NEW-Meditations

by Marcus Aurelius

Genres: Philosophy

304 pages, Paperback

About the author

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (often referred to as "the wise") was Emperor of the Roman Empire from 161 to his death in 180. He was the last of the "Five Good Emperors", and is also considered one of the more important Stoic philosophers. His two decades as emperor were marked by near continual warfare. He was faced with a series of invasions from German tribes, and by conflicts with the Parthian Empire in the east. His reign also had to deal with an internal revolt in the east, led by Avidius Cassius.

Marcus Aurelius' work Meditations, written in Greek while on campaign between 170 and 180, is still revered as a literary monument to a government of service and duty and has been praised for its "exquisite accent and its infinite tenderness."

Reviews

[Lillian McCulloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up for classicness. I've never read much on stoicism before, so I was surprised by the similarities in its philosophy to Christianity and Buddhism. Lots of good advice in this book that comes from sound observations of human life. I also liked the concise writing style, which made this classic very readable. Due to the structure, which is not the most organized, the topic of conversation jumped around a lot, but this also gave it an organic feel, and there were enough common themes to keep the book as a whole connected. I think ultimately, Aurelius' philosophy fails to be consistent--if nothing that occurs is truly good or bad, and nothing we do in our lives lasts, then what is the point of living virtuously and working hard to fulfill our responsibilities as he so urgently insists? But despite some holes in the thinking, I found this book a generally wise and thought-provoking read.

[Kriti Chetri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read at a time when I needed it the most. For me, reading it was deeply meditative. Some experiences in life make you question your entire existence. Sometimes it makes your heart so heavy that you are left with no hope. You wish so badly to escape it all, but can't. This book pulled me in, made me see my own thoughts and stack them well. I could make sense of things and could hope for things that did not make sense to make sense in the right time. I am so glad I read it. I think I'll be reading some passages from it every now and then. It is the kind of book that needs to be revisited because it is an ocean of philosophy and hope and faith. Thank you Marcus Aurelius 🌻

[Alfie Yee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read all 12 books of Mediations. Still as great

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book as it was recommended by my nephew, who has read it many times. This was not a book I enjoyed, but nevertheless I finished it and can say that I have.