The Manual
A Philosopher's Guide to Life
Ranked #36 in Philosopher, Ranked #39 in Stoicism
Epictetus (c. 50-135 CE) was brought as a slave to Rome, where he became a great teacher, deeply influencing the future emperor Marcus Aurelius among many others. His philosophy, Stoicism, was practical, not theoretical--aimed at relieving human suffering here and now.
And Epictetus knew suffering. Besides being a former slave, he was lame in one leg and walked with a crutch. After a decade of teaching in Rome, he was banished by Emperor Domitian; undaunted, he established a school in Greece.
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Reviews and Recommendations
We've comprehensively compiled reviews of The Manual from the world's leading experts.
David Heinemeier Hansson Despite being an avid student of Stoicism for many years, I somehow never got around to reading the last of the three big stoic writers, Epictetus, directly. What a mistake. The Manual is a profound work. It’s perhaps the most tensely packed tome of wisdom I’ve ever had the good fortune to read. Seriously. You can read it in about an hour, but you’ll spend weeks, years, hell, probably the following lifetime, trying to internalize and master its hard-hitting truths and techniques. It was a great reminder that even if you think you know a topic, there’s a big gap between knowing and knowing.... (Source)
Taylor Otwell Pound for pound probably the best book I’ve read… check out the “Art Of Living” edition. https://t.co/BbzPss9UVH (Source)
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