“Farnsworth beautifully incorporates his own observations into a multitude of quotes from Epictetus, Seneca, Montaigne, and others. It is not just a book for reading; it is a book of return, a book that will offer perspective and comfort in times of despair and distress.” The Washington Post

See more clearly, live more wisely, and endure the burdens of this life with greater ease: these are the greatest insights of the Stoics, in their own words. In 12 lessons, Ward Farnsworth systematically presents the essence of Stoic philosophy, adding comments that are clear and concise.

A fundamental idea of Stoicism is that we seem to spend our lives reacting directly to events. This image is an illusion. We react to our own judgments and opinions, to our own thoughts about things, not to the things themselves. The Stoics seek to understand these judgments, to discover their absurdity, and to choose them more carefully.