Earlier this year, I met up with an old friend who was a little lost in life. We gradually found ourselves in the bookstore, where all good conversations thrive. I pointed toward Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. “That’s the book you want,” I said. It had become a trusty companion, frequently in my backpack since I read it a year ago.
If you have any interest in practical wisdom, Greco-Roman history, or Western philosophy and literature, a great place to start is by learning about Stoicism, the school of philosophy to which Meditations belongs.
First, the Stoics are ultra-accessible. Especially with their resurgence in the modern age, it is easy to find their works online and in bookstores. Moreover, the Stoics sought practical wisdom, so their books revolve around familiar situations like wanting to stay in bed in the morning or living in the city near a noisy bathhouse. And while they had a doctrine, it was not their focus. Instead, their work invites you to skip around, skim, and take what you find relevant and useful: Meditations is Aurelius’ diary of reminders and precepts, Seneca’s Epistles are letters to a friend on particular subjects, and Epictetus’ Enchiridion is a handbook. All of them are written in clear, straightforward prose.
Second, the Stoics provide an easy entry into the philosophy and history of the ancient world. They come onto the scene just after Socrates and Plato, widely considered the fathers of Western philosophy. You could start by reading the Stoics (and other Hellenistic philosophers) and then see how Plato influenced them. In addition, the Stoics — we’ve mentioned Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus — constitute a range of real-life characters who tried to practice what they preach. In learning about these figures, you will naturally pick up context about the ancient Greco-Roman world, which offers many digressions for the curious reader.
Finally, the Stoics remain relevant in the intellectual discourse. The English word ‘stoic’ has come to mean something different from its original meaning, so people don't see it when it pops up in earnest. For fans of literature and philosophy, you can find Montaigne, Shakespeare, Melville, Nietzsche, and Foucault thinking alongside the Stoics.
If you want to dive right in, I would recommend Gregory Hays' Meditations: A New Translation. Don't get too carried away, though. As Ward Farnsworth says in The Practicing Stoic, Stoicism is an ideal. We're always practicing.