What do we really need for a happy life? More than two thousand years ago, a Greek philosopher, Epicurus, gave an answer that seems simple: pleasure. All we really need is pleasure.

Today we tend to associate the word “Epicurean” with the enjoyment of good food or wine and with decadent hedonism. But this is light-years away from the vision of a pleasant life as conceived by Epicurus, who focused on mental rather than physical pleasures, on the avoidance of pain rather than the direct pursuit of pleasure. His goal, in short, was a life of tranquility.

With his vivid and elegant writing, Sellars unfolds the history of Epicurean philosophy, from a private garden on the outskirts of ancient Athens to the streets of ancient Rome, analyzing a completely different way of thinking about our place in the world and the meaning of death.

An inspiring and enlightening book, drawing from ancient wisdom extremely timely lessons and offering us a new way to perceive what is important in life. What is the starting point and the goal of everything we do? What do we really need for a pleasant life? What distinguishes a true friend? How important is understanding nature? By answering the above questions, you will have taken a big step toward understanding the fundamental teachings of the great Greek philosopher.

Discover all the books in the series The Art of Living.