Summer Reading Book Club: The Stoic Challenge: Overview

The philosophy of stoicism advocated living a virtuous life in harmony with nature, with the goal of achieving happiness. Although stoicism flourished in the third century bce, the core values of its philosophy—to live and behave ethically in accordance with rules of the natural order—are still relevant today.

This anthology includes the complete Meditations of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and his classic text on enlightenment through self-judgment.

"A guide not just for overcoming the obstacles that hold us back-but for using them for great benefit The great Athenian orator Demosthenes was born with a crippling speech impediment and was robbed of his inheritance by cruel guardians. Samuel Zemurray was a poor roadside fruit peddler pitted against the behemoth United Fruit Company. Ulysses S. Grant found himself stuck across the Mississippi river, desperately trying to break into the impenetrable fortress of Vicksburg. These icons and many others throughout history-from John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart to Richard Wright to Steve Jobs-were often placed in nearly impossible situations that turned out to be the platforms for astounding triumphs. They were not exceptionally brilliant, lucky, or gifted. Their success in overcoming extreme obstacles was the result of a timeless set of philosophical principles that great men and women have always followed. Now Ryan Holiday unpacks those lessons and reframes them for today's world, building on the wisdom of the ancient Stoics and a rich trove of examples. He shows us how to turn obstacles into advantages, through controlling our perceptions, swift and energetic action, and true force of will"

"A guide to overcoming adversity by drawing on the wisdom of the ancient Stoics"

"Seriously Happy is a highly practical self-help guide exploring 10 life-changing lessons based on teachings of the ancient philosophers. YA readers are encouraged to discover how Stoicism can improve your mental resilience; the calming, meditative influence of Zen; the decision-making prowess of Aristotle or the confidence-boosting ideas of the Cynic philosophers. As a young man, author Ben Aldridge struggled with debilitating anxiety and self-doubt, until he discovered Stoicism and other philosophieswhichhelped him restore balance, peace, and contentment in his life. In this book, Ben shares over 20 practicalchallenges rooted in ancient philosophy that will power upyour focus and confidence, improve your critical thinking, build mental resilience, and embrace happiness. The text is accompanied by gorgeous illustrations by Michelle Brackenborough. The challenges are based on ancient philosophical ideas – such as 'shame attacking', facing your fears, and appreciating the small things in life – as well as the ancient arts of Tai-Chi, Qi-Gong, and meditation. Seriously Happy shows how to harness the power of ancient philosophies to deal with the real-world stress and anxieties of today."--Amazon