How to be a Stoic by Massimo Pigliucci is an easy to understand introduction to Stoic philosophy. With a witty, engaging writing style, Pigliucci breaks down Stoic philosophy into its constituent parts, discussing each in turn. He makes use of anecdotes both ancient and modern.
After a few chapters of overview and history, the book is broken into three major parts, consisting of several chapters each, delving into one of the three disciplines of Stoicism. Part One looks at the discipline of desire, or things that we should and shouldn’t want, along with the realisation that there are only so many things within our power. No matter how well we may do something, or how prepared we are, we have no control over the actions, thoughts, and feelings of others. Part Two presents the discipline of action, and covers virtues, morals, and making use of role models. Part Three focuses on the discipline of assent, and how we should react to situations, along with working with our emotions in a proper and positive way. This last section includes twelve Stoic practices to integrate into your own life. An appendix gives a brief overview of other philosophies.
Much of the book is presented in a jocular manner, easy and friendly, and a good percentage reflects Pigliucci’s inner discourse with the Stoic philosopher Epictetus, whom he regards as a role model. As one who uses personified guides that I can ‘speak with’ and debate things, I greatly appreciated both the presentation and the admission. How to be a Stoic takes a weighty subject and makes it more accessible to the masses.
As Pigliucci said, Stoicism isn’t for everyone, but as a practical philosophy, I found it quite interesting. It seems a good fit for me, based on my needs, and even just a once reading proved useful in initiating change in my own life. It prompted me to collect more contemporary books on Stoicism to read. This is definitely a book I’ll be rereading and making use of for years to come. It provided the final push I needed to reframe how I relate to my body and it’s growing limitations. Through no fault nor control of my own, I suffer from an autoimmune disorder that initially stripped me of my ability to distance walk, and leaves me in a state of chronic pain and increasing fatigue. Thanks to persistence, and a growing ability to communicate with my body, I’m regaining my walking endurance. The flip side is that I’m far more prone to take catnaps now, several times a day. Delving further into Stoicism helped me make peace with my broken body, and making use of the practices given help me keep that peace.
***Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin/Random House UK for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed for the San Francisco Book Review.
