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A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy 1st Edition

by William B. Irvine (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 6,039 ratings
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One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives.

In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. Using the psychological insights and the practical techniques of the Stoics, Irvine offers a roadmap for anyone seeking to avoid the feelings of chronic dissatisfaction that plague so many of us. Irvine looks at various Stoic techniques for attaining tranquility and shows how to put these techniques to work in our own life. As he does so, he describes his own experiences practicing Stoicism and offers valuable first-hand advice for anyone wishing to live better by following in the footsteps of these ancient philosophers. Readers learn how to minimize worry, how to let go of the past and focus our efforts on the things we can control, and how to deal with insults, grief, old age, and the distracting temptations of fame and fortune. We learn from Marcus Aurelius the importance of prizing only things of true value, and from Epictetus we learn how to be more content with what we have.

Finally, A Guide to the Good Life shows readers how to become thoughtful observers of their own lives. If we watch ourselves as we go about our daily business and later reflect on what we saw, we can better identify the sources of distress and eventually avoid that pain in our life. By doing this, the Stoics thought, we can hope to attain a truly joyful life.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0195374614
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0195374612
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    November 4, 2008
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    1.3 x 5.4 x 7 inches
  8. Print length
    336 pages
  9. See all details
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  1. One key to happiness, then, is to forestall the adaptation process: We need to take steps to prevent ourselves from taking for granted, once we get them, the things we worked so hard to get.
    Highlighted by 9,585 Kindle readers
  2. Stoic tranquility was a psychological state marked by the absence of negative emotions, such as grief, anger, and anxiety, and the presence of positive emotions, such as joy.
    Highlighted by 8,702 Kindle readers
  3. Your primary desire, says Epictetus, should be your desire not to be frustrated by forming desires you won’t be able to fulfill.
    Highlighted by 7,425 Kindle readers
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Editorial Reviews

Review


"Irvine excels at giving a "walking tour" of the many schools of Stoic philosophy, from Greek to Roman traditions, identifying individual Stoic thinkers (many more than Seneca) and their principles and techniques, which Irvine argues are even more relevant in modern times than their own." --Philosophical Practice


"Another valuable ally in your personal morale campaign can be found in William B. Irvine's A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy, which removes the grim grey mask of noble, resigned fatalism attached to the popular conception of Stoic philosophy and lets the humanity out and the air in. It is a work of clarion clarity, and you won't have to read that far into it before the phrase 'stoic joy' ceases sounding like an oxymoron and becomes a workable proposition."--James Wolcott, Vanity Fair


"Irvine's book excels as a guide for practicing Stoics or for individuals seeking to improve that practice." --The Common Review


"Irvine's intended audience is nonphilosophers, but everyone can profit from his clear presentation on the on the benefits of using philosophical doctrines to live a meaningful life."--Library Journal


"If, however, you are skeptical that even therapy will make you happy -- if you are looking for a life philosophy -- A Guide to the Good Life is for you. Irvine's book is more thought-provoking."--Austin American-Statesman


"He writes in clear, almost jargon-free prose that is well suited to his target audience, and maintains a cheerful tone throughout the book. That perfectly expresses the sort of rationally grounded upbeat attitude that is one of the payoffs of becoming a practicing Stoic. I can firmly recommend Irvine's A Guide to the Good Life to anyone interested in exploring some of the ways philosophical work can be brought to bear on the ordinary problems of living there is a great deal of useful thinking and excellent advice to be found in it, presented in a clear, straightforward and often charming manner."--Lauren Tillinghast, Metapsychology Online Reviews


"Bill Irvine has given us a great gift: the most accessible and inviting description of modern Stoicism available. Read this book and be prepared to change your life."--Sharon Lebell, author of Epictetus's The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness


"Well-written and so compelling, this is a rare example of a book that actually will make a difference in the lives of its readers. Whether it's coping with grief or arriving at lasting happiness, Irvine shows, with care and verve, ancient Stoic wisdom to be ever relevant and very, very helpful." --Gary Klein, author of Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions


"Never have I seen so delightful, empathetic, and supple a presentation of Stoicism as Irvine gives us here. Hardly Christian even in sensibilities, the Stoics were, none the less, wise in the ways of life, a benison Irvine exposes, and then delivers here, with panache and great acumen."--Phyllis Tickle, author of The Divine Hours


"Irvine's calm yet impassioned presentation of a Western philosophy of life that one can actually abide by and practice will be good medicine for many readers. I heartily recommend it." --The Christian Century


"Dr Irvine has used very simple language in his book. He gives a notion of modern stoicism and urges modern readers to practice stoicism." -- The Nation, Pakistan


Book Description

An eye-opening look at the Stoic philosophers, revealing how we can use their psychological insights and practical techniques to live a happier life

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (November 4, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0195374614
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195374612
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.3 x 5.4 x 7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 6,039 ratings

About the author

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William B. Irvine

William B. Irvine

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William B. Irvine is professor of philosophy at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. For more on his life and writings, visit his author website at WilliamBIrvine.com.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
6,039 global ratings
The Best Intro to Stoicism
5 Stars
The Best Intro to Stoicism
Probably the best introduction to stoicism I’ve found. Very well written. The author juxtaposes various viewpoints throughout the book and considers these view points from a stoic and non-stoic point of view. If you’re wondering if stoicism is for you, or what it’s about or just want to learn more, this is the book for you. One of my instant favorites.
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Top reviews from the United States

randy1484
5.0 out of 5 stars a very good read
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
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Provides a slightly different perspective than that of the ancients. An easily understood process for adapting stoicism in a modern age.
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John Cooper
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and engaging
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2014
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About a third of the way into A Guide to the Good Life, I'd decided that while interesting, the Stoic way of life that the author described was not likely to be a good fit for me. For one thing, the author's personality and mine couldn't be more different. He reminds me of certain teachers I once had, calm, rational men who spoke in a uniformly soft voice, who were gentle, generous and patient, who dealt with disagreement with equanimity and placid stubbornness--people who would always be described as dedicated, but never as passionate. Irvine writes with the same placid, even, unruffled tone, and like my teachers, his sense of humor is either extremely subtle or entirely absent. To be sure, there are passages in the book that make me laugh (such as an explanation of how things could always be worse involving a man who owns only a loincloth, and then loses the loincloth), but there's no indication whatsoever that they're meant that way. And me, I'm the passionate, wry, somewhat moody type. The Stoics' highest good, tranquility, means little to me if achieving it means cutting myself off from the highs of life as a way of avoiding the lows. And that does seem to be a major part of the program.

As I continued, the book became more interesting to me. Having decided that I would not commit to the Stoic program, I felt freer to learn from it. For example, the concept of being fatalistic, not about the future, but about the past and the present, is helpful in many contexts. And what Irvine calls "negative visualization," which isn't really visualization but a kind of continual reflection, is something I tend to do anyway, and does indeed help mitigate the pain of loss when it comes. I've come to appreciate again the value of fortitude in minor matters, of deliberately deciding to accept minor discomforts as a way of strengthening myself, and more importantly, coming to realize that I can be strong in this way, that I need not allow myself to be disturbed when things don't happen the way I would wish. Simple virtues like this used to be more universally understood and this book does us all a service in reminding us of them.

Still, the Stoic program is not for everyone, and it's not for me: it doesn't help me become more myself. The "Stoic Joy" of the subtitle is not joy as I understand it, and I want a fuller emotional engagement with life's challenges than Irvine's conception of Stoicism would allow. When I finished this book, I went to the library to learn more about Stoicism and its competing schools, especially Epicureanism. I was disappointed at what I found: the descriptions of Stoicism in other works were nothing like Irvine's, there were no works like his about other schools of thought, and all the other explanations of Greek thought were abstract to the point of being incomprehensible, not at all concerned with what he calls "psychological techniques." I'm thankful for Irvine's book, although it didn't ultimately aid my personal search for meaning and purpose, and wish there were more like it, aimed toward evangelizing other nearly forgotten ways of thinking and living.
18 people found this helpful
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David B Richman
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Introduction to an Ancient Philosophy
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2008
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I first read Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations" while flying to the eastern United States for a scientific meeting. It was during a rather difficult period in my life and I had picked up on "Meditations" because of a mention of this work by Edwin Way Teale in "Near Horizons" as a book he turned to in times of trouble. I was not disappointed by these insightful notes written for his own use nearly 2000 years ago by the Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher. It was thus that I was primed to read William B. Irvine's "A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy." This is one of those books that can be really life changing, if the reader is ready for it.

Irvine briefly discusses the history of Stoic philosophy and its relationship to other philosophies in ancient Greece and Rome. He concentrates most of the book, however, on the Stoics of the Roman Empire, namely Seneca, Gaius Musonius Rufus, Epictetus and of course, Marcus Aurelius. After his historical review Irvine spends some time on the practical aspects of Stoicism, including negative visualization (visualizing how your life could be worse), dichotomy of control (what we can and cannot control), fatalism (about the past and present, not the future), self-denial (putting off pleasure so as to appreciate it more when you have it), duty (what we owe to others), social relations (how we relate to others), insults (how to react to them), grief (how to deal with loss), anger (how to turn it to humor), personal values (how to deal with fame and fortune, or the lack thereof), old age (how to deal with the aging process), and dying (how to prepare for this certainty). The last part of the book is devoted to the practice of Stoicism in the modern world, with both its pluses and minuses.

Although I would have to practice a modified Stoicism (I doubt that most of us would like to sleep even occasionally on a board or give up sex except for procreation), there is much of Stoicism that we can use in the modern world. Unlike the Cynics who slept on boards all the time and generally followed ascetic practices, Stoics wanted to enjoy life and followed something akin to the Middle Way of Buddhism. This attitude could certainly be of use to counter the worst of this "me first" society of rampant consumerism. In truth you really cannot take it with you when you die and to act like you can is the height of folly.

This book is a fascinating exposition of Stoic philosophy and its possible uses in the present day. The current economic collapse and other disasters of modern living could be a fertile ground for a revival of Stoic ideas. I also recommend it as a refreshing antidote for the hectic modern world in general. Take what is useful, and leave the rest, but read it if you would live deliberately and thus be free!
448 people found this helpful
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Mac
5.0 out of 5 stars Floaties
Reviewed in Canada on January 24, 2024
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Good product go the money
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Mattias A.
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for all the homosapiens
Reviewed in Sweden on August 18, 2023
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Mattias A.
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for all the homosapiens
Reviewed in Sweden on August 18, 2023
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Cliente Kindle
5.0 out of 5 stars Bellissimo
Reviewed in Italy on June 2, 2023
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Bellissimo libro! William Irvine fa un' interessantissima dissertazione su come applicare lo stoicismo alla vita moderna ,con uno stile semplice ma concreto
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Roberto B S
5.0 out of 5 stars Buen Libro
Reviewed in Mexico on March 9, 2021
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Un libro que te hace reflexionar. El libro llegó en buen estado y sin problemas. El contenido debo decir que es un libro que te hace buscar más lecturas relacionadas al tema (especialmente si te gusta la filosofía)
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stella
5.0 out of 5 stars Plaisir à lire, ressenti un sentiment de paix et de joie.
Reviewed in France on January 3, 2021
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Je viens de lire quelques chapitres, je trouve cela très intéressant. Celui ci est un must-read livre, peut-être nous aider à nous orienter dans la bonne direction vers un sentiment de paix et de joie, nous permet de réduire l'anxiété, de mieux gérer l'humiliation, le chagrin, le vieillissement et d'affronter calmement la tentation de la gloire et de la richesse.
Par contre, c'est très intéressant pour moi de savoir, le stoïcisme et le bouddhisme présentent d’apparentes similitudes. Je voudrais continuer ma lecture et aller chercher des réponses à mes questions.
2 people found this helpful
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