How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life

An engaging guide to how Stoicism—the ancient philosophy of Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius—can help us flourish today.

“One of the best explorations of Stoic philosophy that I’ve read.” —Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek 

Whenever we worry about what to eat, how to love, or simply how to be happy, we are worrying about how to lead a good life. No goal is more elusive.  

In this thoroughly updated edition of the modern classic How to Be a Stoic, philosopher Massimo Pigliucci offers Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that inspired Emperor Marcus Aurelius, as the best way to live well. Stoicism is a pragmatic philosophy that focuses our attention on what is possible and gives us perspective on what is unimportant. By understanding Stoicism, we can learn to answer crucial questions: Should we get married or divorced? How should we handle our money when our markets are in turmoil? How can we survive great personal tragedy?  

Whoever we are, Stoicism has something for us—and How to Be a Stoic is the essential guide.

 

Massimo Pigliucci is the K. D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. The author or editor of twenty-one books, he has been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Salon, among others. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.