Seneca's Letters from a Stoic

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, HB Classics

Summary

As chief advisor to the emperor Nero, Lucius Annaeus Seneca was most influential in ancient Rome as a power behind the throne. His lasting fame derives from his writings on Stoic ideology, in which philosophy is a practical form of self-improvement rather than a matter of argument or wordplay. Seneca's letters to a young friend advise action rather than reflection, addressing the issues that confront every generation: how to achieve a good life; how to avoid corruption and self-indulgence; and how to live without fear of death. 
Written in an intimate, conversational style, the letters reflect the traditional Stoic focus on living in accordance with nature and accepting the world on its own terms. The philosopher emphasizes the Roman values of courage, self-control, and rationality, yet he remains remarkably modern in his tolerant and cosmopolitan attitude. Rich in epigrammatic wit, Seneca's interpretation of Stoicism constitutes a timeless and inspiring declaration of the dignity of the individual mind.

Available since: 11/27/2022.

Print length: 483 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Searching for Family and...

Carole Bumpus

Join Carole Bumpus as she continues the culinary journey of Book One in Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table, with her incomparable guide, Josiane, as they head north from Paris to Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Normandy, and Brittany, then drop into the Loire Valley before ending in the Auvergne. 
Sample family favorites and regional delights such as Flemish Potjevlesh, Algerian-influenced chicken tagine, moules (mussels) in cider and cream, salt-encrusted Lamb Grevin, Far Brêton, and Pâté de Pomme de Terre. Enjoy the music and antics of local festivals like La Bande de Pecheur (Gang of Fisherman), Feast of St. John, and the Blessing of the Fleet. Discover the wonder of troglodyte caves, wineries, and truffle farms in the Loire Valley. Then travel to Josiane’s family home, where you, too, can discover why food and family time are considered sacred in the Auvergne. And, all along the route, witness the impact WWI and WWII on the families profiled. Even seventy-five years later, the legacy of war remains―and yet, incredibly, the gift that each generation has handed down has been gratitude and a deep understanding of the importance of family. 
A compilation of personal stories, memorable moments, family secrets, and mouth-watering recipes, this French culinary travelogue is sure to find a prized place on the bookshelf of readers who love France―its food, its people, and its history.

Show book

Mafia Murders - 100 Kills that...

M. A. Frasca

Revenge killings, gangland shootouts, brutal executions and drownings - there was no escape from the Mob's hitmen. Featuring historical photographs, Mafia Murders details the bloody ends of these infamous gangsters. 
 
 
Since the late 19th century, the Mafia has used intimidation and worse to exert its control over organized crime. Mafia Murders recalls the 100 most important executions by the Mob. In a world where family, turf wars and crime were big business, the relentless murders of rival bosses, stool pigeons, snitches, good cops, and dirty cops became part of everyday life. 
 
Discover the stories of the hit-men who lived and died by the gun in this fascinating tale of the American underworld.

Show book

A Murder of Touts

Chris Farrell

At the start of a new relationship, she asked a simple question. His naïve response resulted in a yearlong string of life-threatening experiences, massive spider encounters, unexpected hilarity, and...enlightenment. All in the search for love. 
In the 1990’s, for the first time in history, it was possible to simply strap on a backpack and circle the planet while still staying connected to people back home. Through a string of nearly unbelievable experiences, this true story details how Chris and Paige Farrell slowly discover that their adventure was never actually about the crazy and dangerous things they were experiencing. It was about each other. 
22-hour bus rides through the African bush on dirt roads, crossing the desolate Ionian Sea through a raging storm in the middle of the night, covertly navigating Syria during Operation Desert Fox’s missile strikes, a SCUBA malfunction 80 feet underwater somewhere in the remote Andaman Sea, hepatitis-infected Patpong Road darts jettisoned at unsuspecting eyeballs, machete-wielding Indonesian bandits pursuing their next victims… The journey would be documented, but the destination was uncertain. 
In order to arrive somewhere new, you have to leave somewhere behind.

Show book

Sovok - The Memoirs of a Liar?

Kevin McKinney

Witness first-hand the transition from Soviet Union to liberated Russia and its return to a regime of tyranny and injustice from the perspective of a foreigner who lived through it. McKinney describes his interactions for over twenty years with dissidents, billionaires, artists, cosmonauts, mob bosses, presidents, prosecutors, and prime ministers, while constantly breaking laws and bending rules, as mostly every character in the book also does. He introduces some of the most dangerous, loyal, and hospitable people, and often they're one in the same person.
Described by one literary critic as "Jack Kerouac, narrating the adventures of Thomas Pynchon's character, Tyrone Slothrop, only in Russia," Sovok takes you on a front-row view of the transition from Soviet Union to liberated Russia and then how it went back to today's tyranny.
If a movie plot, it would be a blend of Grand Hotel Budapest, Wolf of Wall Street, Bonfire of the Vanities, Snatch, Eastern Promises, and Everything is Illuminated. By declaring himself a liar, the author prods the reader to question everyone and everything. Through personal stories, one of Sovok's central themes is that a network of loyal and moral friends can circumvent the strictest government regulations and defeat criminal syndicates. Sovok falls into one or a dozen categories of book. The one category it is not is ordinary.
"Everything is so realistic that is seems invented," - Italy
"The impression is incredible. I feel like I'm in reading science fiction, yet I am one of the characters. Events are described not as I knew them, but completely differently. It's as if the author saw them from a different angle, and that the author's angle is truer than the distorted view I saw them from. This is the best thing I've read in many years." - Ukraine
"I am totally, completely, absolutely and entirely fascinated. The things you write about are so well familiar to me. I love it." - Russia

Show book

Travels with a donkey in the...

Robert Louis Stevenson

Embark on a charming and contemplative journey through the picturesque Cévennes region of France in this timeless travelogue. Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes chronicles a unique solo adventure, blending humor, philosophy, and keen observation as the author treks through rugged landscapes with a donkey named Modestine as his companion.
 
Written with wit and wisdom, this story captures the beauty of the French countryside, the quirks of rural life, and the challenges of human-animal partnership. Along the way, you’ll discover the author's reflections on solitude, spirituality, and the simple joys of wandering far from the beaten path.
 
Perfect for listeners who love travel, nature, and literary classics, this audiobook invites you to escape to another time and place, savoring the rich details and timeless insights of a journey both physical and introspective.
 
Let the rhythmic pace of the story guide you through the winding trails of the Cévennes—where every step brings discovery, and every interaction deepens the experience of adventure.

Show book

Charles Leclerc - A Biography

Adam Hay-Nicholls

From acclaimed journalist Adam Hay-Nicholls, the very first biography of rising star Charles Leclerc. 
 
Few of the drivers on the F1 grid have the racing pedigree of Charles Leclerc. Widely regarded as one of the sport's hottest prospects, he was crowned F3 and then F2 champion in back-to-back seasons before he made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2018. Now firmly established as Ferrari's great hope, following in the footsteps of legends Alberto Ascari, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher, Leclerc has his eyes set on becoming world champion. 
 
Born in Monaco to a family of comparatively modest means, Leclerc remembers playing with toy cars on a friend's balcony as the best drivers in the world whizzed around the Monte Carlo circuit on the streets below. This early experience inspired him to get behind the wheel, encouraged by his father Hervé, and so began his meteoric rise in the sport. Along the way, he lost his father, his godfather and his best friend - all racing drivers - and this gave Leclerc the inner steel to become a winner. 
 
Writer Adam Hay-Nicholls, who has spent much of his career in the Formula One paddock, provides the inside track on this rising star, recounting how he has taken the racing world by storm. And as Leclerc's Ferrari is beginning to fire on all cylinders, will he beat his old rival and adversary Max Verstappen to the world title?

Show book