Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 2,842 ratings

Price: 17.72

Last update: 02-26-2025


About this item

Instant New York Times Advice & Business best seller, USA Today best seller, and Wall Street Journal number one best seller!

A New York Times Noteworthy Pick and a "stellar work" by Publishers Weekly

From the best-selling authors of The Daily Stoic comes an inspiring guide to the lives of the Stoics, and what the ancients can teach us about happiness, success, resilience, and virtue.

Nearly 2,300 years after a ruined merchant named Zeno first established a school on the Stoa Poikile of Athens, Stoicism has found a new audience among those who seek greatness, from athletes to politicians and everyone in between. It's no wonder; the philosophy and its embrace of self-mastery, virtue, and indifference to that which we cannot control is as urgent today as it was in the chaos of the Roman Empire.

In Lives of the Stoics, Holiday and Hanselman present the fascinating lives of the men and women who strove to live by the timeless Stoic virtues of Courage. Justice. Temperance. Wisdom. Organized in digestible, mini-biographies of all the well-known - and not so well-known - Stoics, this book vividly brings home what Stoicism was like for the people who loved it and lived it, dusting off powerful lessons to be learned from their struggles and successes.

More than a mere history book, every example, from Epictetus to Marcus Aurelius - slaves to emperors - is designed to help the listener apply philosophy in their own lives. Holiday and Hanselman unveil the core values and ideas that unite figures from Seneca to Cato to Cicero across the centuries. Among them are the idea that self-rule is the greatest empire, that character is fate; how Stoics benefit from preparing not only for success, but failure; and learn to love, not merely accept, the hand they are dealt in life. A treasure of valuable insights and stories, this book can be visited again and again by any listener in search of inspiration from the past.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Sonny N.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Compelling Journey Through Stoic Philosophy and History
    Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2024
    Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman is a captivating exploration of the lives and teachings of Stoic philosophers. This book offers readers a profound and insightful look into the principles of Stoicism through the lens of its most influential figures.

    The narrative is both engaging and informative, bringing to life the stories of key Stoic philosophers such as Zeno, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. Each chapter delves into the personal lives, struggles, and triumphs of these thinkers, highlighting how their philosophies shaped their actions and legacies. The authors skillfully intertwine historical context with philosophical insights, making the book both educational and entertaining.

    Holiday and Hanselman’s writing is accessible and thought-provoking, providing a clear and relatable explanation of Stoic principles. The book not only explores the theoretical aspects of Stoicism but also demonstrates how these ancient teachings can be applied to modern life. The practical wisdom gleaned from each philosopher's life is presented in a way that is both inspiring and actionable.

    One of the standout features of Lives of the Stoics is its ability to bring ancient philosophy to life in a way that resonates with contemporary readers. The authors’ deep understanding of Stoicism and their engaging storytelling make the book a valuable resource for anyone interested in personal development, resilience, and philosophical thought.

    Overall, Lives of the Stoics is an exceptional read that offers both a historical perspective and practical guidance. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in Stoicism, philosophy, or personal growth. The book provides a rich and rewarding exploration of how the wisdom of ancient Stoic philosophers can still offer valuable lessons for living a meaningful and fulfilling life. Highly recommended for its insightful and inspiring content!
  • Tuomas R
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stoic lifes
    Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2024
    This is intriguing and interesting book tells not about Stoic principles of living a good life, but about people who did live more or less according to these principles. Not what they said or taught, but what they did and how they lived. That Stoicism is really about.
    It is art of living and without action and real-life practice, it would be just dusty books in library shelf.
  • Gary Moreau, Author
    4.0 out of 5 stars Courage, Temperance, Justice, Wisdom
    Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2020
    This book is a history of Stoicism. More accurately it is a compilation of mini-biographies of the most famous Stoics from Zeno (334 BCE – 262 BCE) to Marcus Aurelius (121 AD - 180 AD), the Platonian philosopher king, as well as Cicero, Cato the Younger, and Porcia Cato the Iron Woman, among others.

    Stoicism is built around four virtues: “Courage, Temperance, Justice, [and] Wisdom.” And that’s pretty much it. There are no rituals, no sacred text, and no organized institution of worship.

    There were recognized “leaders”, Zeno being the first, but they didn’t have offices or official duties, as Stoics at least. They were teachers, authors, politicians, and generals. Aurelius even became Emperor.

    They were considered philosophers, but few resembled philosophers as most of us think of that moniker today. The word philosophy has had an extremely fluid and often imprecise etymology over the centuries. The first definition offered by Webster’s today is “all learning exclusive of technical precepts and practical arts.” At the time of Newton, however, science and philosophy were used synonymously. During the early days of Stoicism, “Zeno divided the curriculum of Stoicism into three parts: physics, ethics, and logic.”

    The meaning of stoicism has changed as well. “The word ‘stoic’ in English [today] means the unemotional endurance of pain.” To the Stoics, however, Stoic was all about the active pursuit of virtue and justice. It was a pro-active quality, not a defense mechanism.

    There was/is an emphasis on listening. “Zeno said that we were given two ears and one mouth for a reason…” And it was forward looking. We die the day we are born in the sense that the time already past in our lives is not something we can do anything about. We can only try harder, pursuing to improve that which we can control and accepting that which we can’t. Don’t worry about the rules, just do it, to adopt a modern commercial tag line.

    The other distinguishing characteristic of Stoicism is the emphasis on the common good, not self-interest. Many Stoics went into politics out of a sense of obligation, not a grab for power and wealth.

    Stoicism is a way to live that no Stoic has ever fully achieved, however, although some of the Stoics described clearly led virtuous lives by any standard. But not perfect.

    Many were born into wealth and privilege. Nearly all accepted the institution of slavery (one of the most famous Stoics had been a slave) and the brutality of war. But, as the authors conclude, “Most of all, the Stoics taught us by the fact that they tried.”

    I was often reminded of Confucius (551 BCE – 479 BCE) throughout the book and he is referenced a few times. Confucius lived during a tumultuous time in the history of China. Neighboring fiefdoms were at constant war and Confucius was ultimately called upon to help sort it all out.

    He concluded that peace could never be fully maintained by the armed agents of the state (i.e. the police or the military). As soon as that authority leaves, as lethally as it may be armed, the mayhem would return. He understood, quite correctly, that self-restraint is the only weapon against constant bedlam and that self-restraint would only take hold if there was a value system of peace and cooperation shared by all. And for him that value system turned on the internalization of values and behaviors built on an inviolate sense of obligation to others. (Pretty Stoic, I think.)

    It is a worthy set of values, to be sure. But not always easy to live by 24/7. There are contradictions in every philosophy and belief system. A devout Stoic, Rusticus had a Christian who did no more than follow his faith put to death. Not because he found him deserving – he didn’t - but because that was the law of Rome at the time. And Seneca, one of history’s most famous Stoics, was a tutor and advisor to Nero, perhaps the most deranged and ruthless leader of all time.

    But why write this book now? Stoicism remains an active, if inconspicuous, philosophy among many, including some in positions of political power.

    Well, there is little possible debate that America today is starting to look a lot like Rome before its collapse. Greed, corruption, and the pursuit of self-interest at the expense of the common good are in abundant supply. And these are, in fact, the antithesis of the virtue and justice that Stoicism stands for. If only we had three ears and four eyes and could look away from our technology for just a moment we’d see it.

    In the end this is a very good book and very well written by two authors who are eminently qualified to write it. I didn’t give it a 5 only because that didn’t seem like the Stoic thing to do. Just kidding. I would have liked to see more philosophical exploration of why the four virtues are the right ones, but that is admittedly a failure of my own expectation, not the authors’ promise, which they deliver fully on.

    Read it. You will learn much from the lives portrayed.
  • adan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good Resource
    Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2025
    An account of all the lives of Philosophers that influenced the Roman Empire and also Greek Democracy. It serves well as a comparison and example for modern lives.
  • Chris Plemmons
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommend
    Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2023
    This is a great history and information about the original and influencers of Stoicism. I really enjoyed reading and studying this book. It's a treasure-trove of information, laid out well and easy to read. Each chapter is a specific historical figure. You can read this start to finish, or go back and randomly flip to a chapter and re-read it. This is a book I go back to over and over each year. Highly recommend if you have any interest in the Stoics at all.
  • Laurel Jones
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Collection of the Lives of the Ancient Stoics
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2020
    For anyone curious about the Stoics and their philosophy, this book is a must-read. All the known Stoics of the ancient world, from the best known to the most obscure, are compiled in this accessible, easy to read volume, in chronological order. We learn about how these Stoics were connected to one another, and to other important figures in ancient Greece and Rome. We learn about the surprising variations in how each applied his or her (yes, there's a woman Stoic in there too) philosophy, even when they disagreed with one another. All their strengths and weaknesses, their successes and failures, their interactions with the people in power, their exiles and triumphant or not so triumphant returns. It's all here, waiting for students of Stoic philosophy and ancient history alike.

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