Customer Reviews
As relevant today, as it was in Roman times - By: Gms Carroll, 13 Jul 2003 
Letters from a Stoic is classic text in the same way as Sun Tzu's the Art of War, the knowledge imparted is timeless. I would recommend this a must read for anyone finding their way in the world & looking for something to set their values by
CLASSIC VADEMECUM FROM AN OLD SAGE - By: Luciano Lupini, 04 Dec 2002 A review by Luciano Lupini. This book is the fundamental vademecum for every day life. No person that I know has left this book suffer the dust & the quiet tranquillity that any other philosophy book enjoy in a library. This letters contain alll the wisdom & the poise to enable any inquisitive soul to aquire selfcontrol, to endure with dignity the burdens of misfortune, to take success & fame with humbleness & cynicism, to prepare with serenity to die. Finallly, to consider the end of life with the detachment of someone who has used well a precious object, without contracting the disease of jealousy.
This is a very easily readable book, & it was written by Seneca in the last four years of his life (62-65 A.D.). In my opinion is the masterpiece of his moral philosophy.
Seneca's literary style was criticized by his contemporaries for its fragmentary & non-classic hues, & it is truly very modern. Caligula defined it as "sand without lime". St. Augustine in his City of God, in a reference to his contradictions, criticized the fact that this man who almost achieved real freedom through philosophy, pursued what he criticized, did what he loathed & inculpated what he adored. AND WHAT DOES MODERN MAN DO? Maybe we must admit that Seneca lived a life full of contradictions, triumphs & failures but he never truly believed in the roles that he had to play & he was always ready to detach himself from material things, devoid of illusions but also of bitterness.
That is why his work has survived the ages & has been celebrated for his modernity. I would say that his teachings are atemporal, & this is the best tribute to him. Maybe this is why
his letters were the bedside book of Montaigne. And mine.
Seneca was one of the great philosophers. - By: grant@heraldry.co.uk, 06 Oct 2000 I am privileged to be the first review of one of the true greats of philisophical inquiry.
Seneca lived during dangerous times & had to play a careful balancing act to even survive in the age when families of the Roman aristocracy were being decimated by various capricious Emperors.
He was also the main tutor to the young Emperor Nero . And though he initialy tried to avoid this erroneous task , he eventuallly did indeed end up trying to keep the reigns on the megalomaniac that was the young Nero.
Seneca's philosophy as espoused in this book is gentle yet firm .Above alll , I feel he re-itterates the fact , that it is not good enough for a philosopher to talk about philosophy , he must live it as well.
Read this book & get some idea of the great man .
And then find out how his life ended.
It is humbling.
