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The Art of Living
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 3, 2025
Move through your life by being thoroughly in it.
Open your eyes. See things for what they really are.
All is on loan and will return from where it came. Take great care while in your possession.
Accept events as they actually happen.
Life is a banquet. Dishes are passed to you. Help yourself to a moderate portion.
If a dish should pass you by, enjoy what is already on your plate. Patiently wait your turn.
You will receive your rightful portion when it is your time.
Aspire to be your own best self.
I am not responsible for what other people think of me.
Other people cannot hurt you unless you allow them to.
Be careful about the company that you keep.
Take a stand. Don't be cravenly noncommittal.
Show your character through your actions.
It's so simple really. If you say that you are going to do something, do it.
If you start something, finish it.
Utilize empathy and understanding rather than anger and frustration.
Give your best and always be kind.
Open your eyes. See things for what they really are.
All is on loan and will return from where it came. Take great care while in your possession.
Accept events as they actually happen.
Life is a banquet. Dishes are passed to you. Help yourself to a moderate portion.
If a dish should pass you by, enjoy what is already on your plate. Patiently wait your turn.
You will receive your rightful portion when it is your time.
Aspire to be your own best self.
I am not responsible for what other people think of me.
Other people cannot hurt you unless you allow them to.
Be careful about the company that you keep.
Take a stand. Don't be cravenly noncommittal.
Show your character through your actions.
It's so simple really. If you say that you are going to do something, do it.
If you start something, finish it.
Utilize empathy and understanding rather than anger and frustration.
Give your best and always be kind.
February 3, 2025
A book full of wisdom distilled into accessible language and short chapters which made it an engaging read. Made lots of highlights!
It does repeat itself quite a bit but I imagine that’s more down to the source material.
It does repeat itself quite a bit but I imagine that’s more down to the source material.
October 23, 2024
This honestly changed the way I view things. Front to back, there is always something worth the read in this book.
July 25, 2025
A simple but good modern day take on Epictetus. This book plainly instructs us on how to live a good and virtuous life in order to find true happiness. A good read.
January 23, 2026
Good version of Epictetus thoughts
April 4, 2026
I bought this book years ago from the most delightful bookstore in New York, a truly unique place. Every book that they supply is carefully curated.
Since then, this book has been sitting on my pile, waiting to be read. It’s the sort of book to read through slowly, which is what I did, reading a little bit most days. It’s a beautiful reminder as to how to live, and one that I hope to re-read from time to time.
Here are some of my favorite quotes.
Be Careful About the Company You Keep
“Regardless of what others profess, they may not truly live by spiritual values. Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt their interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit of interpreting events. Though many people mean well, they can just the same have a deleterious influence on you because they are undisciplined about what is worthy and what isn’t.
Just because people are nice to you doesn't mean you should spend time with them. Just because they seek you out and are interested in you or your affairs doesn't mean you should associate with them. Be selective about whom you take on as friends, colleagues, and neighbors. All of these people can affect your destiny. The world is full of agreeable and talented folk. The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best. But remember that our moral influence is a two-way street, and we should thus make sure by our own thoughts, words, and deeds to be a positive influence on those who we deal with. The real test of personal excellence lies in the attention we give the often neglected small details of our conduct.
Regularly ask yourself, ‘How are my thoughts, words, and deeds affecting my friends, my spouse, my neighbor, my child, my employer, my subordinates, my fellow citizens? Am I doing my part to contribute to the spiritual growth of all with whom I come in contact?” Make it your business to draw out the best in others by being an exemplar yourself.”
True Happiness
“True happiness is a verb. It’s the ongoing dynamic performance of worthy deeds. The flourishing life, whose foundation is virtuous intention, is something we continually improvise, and in doing so our souls mature.”
Since then, this book has been sitting on my pile, waiting to be read. It’s the sort of book to read through slowly, which is what I did, reading a little bit most days. It’s a beautiful reminder as to how to live, and one that I hope to re-read from time to time.
Here are some of my favorite quotes.
Be Careful About the Company You Keep
“Regardless of what others profess, they may not truly live by spiritual values. Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt their interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit of interpreting events. Though many people mean well, they can just the same have a deleterious influence on you because they are undisciplined about what is worthy and what isn’t.
Just because people are nice to you doesn't mean you should spend time with them. Just because they seek you out and are interested in you or your affairs doesn't mean you should associate with them. Be selective about whom you take on as friends, colleagues, and neighbors. All of these people can affect your destiny. The world is full of agreeable and talented folk. The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best. But remember that our moral influence is a two-way street, and we should thus make sure by our own thoughts, words, and deeds to be a positive influence on those who we deal with. The real test of personal excellence lies in the attention we give the often neglected small details of our conduct.
Regularly ask yourself, ‘How are my thoughts, words, and deeds affecting my friends, my spouse, my neighbor, my child, my employer, my subordinates, my fellow citizens? Am I doing my part to contribute to the spiritual growth of all with whom I come in contact?” Make it your business to draw out the best in others by being an exemplar yourself.”
True Happiness
“True happiness is a verb. It’s the ongoing dynamic performance of worthy deeds. The flourishing life, whose foundation is virtuous intention, is something we continually improvise, and in doing so our souls mature.”
July 20, 2025
Since the 1950s, spiritual seekers have looked East for enlightenment and happiness – to Buddhism, yoga and Zen.
In doing so, however, we have downplayed and even ignored sources of wisdom that originate in locations closer to home.
This hit me while reading “The Art of Living,” a collection of short precepts and prescriptions for achieving tranquility and satisfaction, based on the writings of the Stoic philosopher Epictetus.
I doubt Horace Greeley had Stoicism in mind when he exhorted newspaper readers to “Go West, young man.” But diving into the teachings of Epictetus is more fruitful than buying a tract home in the San Fernando Valley.
Hey, there is a reason Stoicism is making a comeback after a 2,000-year hiatus.
I would still recommend meditation and yoga as important practices for maintaining sanity and flexibility, but the “Art of Living,” in a mere 125 pages, gives you just about everything else you might need to get your poop together, if you’ll forgive the technical term.
In doing so, however, we have downplayed and even ignored sources of wisdom that originate in locations closer to home.
This hit me while reading “The Art of Living,” a collection of short precepts and prescriptions for achieving tranquility and satisfaction, based on the writings of the Stoic philosopher Epictetus.
I doubt Horace Greeley had Stoicism in mind when he exhorted newspaper readers to “Go West, young man.” But diving into the teachings of Epictetus is more fruitful than buying a tract home in the San Fernando Valley.
Hey, there is a reason Stoicism is making a comeback after a 2,000-year hiatus.
I would still recommend meditation and yoga as important practices for maintaining sanity and flexibility, but the “Art of Living,” in a mere 125 pages, gives you just about everything else you might need to get your poop together, if you’ll forgive the technical term.
February 10, 2026
This is an excellent edition of the writings of Epictetus! It is adjusted for our modern life, and can be applied easily to our days!
February 14, 2026
Right off the bat, what stood out to me was how approachable this book is. Lebell doesn’t just translate Epictetus - she interprets him for a modern reader. And she does it in clean, elegant prose that actually flows. This isn’t some dry academic text weighed down by footnotes and ten-dollar words. It reads more like a thoughtful conversation with a wise, grounded friend. The chapters are short, the messages are clear, and you can open it to just about any page and find something that makes you stop and think.
That’s no small feat. Because let’s face it, one of the biggest problems with philosophy - especially the old stuff - is how inaccessible it can be. You pick up Marcus Aurelius or Seneca or even Epictetus in most editions, and it’s like wading through syrup. The ideas are great, sure, but the way they’re expressed can feel like a barrier rather than an invitation. That’s what Lebell nails here. She clears away the dust and gives us something you can actually use in your life - without sacrificing the depth.
There’s a real art to that, and she lives up to the book’s title in that way. Her writing respects the original ideas while also reshaping them into a format that works for today’s world. In many ways, this book is a bridge - it connects modern readers with ancient wisdom, without the baggage.
One of my favorite things is how she handles Stoic themes like control, acceptance, character, and virtue. These can be lofty or even rigid concepts in traditional Stoic texts, but Lebell delivers them with warmth and clarity. She doesn’t preach, and she doesn’t talk down to the reader. There’s this tone of calm encouragement that runs throughout the book - an invitation to live a little more thoughtfully, a little more deliberately. And she does it in a way that feels achievable, not overwhelming.
Lebell is one of those rare voices who understands that great ideas don’t have to be locked behind academic gates. She’s doing something really valuable here - taking the big ideas of the past and presenting them in compelling prose that’s built for modern communication. That’s a gift. And it’s one I think we could use a lot more of.
If you’ve ever been curious about Stoicism but found the usual texts intimidating, this is the perfect place to start. It won’t give you everything, but it will give you something solid - and more importantly, it might just inspire you to keep exploring.
That’s no small feat. Because let’s face it, one of the biggest problems with philosophy - especially the old stuff - is how inaccessible it can be. You pick up Marcus Aurelius or Seneca or even Epictetus in most editions, and it’s like wading through syrup. The ideas are great, sure, but the way they’re expressed can feel like a barrier rather than an invitation. That’s what Lebell nails here. She clears away the dust and gives us something you can actually use in your life - without sacrificing the depth.
There’s a real art to that, and she lives up to the book’s title in that way. Her writing respects the original ideas while also reshaping them into a format that works for today’s world. In many ways, this book is a bridge - it connects modern readers with ancient wisdom, without the baggage.
One of my favorite things is how she handles Stoic themes like control, acceptance, character, and virtue. These can be lofty or even rigid concepts in traditional Stoic texts, but Lebell delivers them with warmth and clarity. She doesn’t preach, and she doesn’t talk down to the reader. There’s this tone of calm encouragement that runs throughout the book - an invitation to live a little more thoughtfully, a little more deliberately. And she does it in a way that feels achievable, not overwhelming.
Lebell is one of those rare voices who understands that great ideas don’t have to be locked behind academic gates. She’s doing something really valuable here - taking the big ideas of the past and presenting them in compelling prose that’s built for modern communication. That’s a gift. And it’s one I think we could use a lot more of.
If you’ve ever been curious about Stoicism but found the usual texts intimidating, this is the perfect place to start. It won’t give you everything, but it will give you something solid - and more importantly, it might just inspire you to keep exploring.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews