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The Consolations of Philosophy
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Aside from love, few actvities seem to promise us as much happiness as going traveling: taking off for somewhere else, somewhere far from home, a place with more interesting weather, customs, and landscapes. But although we are inundated with advice on where to travel, few people seem to talk about why we should go and how we can become more fulfilled by doing so.
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The Consolation of Philosophy is one of the key works in the rich tradition of Western philosophy, partly because of the circumstances in which it was written. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c480-c524) was of aristocratic Roman birth and became consul and then master of offices at Ravenna, one of the highest posts under the Ostrogothic Roman ruler Theodoric. But Boethius was unjustly charged with treason in 524, and this led to house arrest, then torture and execution.
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Some people bounce back in response to setbacks; others break. We often think that these responses are hardwired, but fortunately this is not the case. Stoicism offers us an alternative approach. Plumbing the wisdom of one of the most popular and successful schools of thought from ancient Rome, philosopher William B. Irvine teaches us to turn any challenge on its head. The Stoic Challenge, then, is the ultimate guide to improving your quality of life through tactics developed by ancient Stoics, from Marcus Aurelius and Seneca to Epictetus.
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The private work life of a biscuit brand manager
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Tolstoy’s autobiographical essay is a dissection of his soul, a study of his life’s movement away from the religious certainties of youth, and a vital piece of reading which contextualizes the great works he is best known for. Marking the point at which his life moved from the worldly to the spiritual, Tolstoy’s philosophical reassessment of the Orthodox faith is a work that holds vital spiritual and intellectual importance to this very day.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wow
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The Enchiridion & Discourses
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 258
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 238
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The Enchiridion is the famous manual of ethical advice given in the second century by the Stoic philosopher Epictetus. Born to a Greek slave, Epictetus grew up in the environment of the Roman Empire and, having been released from bonds of slavery, became a stoic in the tradition of its originators, Zeno (third Century BCE) and Seneca (first century CE).
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5 out of 5 stars
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Inspiration from thousands of years ago
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How to Be a Stoic
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 557
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 482
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 473
Whenever we worry about what to eat, how to love, or simply how to be happy, we are worrying about how to lead a good life. No goal is more elusive. In How to Be a Stoic, philosopher Massimo Pigliucci offers Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that inspired the great emperor Marcus Aurelius, as the best way to attain it. Stoicism is a pragmatic philosophy that teaches us to act depending on what is within our control and separate things worth getting upset about from those that are not.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great book needs better narration
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Publisher's Summary
In ancient Greece or Rome, philosophers were seen as natural authorities on the most pressing questions. However, since then, the idea of finding wisdom from philosophy has come to seem bizarre. Enter a university department today and ask to study wisdom, and you will politely but firmly be shown the door. The Consolations of Philosophy sets out to refute the notion that good philosophy must be irrelevant and gathers together six great philosophers who were convinced of the power of philosophical insight to work a practical effect on our lives.
Socrates, Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche are studied for the light their work can shine on certain great universal problems - poverty, inadequacy, lovelessness, and so on. They stand as examples of the practical utility of philosophy.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Barry
- 03-04-15
Hugely entertaining!!
Would recommend to anyone who has an interest in philosophy. The chapters on Montaigne stand out particularly! A great beginners guide!
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- euan
- 01-14-17
Well written and highly enjoyable.
Really good introduction to the core ideas of these philosophers. Perfect for beginners in philosophy.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- amanda
- 02-21-18
writing excellent narration dry
love the writing and content. Not a fan of the narrator. voice lacks animation. wish de Botton had narrated as he's a very engaging speaker
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 10-28-17
not a bad read
an interesting t.ake on different philosophers and how they relate to every day Life today.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Luke Bagot
- 02-02-16
Great introduction to many philosophical concepts
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I would recommend this to a friend who had not looked into philosophy in great detail. It may be covering old ground for those who have studied philosophy, but I found the way in which the ideas of great thinkers were packaged in to instantly applicable life lessons may give these ideas new life.
What did you like best about this story?
Being predominantly a reader of scientific non-fiction, the prose was unfamiliar and at first slightly frustrating. In the beginning i found myself wishing he would get to the point rather than discussing the way the sunset was playing on the flower petals. I did soften towards this style as the book went on and learnt to enjoy the descriptive style and wait patiently for his ideas to be fleshed out through whatever narrative he was using to illustrate them.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I found it better to space it out over several weeks, there is much to reflect on in your own life after each chapter.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kendall
- 01-07-19
Some Realisations
Neat listen for a round-up of some insights into philosophy on application to problems of today. Enjoyed the chapters on Consolations for Not Having Enough Money (Epicurus) and Consolations for a Broken Heart (Schopenhauer) the most, mainly because they made me think more deeply about things. I guess you take what is most applicable to your life and experience! Just wish we had more female philosophers to draw from...
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 10-10-18
A Philosophical Prescription For Our Modern Times
I enjoyed the background information about the philosophers and the easy to understand explanation of their thoughts and perspectives.O recommend this book to those looking to rise about the endless chatter of this age and nestle upon a ledge of timeless standing by which one might plot a course towards serenity.