Breakfast with Seneca
A Stoic Guide to the Art of Living
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
The first clear and faithful guide to the timeless, practical teachings of the Stoic philosopher Seneca.
Stoicism, the most influential philosophy of the Roman Empire, offers refreshingly modern ways to strengthen our inner character in the face of an unpredictable world. Widely recognized as the most talented and humane writer of the Stoic tradition, Seneca teaches us to live with freedom and purpose. His most enduring work, over a hundred “Letters from a Stoic” written to a close friend, explains how to handle adversity; overcome grief, anxiety, and anger; transform setbacks into opportunities for growth; and recognize the true nature of friendship.
In Breakfast with Seneca, philosopher David Fideler mines Seneca’s classic works in a series of focused chapters, clearly explaining Seneca’s ideas without oversimplifying them. Best enjoyed as a daily ritual, like an energizing cup of coffee, Seneca’s wisdom provides us with a steady stream of time-tested advice about the human condition—which, as it turns out, hasn’t changed much over the past two thousand years.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Ancient Roman stoic philosopher Seneca was "a profound thinker who possessed a much deeper and more satisfying vision of human life than we are encouraged to hold by society today," writes StoicInsights blogger Fideler (Restoring the Soul of the World) in this comprehensive guide to the philosopher's ideas. He first gives an overview of Stoicism as a school of thought, dispelling notions that it has anything to do with the modern word stoic, or with bottling up emotions; rather, it's about learning to transform extreme emotions through understanding. Fideler breaks down the eight core teachings of Stoicism, which include living in agreement with nature and accepting virtue as the only true good, and then digs into Seneca's approach specifically. There's an overview of his thoughts on anxiety (live in the present moment to counter it), anger (which, to Seneca, is the "worst human emotion"), and grief (which must be given its due). More tangible concerns are addressed, as well, such as relationships (friendships are crucial in life) and money (a stoic would suggest people must get over the "fear of poverty"). Fideler keeps things accessible and offers plenty of real-world examples for applying philosophy to one's life, making for a great crash course. Philosophy newbies will find this a fine introduction.
