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The Emperor's Handbook  By  cover art

The Emperor's Handbook

By: Marcus Aurelius, C. Scot Hicks - translator, David V. Hicks, C. Scot Hicks
Narrated by: Stephen Graybill, Aden Hakimi, Sarah Naughton, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Eunice Wong
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Publisher's summary

A powerful and accessible translation of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, an essential book on character, leadership, and how to live a fulfilling life

Marcus Aurelius ruled the Roman Empire at its height, yet he remained untainted by the incalculable wealth and absolute power that had corrupted many of his predecessors. He knew the secret of how to live the good life amid trying and often catastrophic circumstances, of how to find happiness and peace when surrounded by misery and turmoil, and of how to choose the harder right over the easier wrong without regard for self-interest.

The Emperor’s Handbook offers a vivid and fresh translation of this important piece of ancient literature. It brings Marcus’s words to life and shows his wisdom to be as relevant today as it was in the second century. This book speaks to the soul of anyone who has ever faced adversity or believed in a better day.

©2002 C. Scot Hicks and David V. Hicks. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Great listen

A little repetitive but it drives home stoic fundamentals that are still VERY practical nowadays

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Much needed lessons

Very well read and translated. I enjoyed this book. The translations were clear so that the precept came through. In our current societal climate, where complaining, selfishness and our emotions are our masters, these thoughts are much needed reminders of doing what’s right for the sake of just doing right.

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Loved it!

interesting and insightful. The narration was well done. I would recommend this audiobook to anyone.

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Repetitive, impractical, tiresome, and no fun

While I loved The Meditations 15 years ago, rereading it, I got bored by the middle of the book by its repetitiveness, impracticality, and dull seriousness/lack of joy or fun.

While Stoicism is useful to handle the worst pain and torture of life, it's a recipe of dull seriousness, lack of humor/joy, and a rigidity of life that would drive away friends/family. Its repeated fatalism, acceptance of horrible things in life due to "fate" or "the gods," and passivity is NOT how I actually want to live.

Sad how a book I loved years ago seems now so quaint, naive, one-note, and impractical.

Marcus Aurelius was such a killjoy. Would not want to hang with him or someone who literally follows this book.

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