Episode · The Daily Stoic · 2026-10-31
Books mentioned on 43 Stoic Rules That Will Change How You Live
Philosophy isn't supposed to be an intellectual exercise reserved for scholars. It's supposed to help you make better decisions, face difficulties, and figure out how to live.
Ryan Holiday recommended Deep Work by Cal Newport and The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, and discussed Meditations by Aurelius Marcus.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Meditations
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a foundational work of Stoic philosophy consisting of personal notes and reflections written by the Roman emperor as he practiced philosophy and navigated the burdens of leadership.
Discussed“We know Marcus Aurelius kept a little book in addition to meditations called The Lives of Greeks and Romans, where he was writing notes to himself, little biographical sketches of people whose example he wanted to be like.”
Where to get it
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Deep Work
Deep Work by Cal Newport is a guide to cultivating focused success and eliminating distractions in an increasingly noisy world.
Recommended“My friend Cal Newport wrote this great book a few years ago called Deep Work. He says deep work is the key to success, the key to contentment, the key to meaning and happiness.”
Where to get it
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The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy is an illustrated fable following an unlikely quartet of characters as they explore profound themes of kindness, friendship, vulnerability, and resilience.
Recommended“There's that book. I read it to my kids many times. The boy, the fox, the horse, and the mole. He says, asking for help isn't giving up. It's refusing to give up.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“These are all ideas that I talk about in The Daily Stoic, which is really 365 lessons from the stoics that can apply to your life.”
“This is why I wrote my book, Lives of the Stoics, which is all about the lessons we can learn from the Stoics in practice. Not just what they wrote about, but who they were as people.”
“In the Bible, they talk about how returning kindness to cruelty is like, in a way, the ultimate punishment. It's like pouring hot coals on their head.”