How to Live - A Handbook of Stoic Philosophy: Discourses and The Enchiridion

by Epictetus

How to Live by Epictetus presents the timeless wisdom of Stoic philosophy through practical teachings and reflections. Combining The Enchiridion and the Discourses, this handbook offers guidance on virtue, self-discipline, and inner freedom, showing readers how to navigate life with clarity and resilience.

A must-read for anyone seeking personal growth and mental strength, this edition makes Epictetus’ philosophy accessible, relevant, and inspiring for modern life. It is a powerful companion for cultivating wisdom, balance, and enduring inner peace.

555 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2025

About the author

Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher. He was probably born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present day Pamukkale, Turkey), and lived in Rome until his exile to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece, where he lived most of his life and died. His teachings were noted down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses. Philosophy, he taught, is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are determined by fate, and are thus beyond our control, but we can accept whatever happens calmly and dispassionately. Individuals, however, are responsible for their own actions which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline. Suffering arises from trying to control what is uncontrollable, or from neglecting what is within our power. As part of the universal city that is the universe, human beings have a duty of care to all fellow humans. The person who followed these precepts would achieve happiness.

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