Critical Praise for
Guide to the Good Life
"A terrific book"
-- Mark Frauenfelder, BoingBoing.net
"I've been looking for a book that would elucidate and fuse the teachings and mental calisthenics of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, and this book does so much better a job of it than Tom Wolfe's sloppy-Joe sandwich of a novel, A Man in Full. It is a work of clarion clarity, and you won't have to read that far into it before the phrase 'stoic joy' ceases sounding like an oxymoron and becomes a workable proposition."
-- James Wolcott, Vanity Fair contributing editor
"Over the holiday I read a truly wonderful new book.... Unlike virtually every other modern academic philosopher, Irvine has decided to devote his energies to the question of how one ought to live (instead of writing arcane papers for other academics that have little to do with what philosophy should really be about)... I can't do justice to the book's many pleasures in a brief squib here. Suffice to say I find myself referring to the book almost every day now in ways that are driving my wife and daughter a little crazy."
-- Matt Miller, moderator of NPR's Left, Right, and Center and author of The Tyranny of Dead Ideas
"Irvine has a refreshingly economic and enjoyable writing style. Like the unadorned philosophy he recommends, his book moves concisely through the most useful aspects of Stoic counsel: how to avoid feelings of frustration, how to prevent insults from angering us, how to overcome feelings of grief, how to avoid the cravings for fame, how to want what we already have."
-- Stephen T. Asma, Chronicle of Higher Education
"Irvine does a fine job in offering his 'resolutely practical' brand of Stoicism to a popular audience.... His tone is just the right one for the popular audience he wishes to reach. But Irvine's work has more to offer than that. I believe he has unwittingly done a service to the scholarly audience as well by reminding us that the Stoics ... were indeed all concerned with 'meaning of life' questions, and that the Roman Stoics in particular did have a 'resolutely practical' side which gets lost if we allow ourselves to get transfixed by their theoretical queries.... Irvine's work could well, and I hope will, inspire more detailed research into the hortatory side of Stoic ethics, providing a pathway of entrance into new readings of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca's Letters, and the works of Epictetus."
-- Walter M. Roberts III, Bryn Mawr Classical Review
""William B. Irvine's A Guide to the Good Life is a rare treat, a book from an academic philosopher that can actually help you improve your life. Irvine explains the ancient stoic way of life in a manner suited to the modern, non-academic reader. The result is a philosophy that will help you overcome suffering and achieve tranquility"
-- William Irwin, editor of the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series
"Bill Irvine has given us a great gift: the most accessible and inviting description of modern Stoicism available. Read this book and be prepared to change your life!"
-- Sharon Lebell, author of Epictetus's The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness
"Well-written and so compelling, this is a rare example of a book that actually will make a difference in the lives of its readers. Whether it's coping with grief or arriving at lasting happiness, Irvine shows, with care and verve, ancient Stoic wisdom to be ever relevant and very, very helpful."
-- Gary Klein, author of Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions
"Never have I seen so delightful, empathetic, and supple a presentation of Stoicism as Irvine gives us here. Hardly Christian even in sensibilities, the Stoics were, none the less, wise in the ways of life, a benison Irvine exposes, and then delivers here, with panache and great acumen."
-- Phyllis Tickle, author of The Divine Hours
"How can we live a fulfilling and meaningful life? According to Irvine, modern academic philosophy cannot help us answer this question because it is more concerned with theoretical problems . . . . He explains that we must look back to the Stoic philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome to establish a philosophy of life. . . . Irvine shows how Stoic ethics and psychological theories can help us overcome negative emotions and determine what is truly important for living a fulfilling life. These sections cover a wide range of topics from how to deal with insults to how to confront death. In the last sections, Irvine explains the impact of Stoic philosophy on his own life and offers advice for individuals who want to live by Stoic doctrines. . . . Everyone can profit from his clear presentation . . . . Recommended for academic and public libraries."
-- Library Journal
