Reviews

The Emperor's Handbook: A New Translation of The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, David V. Hicks, C. Scot Hicks, David Hicks

ratwell's review

informative reflective slow-paced

4.5

anastasia_s's review

challenging reflective slow-paced

4.75

apolloscloud's review

I did not stop because it was bad but because there was a lot to take in. There was a lot of advice but definitely one I will try to jump back into.

peas_kleh's review

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

matttrevithick's review

5.0

Re-read. Beautiful. Took it very slow, page by page, and enjoyed it.

tristanstewart's review

4.0

Whilst a lot felt dated, there is still so much to glean from this powerful work. I can see myself coming back to this from time to time. I felt like this is something I need to read when I need someone to tell me to get my shit together. Highlighted the hell out of it too.

krisfj's review

4.0

Meditations is a better title. A series of journal entries and very much stream of consciousness. Still excellent reading.

allen's review

3.0

To return to it again

Again and again and again... Some good and wise information about how to connect with the world and the self.

hilaritas's review

5.0

You don't really read this because of Marcus's strength as a philosopher. He's frankly not an especially deep thinker and he often elides some of the more technical arguments of Stoicism. However, as a psychological portrait of a man struggling to overcome his own weaknesses and give flight to the better angels of his nature, this book is basically beyond compare. It's repetitive and by turns wheedling then aspirational, which is exactly what you would expect from someone exhorting himself to Be Better. Behind all of his noble thoughts, you can sense the real anxiety and failures to live up to his ideals that make Marcus so compelling: another flawed human, even as he sits at the apex of social power and influence. While I don't always find his arguments convincing, I am nonetheless inspired by his efforts to give philosophy (in the broad sense of a way of living thoughtfully) the place of honor in his dealings with the world. Further, this translation is wonderfully lucid, and the introductory essay capably situates Marcus his historical context and sketches out the philosophical traditions with which he's wrestling. This is a great edition of a great book.