Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life

This is absolutely the best book on Epictetus and his teachings ever written. I would say also one of the top five books on practicing Stoicism ever written. If you love Epictetus as I do, you will need this book. It reveals the teachings in a vibrant, refreshing way that makes every page in this book a joy to read. I couldn’t put this book down. It’s a gold mine of wisdom. With this book and the two best translations of Epictetus ( Robert Dobbin/Penguin Books and Robin Hard/Oxford Books), you have everything you need to study and practice the wisdom of Epictetus. I don’t see how anyone can afford to miss it.

I am new to the study of Stoicism. The only book I had read on Stoicism was The Inner Citadel by Pierre Hadot, which contains an introduction to Epictetus. Epictetus was Marcus Aurelius' primary inspiration. I wanted to know more about Epictetus and I was pleasantly surprised at how accessible this book is. A.A. Long makes Epictetus come alive. The discourses are very applicable to modern times. A.A. Long is an authoritative source on Stoicism in general and Epictetus in particular. This book is cited in the bibliography of every book on Stoicism that I have come across. I would say that The Inner Citadel and Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life give one a strong foundation in living a Stoic life.

[Note added later: I had originally given this book a 4 star review. Almost two years later I came back and bumped it up to 5. This is a book to cherish and to come back to over and over again. Stoicism is a way of life, and it requires a lifetime to study it. Long's book is an invaluable companion on the journey. The rest of this review is the same as originally written.]The great strength of A. A. Long's book on Epictetus is that Long views Epictetus, and Stoicism in general, as being firmly rooted in the broader tradition of ancient philosophy. This is reflected in his reference to Socrates in the book's title.Throughout the book Long engagingly draws the reader into the world of philosophy as it was lived. Especially in the first half of the book Long emphasizes Epictetus' humanity - as well as that of his students. The result is that anyone who reads this book will, if they haven't already, be compelled to read Epictetus.The two things that I wasn't crazy about are (1) Long's dismissal of the Epictetus' "Handbook" as unimportant (Long prefers to only look at the "Discourses"), and (2) the second half of the book is more technical and less fun to read than the first half. Long is, after all, a contemporary philsopher, and the second half of the book seems to be more aimed at his colleagues and students of academic philosophy rather than the general public.

I don't have much to add to the glowing reviews of this book. It's gracefully written, philosophically sensitive, and of manageable length. If I had any complaint, it's that the author, Berkeley prof A.A. Long, doesn't devote enough attention to the Stoic thinkers who preceded Epictetus. Instead, he explores Epictetus's affinities to Socrates. This makes his book less-than-ideal as an introduction to Stoicism -- but anyone who already has that background and wants to deepen his understanding of Epictetus's Discourses should start here. Highly recommended.

I wanted a book that focused on Epictetus, his life, his context, his unique focus and contribution differentiated from other Stoics and contemporaries. This book delivers without becoming a dry textbook.

This is a fine introduction to the thought of the ex-slave Epictetus. A.A. Long is a well-established specialist in the philosophical schools of the Hellenistic period. While professional philosophers have paid attention to the technical and "academic" side of this period, it is finally refreshing to see serious, thoughtful engagement with the practical and humanistic thinkers. Philosophy used to be a guide for living and perhaps it can be again some day. The work of Pierre Hadot, especially his studies on Marcus Aurelius or Plotinus, is also be recommended.

Excellent

I liked this book a lot. I didn't know much about Epictetus or Stoicism and learned quite a bit. A.A. Long has many related titles and I will read more of them. I've always enjoyed reading Epictetus, my brother was a fan and turned me on to him, and this helped me know who he was and where he was coming from, insofar as any book can given all that is lost. But all that is lost; that is Epictetus.

A. A. Long's monograph serves as an excellent introduction to the Stoic thought of Epictetus as described in the surviving writings concerning him. Whilst in many ways fairly thorough it's not entirely comprehensive - in particular I was a little disappointed that Long delegated the discussion of free will in Epictetus to another author (considerable further reading is supplied at the end of each chapter as well as a fairly sizeable bibliography at the end). Overall Epictetus is seen in his time and place, whilst also allowing scope for how Stoicism may be relevant to people even today. The work could be useful to a broad range of readers - accessible to the interested layman who may or may not wish to apply Stoic practice in modern life, and detailed enough for more academically minded students and even postgrads.

This is not an easy book for many, but clearly lays out Epictetus's thoughts.It is a must buy for philosophy students, and those wanting to explore the fundamental ideas underpinning modern Cognative Behavioural Therapy.