonstrated by tests made with winner of more than one million dollars at lottery and the study looking at the happiest people, who have strong bonds with family and friends and not big piles of money in common, demonstrating what Seneca was saying in his letters…
Sometimes it feels like there may be a contradiction between Flow and Nirvana – the state when we feel we need…nothing more, craving is the source of unhappiness for Buddhists and Stoics alike – Flow will require intense action, participation, while a Zen attitude is the exact opposite, transcendence, catharsis achieved through Detachment, not involvement and this is where AI will come into effect and tell us when to sleep and meditate and when to do jumping jacks and live with maximum intensity, what the French call vivre a fond – in contrast maybe with the well know La Dolce Vita, dolce far niente
The under signed thinks he has found (part of) the solution for Climate Change, what we need to still have this planet to live on and that is Stoicism to Save the Planet – an app, web site and more should be dedicated to this, or maybe there is something out there – which will play a key role in teaching humanity to stop consumerism, learn from luminaries like Seneca to ‘wish for what we already have’…as it is, Yuval Harari – perhaps the equivalent of Seneca in this century – explains in his marvelous works, Sapiens and Homo Deus, that if people around the world were to have the same living standard as those in America have, we would need more planets than this one, for it does not hold enough resources
http://realini.blogspot.com/2021/02/s...
The Economist has published a study some days ago, which showed that if humans were vegan, then we would only need a quarter of the arable land, because the rest is used to feed animals – which are tortured and massacred in their billions now – and that would be both ethical, moral and good for the environment, plus it would be in line with what the Stoics preached – restraint,
The Supercomputer of the future will go beyond the famous Aristotelian Golden Mean – finding a balance between one extreme and the other, say when one is a Miser, giving nothing and another is giving all he has and leaves his family on the streets
http://realini.blogspot.com/2021/02/i... - and find a Composite, sophisticated mathematical formula which will be applied to everyday life: at one thirty three I need my siesta (and then like in that Latin American joke, maybe a revolution) then at four zero five it is time to be stoic and at six twenty two it will be the start of Hedonic Activity number sixteen, with the Count Your Blessings exercise in the evening, when tens of other fruitful, blissful, cathartic events will have taken place…some quotes:
‘We are dying daily and need to understand that…it is the same for the sick man if he is one golden bed or on one made of wood, the sickness longing for riches cannot be alleviated’ -
The Tao of Seneca is an introduction to Stoic philosophy through the words of Seneca. If you study Seneca, you’ll be in good company. He was popular with the educated elite of the Greco-Roman Empire, but Thomas Jefferson also had Seneca on his bedside table. Thought leaders in Silicon Valley tout the benefits of Stoicism, and NFL management, coaches, and players alike – from teams such as the Patriots and Seahawks – have embraced it because the principles make them better competitors. Stoicism is a no-nonsense philosophical system designed to produce dramatic real-world effects. Think of it as an ideal operating system for thriving in high-stress environments. This is your guide.
I have studied stoicism before, but I had not read Seneca. I knew of Seneca by reputation alone. This audio book was my first encounter with this wise and thoughtful man.
I made some notes about the ideas that stuck me as being valuable:
Key ideas/notes:
• Periodically rehearse the worst-case scenarios to toughen up yourself mentally
• A well-ordered mind is a man’s ability to remain in one place and linger in his own company
•Linger among the limited number of master thinkers and digest their works if you would derive
ideas which shall win firm hold in your mind
• If a man is contented, he is not poor. It is not the man who has little, but the man who craves more that is poor
• What is the proper limit to wealth? First, to have what is necessary. Second, to have what is enough
• If you consider someone a friend whom you do not trust as much as you trust yourself, you are mistaken
• Make judgement before when getting to know someone, and then make them your friend without anymore judgement
• Share all your worries and reflections. Regard him as loyal, and you will make him loyal
• No man can have a peaceful life who thinks too much about lengthening it
• Nature provides what is necessary. It is the superfluous that makes men sweat
• He who has made a fair compact with poverty is rich
• Be persistent with your studies and make it each day your endeavor to become a better person
• Do not be conspicuous with your philosophy. Inwardly, we are to be different in all respects. Our exterior, however, should conform to society
• Try to maintain a higher standard of life than the multitude, but not a contrary standard. Otherwise, we shall frighten away and repel the very persons we are trying to improve
• The first thing philosophy aims to give is empathy and sociability
• Motto: live according to nature
• Plain living, but not penance
• Limiting desires curves fears
• Fear follows hope, they are closely aligned together
• Memory recalls the torches of fear, while foresight anticipates them
• No good thing is pleasant to possess without friends to share it
• Withdraw into yourself, associate with those who will make a better man out of you, welcome those whom you yourself can improve. The process is mutual for men learn while they teach
• Despise everything that useless toil creates an object of ornament and beauty. Nothing except the soul is worthy of wonder
• The very service of philosophy is freedom
• The wise man is self-sufficient, though he does desire friends
• If you are loved, love. There is great pleasure in maintaining old and established friendships and in beginning and acquiring new ones
• The wise man is sufficient unto himself for a happy existence
• As we hate solitude and crave society, as nature draws man to each other, there is an attraction that makes us desire friendship
• Whoever does not regard what he has as ample wealth is unhappy, though he be master of the whole world
• Unblessed is he who thinks himself unblessed. What does your condition matter if it is bad in your own eyes
• Happy is the man who can make others better not merely when he is in their company but even when he is in their thoughts
• We must have someone according to whom we may regulate our character
• Life is most delightful when it’s gone its downward slope but not its abrupt decline
• Death should be looked in the face by old and young alike
• Let us go to sleep everyday with joy and gladness
• The best ideas are common property
• The only man who can go in confidently is the one who has seen his own blood
• We suffer more in imagination that in reality
• We can indulge the body once in a while, but do not be a slave to it
• 3 main causes of fear: want, sickness, and the troubles which result from the violence of the stronger
• Avoid 3 things: hatred, jealousy, and scorn
• He who needs riches least enjoys riches most
• He who craves riches feels fear on their account
• By overloading the body with food, you strangle the soul and render it less active
• Exercise the body quickly and don’t spend too much time. Come back to exercising the mind day and night
• Important is the practice of daily reflection. It is more important to keep the resolutions you have already made than to go on and make nobler ones
• Philosophy will teach you to follow God and endure chance
• If you live according to nature, you will never be poor. If you live according to opinion, you will never be rich
• Opinions, the false, and human desires are limitless. The necessity of nature is limited
• No good is without reason, and reason is in accordance with nature. Reason is copying nature. The greatest good that men can possess is to conduct oneself according to what nature wills
• The absolute good of man’s nature is satisfied with peace of the body and peace in the soul
• It is more of an accomplishment to break one’s way through difficulties than to keep joy within bounds
Overall, this book was fantastic. I found myself pausing after many letters and just thinking to myself. I took plenty of time to reflect on how there were several aspects of my life where applying Stoicism would help me create better results as it would force me to keep my emotions in check. Rather, I knew where I could use more logic and rationale to make better decisions. -
This was my first incursion into stoicism, and in this case, through an audio book. I was amazed by the practicality of the reflection, even though it is not structured as we are often used to by contemporary authors.
From reflections about how to face death, body fitness and even dressing code, many letters may require a careful rereading as they have more to add than we can take on a first pass through an audio book. -
I was very excited to begin this book. I chose the audio book thinking that due to the age of the work it would be easier to digest. However, I really struggled to stay interested in this. There was some sound advice, but it seemed like the goal was to sound intelligent more-so than to explain the different concepts. This I found frustrating.
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Free ebook:
https://fhww.files.wordpress.com/2017...
In many ways it’s just marketing for Tools of Titans, but it’s primarily Seneca’s original letters interspersed with interviews and commentary from “modern day stoics.” -
There's a lot here. Too much really. I get more out of meditations.
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Seneca would have been happier as a pol theologian/self help guru than philosopher.
But in his time those three trades were still one. -
Originally tried listening to a letter a day but lost steam. Eventually listened to it as I would a book. Favorite highlights below!
Letter 40: On the Proper Style for a Philosopher’s Discourse
- “Nevertheless, the word which has been long awaited sinks in more easily than the word which flits past us on the wing.”
Letter 42: On Values
- “Our stupidity may be clearly proved by the fact that we hold that buying refers only to the objects for which we pay cash, and we regard as free gifts the thing by which we spend our very selves... So true it is that each man regards nothing cheaper than himself.”
- “How few men are blessed with ownership of self.”
Letter 47: On Master and Slave
- “Slaves! No, unpretentious friends.”
- “Invite some to your table because they deserve your honor, and others that they may come to deserve it.”
Letter 50: On Our Blindness and Its Cure
- “There is no man to whom a good mind comes before an evil one... Learning virtue means unlearning vice.”
Lesson 52: On Choosing Our Teachers
- “Why do you take pleasure in being praised by men whom you yourself cannot praise?”
Letter 56: On Quiet and Studying
- Just because the body is quiet does not mean the mind is at ease. A mind which demands quiet from others is uneasy.
- I listened to this as I was thinking about whether or not I could tolerate living with a roommate that was renting out a room in my home. Timely perspective.
Letter 60: On Harmful Prayers
- “What then? Did nature give us bellies so insatiable when she gave us these puny bodies that we should outdo the hugest and most voracious animals in greed? Not at all! How small is the amount that will satisfy nature? A very little will send her away contented. It is not the natural hunger of our bellies which costs us fear but our solicitous cravings.”
Letter 61: On Meeting Death Cheerfully
- “See to it that you never do anything unwillingly. That which is bound to be a necessity if you rebel is not a necessity if you desire it. This is what I mean: he who takes his orders gladly escapes the bitterest part of slavery: doing what one does not want to do. The man who does something under orders is not unhappy; he is unhappy who does something against his will. Let us therefore so set our minds in order that we may desire whatever is demanded of us by circumstances and, above all, that we may reflect upon our end without sadness. We must make ready for death before we make ready for life. Life is well enough furnished, but we are too greedy with regard to its furnishings. Something always seems to us lacking, and will always seem to us lacking.” -
I'll give this 4.5 stars. I'm not going for 5 purely because of accessibility to the ideas - reading the original letters with very little accompanying material is hard. It took me over a year because I felt I needed so many breaks to re-frame my mind and digest the material properly.
Without wanting to scare people away, it is tough to read these letters if you are new to philosophy. It requite some effort. My previous introductions were fairly light-on, together with the excellent "Consolations of Philosophy" by Alan de Bitton, which presented philosophical ideas along with the context of the philosopher and the period it was written.
Having said that, it is ultimately rewarding. As I have written elsewhere: every paragraph carries a message and every letter reveals a beautifully written truth. I love the phrasing of these letters, even the occadional sentence is long-winded and overwhelming by modern writing standards.
Having read this on an e-reader (not the audio book), I highlighted many passages (nearly 70) and placed many bookmarks. From:
"Do you ask what is the proper limit to wealth? It is first to have what is necessary, and second to have what is enough."
To:
"Let us greedily enjoy our friends, because we do not know how long this privilege will be ours."
The book also contains some excerpts from "modern-day stoics", which serve to be interesting enough to forgive the fact that they are used to plug the author's latest book.
I recommend reading this if you want to get into the source material, even if you do so slowly. There is a lot to discover that is not repackaged in modern-day interpretations. You will also see that the wisdom is not new, and so will not die out. -
This dude wrote a lot of letters. Am glad that I've been able to read the first third of the publicised ones.
Looking forward to reflecting on my notes to absorb more internalised questions, answers & exercises for myself to pursue stoic qualities.
Excerpts from the book:
See how much keener a brave man is to lay hold of danger than a cruel man is to inflict it.
Considering not how angry the enemy is, but to what lengths he may go if he is angry.
I shall conduct you to peace of mind via another route: if you would put off all worry, assume that what you fear may happen will certainly happen in any event; whatever the trouble may be, measure it in your own mind, and estimate the amount of your fear. You will this understand that what you fear either insignificant or short-lived.
You must go to the scene of action, first, because men put more faith in their eyes than their ears, and second, because the way is long if one follows precepts, but short and helpful, if one follows patterns.
We are indeed apt to ascribe certain faults to the place or to the time; but those faults will follow us, no matter how we change our place. -
There's definitely good stuff within Stoicism to be inspired from, but I couldn't help but feel that this needed more filtering. Every now and then Seneca will say stuff that might have seemed brilliant coming from a man of his times, but with an updated science based 21th century perspective, most people will definitely notice weird stuff. I speaking of course about full on religious remarks, essentially relying on God of the Gaps (non)arguments... Statements which I'm fairly sure Tim Ferriss actually doesn't base his extraordinary life on. Why should you?
This book could've been half the size and a much better read, had the unnecessary and less practical stuff been removed. Still, I think you should check out some Stoic wisdom. There might be much better books on the topic though. -
I wanted to read Senecas letters and this was the only one I found. I skipped most of the stuff that wasn't from Seneca.
I liked it. Throughout the years I've realized that I very much approach, or at least try to see, life in a stoic manner. I enjoyed reading Senecas letters. There were a few good tips here and there, but overall my main enjoyment was to partake in the (one way) verbal exchange between two friends, more than a thousand years ago. I feel that Senecas writings are more approachable than Marcus Aurelius scattered writings. A very soothing read overall. Very likely that I will revisit it before my time on earth is over (if fortune allows).
