The Classical Manual on Virtue - and Effectiveness

Recommended by our nation's ADHD doctor Hallowell, this classic is one of those "idea books" you read and it becomes clear it was written ......Loooooooong ago, and Faaaaar away. I dunno Who out there "champions" stoic philosophy anymore, save for some philo' or Greco Roman history professors on college campuses, but I most appreciated Sharon Lebell's shared understandings about the role of this type of thinking and writing, and it relevance and impact for "moderns" like me. Aside, the used reader (book) was in fine condition and arrived on time.

This is wonderful in my Kindle library. Any time I am challenged, I can go to this book and find a place of peace and positive instruction in every day language. Definitely should be in everyone's library.

A classic manual on virtue is exactly what this book is. It is written as a collection of 1 or 2 page thoughts, each good for a daily reminder, each one gem. This is the most practical advice I have ever read. I keep it by the bedside, and have given copies to many friends.

I was looking for some very early law of attraction literature and did find some interesting language that pertains here. However, I wonder how much of this message was distorted through the translation. I'll never know because I don't speak ancient Greek. Regardless, the wisdom is fascinating in its applicability to the modern day. This was a quick read - finished in an afternoon and certainly worth the time.

I was looking for some very early law of attraction literature and did find some interesting language that pertains here. However, I wonder how much of this message was distorted through the translation. I'll never know because I don't speak ancient Greek. Regardless, the wisdom is fascinating in its applicability to the modern day. This was a quick read - finished in an afternoon and certainly worth the time.

An excellent read, the kind that you want to keep around for years to reference. The book was in excellent condition when it arrived. I was pleased with the delivery and quality, especially for the price.

So, basically, I was hoping for a new, updated take on the works of a brilliant philosopher and instead picked up the largest book of one-liners that would rival any fortune cookie factory in coherent, worth-while text.

I was hoping for an accessible Epictetus and instead I get "Chicken Soup for the Stoic Soul". If you're interested in understanding Epictetus, or Stoic thought in general you'll be sorely disappointed with this book. What's presented here is far better suited for a page a day calendar than a book (though given how meager the contents are, I doubt it would make it much past mid-summer).

This IS NOT Epictetus's MANUAL! This is an interpretation and poor translation of the concepts contained in the manual. The author clearly has an agenda and it is written with the viewpoint of a woman and a mother. There is nothing wrong with that JUST DON'T PUT EPICTETUS AS THE AUTHOR! I am certain he would be unable to recognize this as his teaching. Good news is that he probably wouldn't care since he never wrote anything down. Historical context is an important aspect of understanding Epictetus and this book fails to bring the reader any closer to the great teacher. All in all, this is a FUN READ, just not what it purports to be.

As a fan of the Stoic philosophy of Epictetus (epic-TEE-tus), I was excited to find this modern language interpretation of his timeless and ancient teachings. I am equally excited to say Sharon Lebell’s clear and easy to read interpretation met the spirit and intent of Epictetus’s teachings. I would recommend this book as not only a good introduction to Epictetus for anyone unfamiliar with him, but also as a refreshing perspective of Epictetus to anyone familiar with his teachings.

Lebell very accurately described Epictetus’s philosophy in the Prologue: “For Epictetus… [h]appiness and personal fulfillment are the natural consequences of doing the right thing…Part of his genius is his emphasis on moral ‘progress’ over the seeking of moral ‘perfection’…not a matter of following a laundry list of precepts, but of bringing our actions and desires into harmony with nature…Goodness is…available to ‘anyone’ at any time…It is not the exclusive province of “spiritual professionals,” such as monks, saints, or ascetics…His prescription for the good life centered on three main themes: mastering your desires, performing your duties, and learning to think clearly about yourself and your relations within the larger community of humanity.”

The more I am exposed to Epictetus's teachings, the more I am impressed by his 'common man approach' to the many challenges and opportunities to living a good and virtuous life. My main take-aways from Epictetus are to understand and focus on what I can control, and to recognize and accept those things I cannot control. By chance, I read Lebell’s two short essays at the end of the book ("Epi-Who? How a 2,000-Year-Old Dead White Male Changed My Life," and "Why Would Anyone Want to Be a Stoic?") before I read the book from the beginning. I felt like those essays gave me great insights into Lebell's thinking and approach to Stoicism and Epictetus, and helped motivate me even more to read her excellent book.

I gave this to my Nephew when he was struggling
You must read this book over and over again, and reflect on each passage deeply
Please read with a view to practical use and not scholarly nitpicking.
" Moral Progress results in Freedom from inner turmoil " Epictetus
I have gone back to this book over and over and over again
"Many confuse the Good life with the means to it; for example Wealth and Status with that life itself " Epictectus
"Vigilantly practice indifference to externals, Your Happiness can only be won from within'
"Freedom does not mean getting and having anything you want"
"When someone you love dies, do not say I have lost them....rather they have been returned to where they came from "
"You may very well have to forego Wealth and Status for Freedom" Epictetus
"A life of Narrow self-interest is not to be esteemed "
"Your relentless pursuit of wisdom among many authors, actually precludes you from realizing it"

Very Commonsense and Spiritual advice

Let me start by saying this is NOT a translation, as many people put in their review of this book. It is an interpretation. That said, one should not expect the text to be Epictetus' work word for word. Instead, the author, Sharon Lebell tries to modernize the work of Epictetus so that people living in the 21st century can learn various tips on how to approach situations in life as a wise stoic.

I went into this book with not much prior information other than some quotes I was impressed with by Epictetus. I wanted to learn more about him, so I found this book in the book store and was pleased. It is very concise and extremely readable. It does not go into detail about certain principles Epictetus lived by, but it gives very brief tips on how to accept things that cannot be controlled and control the things that are within control. I'm not a speed reader and I do tend to get impatient with books, but the way this book is designed, that is short, and constantly moving to the next point, made it easy to read right through.

Overall, I felt like this book spurred a new desire for wisdom. Philosophy is a vast field and Epictetus covers only a small area. This book was a good introduction, and definitely gave me some new perspective on life, but it wasn't exactly what is taught by the great minds. That is why I'll start reading actual translations of greek philosophers. One can gain a lot of wisdom from the great minds of the past, who were much more free in thought than the minds of today. My next book is "The Emperor's Handbook" (Meditations) by Marcus Aurelius, translated by the Hicks brothers. He was a greatly influenced by Epictetus and stoicism.

The great Roman thinker Epictetus is perhaps best known because of his most successful pupil; Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Epictetus is among many in a long line of Stoic philosophers from that era who emphasize the importance of logic, virtue, and control of one's emotions. The Art of Living is not merely a translation of his philosophy, but a collection of his ideas paraphrased by Sharon Lebell. The result is a concise depiction of Epictetus' views.

Generally speaking it believed by advocates of Eastern philosophy that Western thoughts such as those presented by Epictetus tend to be overly cerebral. Yet as Epictetus illustrates, this belief does a disservice to Western Philosophy. Stoicism maintains the same ideals as Eastern philosophy in that it has the same end in mind; mainly that man's highest value is inner peace. The large difference is merely in the manner of reaching that point. Western philosophy is generally centered on a more practical approach with emphasis on the choices we make rather than just the focus of our thoughts. It is an intriguing difference and for those interested in ancient Western philosophy this book presents a fair look into the mindset of one of its most prominent thinkers.

The overall presentation of this book is very concise. No more than a few hundred words are spent on each point. This of course does not detract form the wisdom presented, but for those looking for a comprehensive study of Epictetus' ideas this is not the book for you. Lebell's rendition also can be somewhat preachy and cliche at times, which may or may not have been the intention of Epictetus, but some may quickly grow tired of the "you should do this/you should do that" style of writing. The book provides enough wisdom to be worthwhile, but it should be treated as nothing more than a very rudimentary introduction to Epictetus.

A short but thorough book covering a wealth of Stoic maxims, The Art of Living is a must-read for anyone interested in the philosophy of Stoicism. I found the words of Epictetus to almost come to life with their illustrious nature on how we can more fully embrace life and overcome obstacles thru a stoic mentality. Use this book as a reference for reciting many of Epictetus' maxims contained within.