Episode · The Daily Stoic · 2022-09-14
Books mentioned on Karen Duffy on Using Stoicism to Find Happiness (Even with Chronic Illness)
Ryan Holiday discussed Meditations by Aurelius Marcus, Blank check by Tim Weiner, Epictetus, The Discourses of Epictetus, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Karen Duffy recommended Back From the Dead by Bill Walton, and discussed A Selection from the Discourses of Epictetus with the Encheiridion and Letters from a Stoic.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Meditations
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a collection of personal journals and philosophical notes written by the Roman emperor, offering timeless reflections on Stoic philosophy, self-discipline, and mortality.
Discussed“Well, you know, one of my favorite passages in Meditations is Marcus Aurelius clearly sitting next to someone with BO and he's like trying to decide whether he should say something or whether he just has to put up with it.”
Where to get it
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Blank check
Discussed“And that was my memory of Blank Check, which I think I probably got at a Hollywood video instead of a Blockbuster video cuz that's what we had near my house.”
Where to get it
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Epictetus
Epictetus by Epictetus comprises the surviving teachings and discourses of the ancient Stoic philosopher on self-governance, reason, and personal resilience.
Discussed“At the beginning of 'Meditations,' where Marcus thanks all his teachers and specifically Rusticus for lending him his copy of Epictetus from his library, you realize that 20 centuries ago, someone gave this man a book, and a light went on for him—the switch flipped, just as it did for you and for me.”
Where to get it
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A Selection from the Discourses of Epictetus with the Encheiridion
A Selection from the Discourses of Epictetus with the Encheiridion is a foundational work of Stoic philosophy capturing the teachings of the former Greek slave, recorded by his pupil Arrian.
Discussed“Um I believe that when you're passionate you want to share and that was incredible when my husband gave me a copy of discourses and that amplification of gratitude for this writing that was 20 centuries ago and how it resonates with all of us”
Where to get it
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Letters from a Stoic
Letters from a Stoic by Seneca is a classic collection of moral epistles written by the Roman philosopher to his friend Lucilius, offering enduring practical guidance on mastering emotions, accepting mortality, and navigating daily challenges.
Discussed“Well, it's interesting Ryan because I wrote this book wise up really thinking about Nicomachean Ethics and Seneca's Letters to a Stoic. So, it was never I never wrote it as a parenting book.”
Where to get it
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The Discourses of Epictetus
The Discourses of Epictetus by Epictetus is an enduring classical text of Stoic philosophy that preserves the teachings and lectures of the Greek philosopher.
Discussed“Or Epictetus—it feels like he’s calling you out instead of whoever it was in the lecture hall that he’s speaking to in Discourses.”
Where to get it
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Back From the Dead
Back From the Dead by Bill Walton is an inspiring memoir by the legendary basketball player detailing his intense personal struggles and triumphs while living with debilitating chronic pain.
Recommended“But it was really through the grace of Bill Walton's amazing book uh Back from the Dead, where he talks about his life with chronic pain. I was like ah. I can I can”
Where to get it
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The Great Gatsby
F.
Discussed“Um and he had The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite novels, may maybe my favorite, but he says, "Remember little Pammy in The Great Gatsby, neither did her mother neither did her mother Daisy Buchanan. You are a much better literary mom." First off, that's such an incredible compliment uh to you and to me it seems like”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“So, this morning I told him, you know, my with in our family we don't have any technology at the table only philosophy books and he has grown up with Daily Stoic and all of your books and and um so he is he's just outside of Charleston.”
“Like they're not all going to be Lost in Translation.”
“They're not all going to be Apocalypse Now.”