The Stoic Arsenal: 40 Lessons from Stoicism for a Better Life

by Leandro Faria

The Stoic Arsenal organizes the vast expanse of ancient Stoic wisdom and its legacies into a practical guide for a better life today.
Stoicism has played an influential role in the history of Western thought for over two thousand years. It shaped the culture of ancient Greece. It dictated politics in the Roman Empire. And it inspired some of the greatest thinkers of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Enlightenment. In more recent times, Stoic philosophy led to the development of cognitive behavioral therapy, a pillar of modern psychology.
But the wide-ranging footprint of Stoicism also makes it difficult to compile its knowledge. The core teachings are spread across an ample literature written by a broad group of thinkers. Many of the foundational texts are thousands of years old. Searching for these sources can be overwhelming.
The Stoic Arsenal is a collection of key Stoic ideas. It organizes the vast expanse of Stoic wisdom into forty practical lessons, each one filled with an assortment of quotes from the most relevant Stoic texts written throughout history. Leandro Faria combines a fascinating selection of historical anecdotes, current references, and the profound insights of Stoic philosophy into a practical guide for living a better life.

“A very well-written overview of Stoic practices. A great introduction to Stoicism.” —Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

“An amazing handbook of practices and concepts. Must have reading for anyone interested in Stoicism.” —Ivan Biava, Owner of Practical Stoicism and Founder of Nova Stoa

Genres: Philosophy

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 11, 2021

Reviews

[Pat Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I liked how the author neatly organized the chapters by subject instead of the usual hodgepodge that I've found in other books about Stoicism. I'll keep this one at my bedside table as my go-to manual for practical Stoic advice.

[Patty Gagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summary of Stoic teachings!

[Roberta Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I'm new to Stoicism and The Stoic Arsenal was easy to follow and super helpful. I highly recommend it.

[Kristjan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introduction to Stoic philosophy, updated for the modern practitioner seeking “the good life.” We get 40 “lessons” in six parts … the primary idea being to not worry about that for which you have no control. What follows are various techniques to put that into action, often further subdividing the lesson into manageable steps (example: lesson 1 - “Mens Omnis Regit” is further divided into self-sufficiency and constant presence to show how we can change the way we think about everything). Woven into each block of text are quotes from various famous stoics and several persons whose personal philosophy appears to intersect with Stoicism. I found the comparisons with Buddhism particularly interesting where they look at mindfulness and the instruction to avoid emotional attachments to the physical world (Lesson 15 & 16). As might be expected for a philosophy that evolved over a couple of millennia, there are apparent contradictions that could use a fair amount of personal mediation … such at the recognition that we are all connected (Part 4) being opposed to the tenant that one should look to your self first (Lessons 37). Regardless, this is a solid first step of a potentially life changing journey that is worth a tilt.

Introduction
Part 1: Life Is Only Perception - The mind rules over everything
1. Mens Omnia Regit
2. Train Perception
3. Override Initial Reactions
4. Trochotomy of Control
5. Mindfulness
6. The Inner Citadel
Part 2: Keep Perspective - Accept everything that happens
7. Amor Fati
8. Cosmic Perspective
9. Break the Hedonic Treadmill
10. Memento Mori
11. Fair Bookkeeping
12. Poverty is a State of Mind
Part 3: Downside Protection - Turn obstacles into opportunities/action
13. Wand of Hermes
14. Premeditatio Malorum
15. Fate only Lends
16. Self-Denial
17. Decatastrophize
18. Change the Point of View
Part 4: Sympatheia - It takes a village; we all depend on each other
19. Cosmopolitanism
20. We’re More Similar Than Different
21. Forgive Wrongs of Others
22. Focus on Virtues, Not Flaws
23. Improve Others
24. Show Appreciation
25. Character is All That Matters
Part 5: Pragmatism - Set realistic expectations
26. Stop Complaining
27. Don’t Seek Recognition
28. Don’t Seek Happiness (which is a by-production of virtue)
29. Choose Friends Wisely
30. Have a Sense of Humor
31. Control Your Anger
32. Be Humble
Part 6: Practice - Nobody is perfect
33. Philosophy Takes Priority
34. Learn For Yourself
35. Excellence is a Habit
36. Action, Not Words
37. Protect Your Time
38. Watch The Wise
39. The Power of Reminders
40. Create a new Path


I was given this free advance review copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#TheStoicArsenal #BookSirens.

[Angela M. Ahearn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what audience this was written for. It's a self-help book on how Stoic philosophy can work for you. My criticism is that it doesn't do a good job of explaining what the philosophy is. I'm already fairly familiar with Stoicism and I had trouble following it sometimes. I wouldn't recommend it as an introduction.

It's basically a book of Stoic quotes. It's filled with quotes, every page, and not that much explanation. I would have found it far more useful if there have been more discussion and fewer, more discerning quotes.

I believe that Stoicism is a philosophy that can be used to help with life's struggles. It overlaps with Buddhism. There were good reminders of not being stuck in the past and not holding onto emotional grievances. The format of the book may be more helpful to others than it was for me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.