Episode · The Daily Stoic · 2023-11-11
Books mentioned on Steven Pressfield on Discovering Stoicism and Working Without Attachment
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
-
The War of Art
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is a classic guide on overcoming creative blocks, conquering internal resistance, and unlocking professional discipline.
Recommended“uh because is like I tend to reread the war of art or turning pro or one of your books like when I'm about to start a project”
-
Turning Pro
Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield is a practical and psychological guide designed to help individuals overcome resistance, self-sabotage, and amateur habits to fully commit to their creative callings and professional endeavors.
Recommended“uh because is like I tend to reread the war of art or turning pro or one of your books like when I'm about to start a project”
-
The Daily Stoic
The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman is a practical philosophical guide offering 365 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and self-mastery drawn from ancient Greek and Roman thinkers.
Discussed“when I wrote The Daily St 8 years ago I had this crazy idea that I would just keep it going the book was 366 meditations”
-
Gates of Fire
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield is a celebrated historical fiction novel that portrays the epic Battle of Thermopylae through the eyes of a Spartan soldier.
Discussed“and then I have on my wall I have the last page from the typ written manuscript of Gates of Fire signed by the author”
-
The 48 Laws of Power
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers is a popular psychological guide that draws upon historical tactics to explain the dynamics of gaining, maintaining, and defending against power.
Discussed“um so I read the 48 Laws of power when I was in high school and I was like make books like this you I think some it's so amazing when you read something”
-
A Farewell to Arms
A Farewell to Arms is a classic Ernest Hemingway novel depicting the tragic romance of an American ambulance driver and a British nurse against the backdrop of World War I.
Discussed“Take, for instance, the opening of "A Farewell to Arms" where he describes the dust on the trees that summer. It resonates throughout the story and comes back at the end; that's a poetic genius that AI simply cannot replicate.”
-
The Laws of Human Nature
The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene is a comprehensive psychology book exploring the rational and irrational motivations that drive human behavior.
Discussed“Just as The Laws of Human Nature should not be—The Laws of Human Nature is a 600-page book about, you know, everything that makes humans both rational and irrational; that should not be a commercially viable book, you know? Especially for someone who, again, it’s not like he’s a—you know, Adrian would turn it down.”
-
Meditations
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a profound collection of personal reflections and Stoic philosophy written by the Roman emperor during his reign.
Discussed“but I I found the more I've thought about markus's meditations the more I am in awe of it right because in one sense this the book should be inaccessible and incomprehensible to us”
-
Everybody Behaves Badly
Discussed“everyone behaves badly it's a book about I just read that a little while ago yeah it's a great book”
-
The Storm Before the Storm
The Storm Before the Storm by Mike Duncan is a historical examination of the turbulent decades leading up to the collapse of the Roman Republic and the rise of Julius Caesar.
Recommended“so there's this great book by uh Mike Duncan called the storm before the storm”
-
Deliver Me from Nowhere
Deliver Me from Nowhere by Warren Zanes is a non-fiction book that chronicles the recording and creation of Bruce Springsteen's seminal 1982 acoustic album, Nebraska.
Recommended“Are you at, like, I love this book, I've been raving about it. Um, deliver me from nowhere, about Bruce Springsteen making Nebraska.”
Other mentions in this episode (6) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“Yes, um, yeah, when I was doing The Daily Dad, I went to my publisher with it maybe four or five years ago.”
“So I mean, do you believe that there are like vibes in this table that somehow translate when I wrote The Daily Stoic eight years ago? I had this crazy idea that I would just keep it going.”
“And then I have on my wall, I have the last page from the typewritten manuscript of Gates of Fire signed by the author. Yeah, I have a bunch of those little totems too, myself.”
“It's funny, when I had, I wrote The Obstacle is the Way, I sold Ego is the Enemy, which was in the middle of writing, and my agent, Steve Hanselman, came to me and said you should do a book of a daily devotional of Stoicism.”
“It's funny, when I had, I wrote The Obstacle is the Way, I sold Ego is the Enemy, which was in the middle of writing, and my agent, Steve Hanselman, came to me and said you should do a book of a daily devotional of Stoicism.”
“i'd sold ego the enemy which was in the middle of writing and my agent Steve Hanselman came to me and said you should do this a book of a daily devotional of stoicism”