The Tower of Life: Letters of a Stoic to His Son

by Mihail Yonkov

The Tower of Life is an intimate and personal monologue of a father to his son.

Written as a series of quiet reflections, it introduces the building blocks of life the way stones are laid to raise a slowly, deliberately, and with care. Each thought is a foundation, each lesson a block placed not to impress, but to endure.

This short book offers a Stoic philosophical framework for anyone drawn to the ancient beauty of Rome and the Roman Empire, where character, discipline, and meaning were shaped over a lifetime rather than chased in moments. It is not a book of instructions, nor a ready-made blueprint. Instead, it is a guide. One that helps you see how a beautiful life may be built, and how resilience is formed when the storms inevitably arrive.

At its heart, this is an essay of love. A father writing to his son in the hope that, should time run short, these pages may carry forward what words alone could not. It is a wish for tailwinds in the sails of the son’s ship as it crosses the unpredictable seas of life.

In just over forty pages, the book attempts something modest and to gather a lifetime of reflection into a form that can be read in one calm sitting, yet returned to many times. A written legacy, meant first for a son, but open to anyone who is searching, who wants to find, or who simply wishes to pause and think.

This is a book for readers who want to learn the principles behind building their own tower of life, without being told which stones to carve or where to place them. It invites you on a journey of the mind. One that does not end with the final page, but continues quietly long after, as all true searches for meaning, purpose, and happiness do.

If you are looking for a reflective, unhurried read—one to open on a Sunday afternoon and close with a sense of calm and clarity—The Tower of Life offers a place to begin.

41 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 7, 2026

About the author

Mihail Yonkov is a negotiation and procurement professional with a passion for exploring what really drives outcomes in business and in life. Over the past decade he has worked across multiple industries, from fast-moving consumer goods to high-tech manufacturing, where the stakes of every deal extended far beyond the contract on the table. His professional journey gave him one recurring insight: the real game of negotiation is decided long before the first words are spoken. Mihail is a multilingual professional who has lived and worked in Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States. This international path shaped his perspective on how culture, power and context quietly influence decisions. Whether in boardrooms, factories, or cross-border projects, he observed the same principle at work: tactics matter, but preparation, relationships and timing matter more. Away from the desk, Mihail is curious about how ideas travel across countries and how people adapt to different environments. His writing style blends personal experience, sharp analysis and a touch of humor to keep complex lessons practical and memorable. The Game Before the Play is his first book. It distills lessons from his career and international experience into a playbook for professionals who want more than one-size-fits-all tricks. Instead of chasing quick wins, Mihail shows how to approach negotiations with preparation, strategy and curiosity - the habits that separate good talkers from real players.
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Reviews

[Jovana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very nice book that surpasses my expectations. There were some very interesting insights. Some advices I took away and will apply in real life.
It can be a good gift idea for soon-to-be dads like my husband. I recommend this book to everybody.