Courage Is Calling

Fortune Favors the Brave

By: Ryan Holiday

Narrated by: Ryan Holiday

The instant New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Best Seller!

Ryan Holiday’s best-selling trilogy - The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego is the Enemy, and Stillness is the Key - captivated professional athletes, CEOs, politicians, and entrepreneurs and helped bring Stoicism to millions of readers. Now, in the first book of an exciting new series on the cardinal virtues of ancient philosophy, Holiday explores the most foundational virtue of all: Courage.

Almost every religion, spiritual practice, philosophy and person grapples with fear. The most repeated phrase in the Bible is “Be not afraid.” The ancient Greeks spoke of phobos, panic and terror. It is natural to feel fear, the Stoics believed, but it cannot rule you. Courage, then, is the ability to rise above fear, to do what’s right, to do what’s needed, to do what is true. And so it rests at the heart of the works of Marcus Aurelius, Aristotle, and CS Lewis, alongside temperance, justice, and wisdom.

In Courage Is Calling, Ryan Holiday breaks down the elements of fear, an expression of cowardice, the elements of courage, an expression of bravery, and lastly, the elements of heroism, an expression of valor. Through engaging stories about historic and contemporary leaders, including Charles De Gaulle, Florence Nightingale, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Holiday shows you how to conquer fear and practice courage in your daily life.

You’ll also delve deep into the moral dilemmas and courageous acts of lesser-known, but equally as important, figures from ancient and modern history, such as Helvidius Priscus, a Roman Senator who stood his ground against emperor Vespasian, even in the face of death; Frank Serpico, a former New York City Police Department Detective who exposed police corruption; and Frederick Douglass and a slave named Nelly, whose fierce resistance against her captors inspired his own crusade to end slavery.

In a world in which fear runs rampant - when people would rather stand on the sidelines than speak out against injustice, go along with convention than bet on themselves, and turn a blind eye to the ugly realities of modern life - we need courage more than ever. We need the courage of whistleblowers and risk takers. We need the courage of activists and adventurers. We need the courage of writers who speak the truth - and the courage of leaders to listen.

We need you to step into the arena and fight.

©2021 Ryan Holiday (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"In a world full of people riddled with fears and deeply afraid of sticking their necks out, our salvation lies in cultivating courage in all arenas of life. In this book Ryan Holiday has provided a clear and inspiring guide for how to develop this highest of human virtues."
--Robert Greene, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power

"Ryan Holiday’s Courage is Calling traces the history of courage and its many faces through the ages and arrives at the present day with an urgent call to arms for each and all of us. As we battle our enemies within and without, will we choose to rise-up to the call of our courage or blush and bow down to the whispers of our cowardice? Our answer to this question is about more than our sense of duty, it’s about our freedom. It’s about more than wins and losses, it’s about our survival. It’s on me, it’s on you, it’s on us. Take the dare we may.\" --Matthew McConaughey, Academy Award Winning Actor and New York Times #1 best-selling author

“Ryan Holiday shows his own courage in this book to not toe the line, to speak truth to power, and show us all why we must not defer to fear if we are to go forward together with grace and humanity. Drawing on examples across history--from the ancient Greek and Roman world to Florence Nightingale to his own critique of ‘hollow courage’ in our own times, Holiday shows why virtue matters now more than ever.” --Nancy Sherman, Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University

Great messages, Mr Holiday - hire a professional reader

I can only imagine how good this audiobook would be if it were read by a professional reader/voice professional instead of the author. I enjoy Mr Holiday’s podcasts and talks, but this is a whole other skill. The reading is not dynamic, it is flat - and that’s not some stoic virtue, it’s just not artful. So pay the right person to do it if you really really care about the content instead of the credit. The afterword as a whole makes me doubt whether the book is about Mr Holiday ultimately, but I appreciated what was said for the most part up to that point.

Very inspirational. Must read

I love this book so much that I have listened to it twice and I know I will listen to it several times more.
I t has inspired me to start planning things I wanted to do but I was afraid of failing. By listening what the different personas in the book went through to fulfill their calling , it has given me the courage to do what I really want to do in life.

Empowering!

The authors rhythm and pace with presenting his book makes it all the more engaging and enjoyable.

This book delivers

Ryan is getting better and better. Courage is a simple yet complicated word. Ryan attacks it from all angles and forces you to want to take action. Thank you for this work!

Courage is calling answer

There's a saying fear and doubt knock on the door. courage answered, no one one was there. Ryan Holiday does it once again with another amazing book! This is a very inspiring book. I do miss the little music interludes that were with the other books. I hope he does the other virtues as well

My favorite of the stoic series

I’ve finished all of Mr Holiday’s stoic series books from Obstacle is the way to his most recent with Courage is Calling, and I can say despite the other reviews this one is my favorite, maybe because it pertains to my situation more than the others, or because I never put courage into question, but not only is the information quality, but the examples and his elaboration and personal extension on them made for great notes to take down.
There were also some complaints I’d read in his other works about his narration, which I never really minded but here he speaks more like he does in his videos which makes the listen all the more real and engaging.
Not sure why so many people didn’t enjoy this, I loved it, and I’m thankful I have a new perspective on implementing my courage in day to day life, and I’m excited for his new book coming soon which I’ll be listening to and finishing day 1 without a doubt in my mind haha

Lacking purpose and conviction

Unlike his earlier books this short listen seemed to have less... well everything. I wouldn't go as far as to say this was writing for writings sake, but if this was the first Ryan Holiday book I had picked up it would have likely be the last. I feel very lucky that my experience has been the opposite.

Straying away from his awesome modern day conversion of stoic philosophy and swinging towards a slight political agenda. I found the story to be washed out, more in of a review of random famous people (who did things that fit the needs of the book) in order to persuade readers to act in a way the author thinks is right.

It is all based on his extremely limited life experiences and extensive study of stories written in other books, websites and blogs... which the author even admits at the end of the book.

I hope Ryan goes back to writing about what he has experienced and not about what he wants to experience.

Ryan Holiday does it again!

Ryan Holiday has always been sensational at blending the history of our past with the practical present for today. Add in the writing style of a natural orater/storyteller, and this title is another breeze of life changing productivity, that you can expect from Ryan's work!

Interesting and Informative- Ryan is solid !

I enjoyed the content of the book, it really makes you think deeply. Ryan narrating is a bit dry and monotone although he gets the job done.

another great, must listen by Ryan Holiday

along with his other books, this is a must read (or listen to). I look forward to everything that is to come in the future!