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Stoicism

Testing Stoic Anger Management Technique #1

We’re already receiving some very useful data from the form below, which will help us design more refined protocols for testing. If you’re interested in learning to cope with anger, please take a moment to complete the exercise below. Thanks!

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Stoicism

Talking about “How to Think Like Socrates”

My latest book, How to Think Like Socrates (St Martin’s Press), which will be released on 19th November, follows on from the success of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, by weaving together ancient philosophy and history, with modern psychology to provide a unique guide to self-improvement.  The book will be available in hardback and ebook, and an audiobook, which I will be narrating.  It has been selected by Barnes & Noble as a “Bookseller Favorite” and listed as one of their most anticipated philosophy books of the year.  

If you’re a blogger or podcaster, and you’re interested in interviewing me about this book, or my other work, please feel free to get in touch, by commenting below or emailing me via the contact form on this website.    

What other authors are saying…

  • “One of the best books ever written on the power and practicality of philosophy for a good and successful life! Highly recommended!” —Tom Morris, author of If Aristotle Ran General Motors
  • “Wonderful . . . In our modern world that swirls with half-truths and disinformation, we need nothing less to awaken us from our illusions.” —Nancy Sherman, author of Stoic Wisdom
  • “An intriguing and original book, engagingly written and highly accessible.” —Chris Gill, Professor Emeritus of Ancient Thought, Exeter University, and author of Learning to Live Naturally
  • “A fresh and original introduction to the figure of Socrates, blending philosophy, history, and psychotherapy.” —John Sellars, reader in philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London and author of The Pocket Stoic
  • “Don Robertson is your trusty and insightful guide to the life, times, and thought of the most important philosopher in the western tradition.” —Massimo Pigliucci, author of How to Be a Stoic
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Interviews Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor Stoicism Videos

Video of my Conversation with Ryan Holiday

Here is the full video of my in-depth conversation with Ryan Holiday about Stoicism and Marcus Aurelius.

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Books Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor

Get 40% off my new biography of Marcus Aurelius

For a limited time, Amazon US are offering 40% off the hardback edition of Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor, my new biography from Yale University Press’ Ancient Lives series.

What other authors are saying…

  • “[Robertson] thoughtfully and readably capture[s] the essence of this great man and his great life. It’s a must read for any aspiring Stoic.”—Ryan Holiday, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Daily Stoic
  • “Eminently readable. . . . A leading light in the modern revival of Stoic philosophy, Robertson directly and elegantly draws out the connections between Marcus’ experiences in the unforgiving crucible of Roman imperial politics and the philosophical ideas he expresses in the Meditations. . . . An invaluable companion to the Meditations itself.”—Peter Juul, Liberal Patriot
  • “Robertson has written a very thorough and very readable account of Marcus’s life and the events and people that shaped him. Anyone who wants to understand the author of Meditations should read this book.”—Robin Waterfield, author of Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: The Annotated Edition
  • “Donald Robertson guides us into the world of a philosopher-emperor whose humility and Stoic teachings fill the pages. We are indebted to Robertson for this wonderful account of the emperor who penned notes to himself while in battle that would be later known as the Meditations and read by millions for philosophical inspiration. Simply spellbinding.”—Nancy Sherman, author of Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience
  • “Robertson’s biography provides a compelling narrative of Marcus’ life, carefully based on the primary sources. He brings out very clearly the life-long significance of Stoicism for Marcus and the interplay between philosophy, politics, and warfare.”—Christopher Gill, author of Learning to Live Naturally: Stoic Ethics and Its Modern Significance
  • “This highly readable biography is the perfect place to begin for anyone who wants to learn more about the man behind the Meditations.”—John Sellars, author of The Pocket Stoic

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Stoicism

Video Short: Marcus Aurelius The Stoic Emperor

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Stoicism

Reviews of the Audiobook – Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor

The audiobook of my new biography Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor is now available from Yale University Press. I recorded the narration myself, last year, in a studio in Montreal. It currently has five stars on Amazon US, UK, Australia and Canada, and is #1 in Philosopher Biographies. Please take a moment to listen to the audio sample on Amazon – I think you’ll enjoy it!

Early Reviews

Here are some early reviews from Audible listeners…

Whispersync for Voice

The Audible audiobook is compatible with Amazon Whispersync for Voice, which means that if you buy the Kindle ebook at the same time you can read it in both and it will keep them in sync.

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Books Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor

Win a Free Audiobook of Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor

We are very pleased to announce that the audiobook of Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor is now available from AmazonAudibleBarnes and Noble and other retailers. It was originally due for release on Feb 6th in the US and Canada but my publisher says a technical glitch with the file format, unfortunately, delayed the upload. It’s finally here, though! 

Simply retweet the post below on Twitter for a chance to win a download of the audiobook. (See the thread on Twitter for Terms and Conditions.)

I hope you enjoy the book. Please consider leaving a review on Goodreads or Amazon. It really helps us and we’re always grateful to hear your feedback.

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Books Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor

Thank you for supporting “Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor”

Early reviews have started appearing on Amazon

I wanted to thank all of you for helping to support my work. My latest book, Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor, was published in 6th Feb by Yale University Press, as part of their Ancient Lives series. (It comes out on March 16th in the UK.) It’s been at the top of the Amazon charts in several categories for weeks and has been chosen as a staff pick on the Barnes and Noble website. NB: The hardback is currently 10% off and the Kindle is, I think, half-price on Amazon US! (The audiobook is available on Barnes and Noble already and will be on Audible very soon.)

Your feedback gives us an invaluable sense of what readers enjoy…

Early reviews have already started to appear on Amazon and Goodreads. If you’ve posted a review or are planning to do so, we thank you, as your feedback really helps us, and it gives us an invaluable sense of what readers enjoy. So please do let me know what you think of the book once you’ve had a chance to read it.

Praise from other authors

  • “Few historical figures are as fascinating as Marcus Aurelius, the emperor-philosopher. And few writers have been so effective at bringing his complex life and character to the attention of modern readers as Donald Robertson.”—Massimo Pigliucci, author of How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life
  • “Robertson has written a very thorough and very readable account of Marcus’s life and the events and people that shaped him. Anyone who wants to understand the author of Meditations should read this book.”—Robin Waterfield, author of Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: The Annotated Edition
  • “Donald Robertson guides us into the world of a philosopher-emperor whose humility and Stoic teachings fill the pages. We are indebted to Robertson for this wonderful account of the emperor who penned notes to himself while in battle that would be later known as the Meditations and read by millions for philosophical inspiration. Simply spellbinding.”—Nancy Sherman, author of Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience
  • “This highly readable biography is the perfect place to begin for anyone who wants to learn more about the man behind the Meditations.”—John Sellars, author of The Pocket Stoic
  • “Robertson’s biography provides a compelling narrative of Marcus’ life, carefully based on the primary sources. He brings out very clearly the life-long significance of Stoicism for Marcus and the interplay between philosophy, politics, and warfare.”—Christopher Gill, author of Learning to Live Naturally: Stoic Ethics and Its Modern Significance
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Stoicism

Join us for the Launch of Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor

Please join us on Tuesday 6th Feb at 7pm EST for our virtual book launch event. Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor will be published on that day by Yale University Press, as part of their Ancient Lives series, although you can pre-order the hardback, ebook, and audiobook now. I will be reading an excerpt from the book, discussing Marcus Aurelius, and answering your questions. We will also be giving away a signed copy to the winner of our contest (US/Canada only).

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Books Marcus Aurelius Stoicism

Exclusive Excerpt from “Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor”

Preorder my new philosophical biography of the Roman Emperor from Yale University Press

Below you can read an excerpt from the beginning of my latest book, Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor, which is part of the Yale University Press Ancient Lives series.

It is due out in Feb 2024 but you can help it reach more people by pre-ordering your copy. Ebook and audiobook (narrated by me) editions will be forthcoming. Please get your copy today from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other retailers via the publisher’s website. Thanks for your support!

Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor

Exclusive Excerpt

Most of us, of course, are interested in Marcus because of the famous book attributed to him.  The Meditations has become one of the most cherished self-improvement classics of all time.  It has had a profound influence on many different individuals throughout history.  Modern appreciation of it began when the first printed edition of the Greek manuscript was published in 1558, bearing the title “To himself” (Ta eis heauton), along with a Latin translation.  In 1634, the first English translation appeared under the title Marcus Aurelius Antoninus the Roman Emperor, his Meditations Concerning Himself.  The use of this term eventually stuck and it is now common to abbreviate the title simply to the Meditations

Marcus tells himself that nothing can prevent him from living in agreement with nature, although he often struggled to do so in practice.  

So what are the core teachings “to himself” described in the Meditations?  First of all, the Stoics defined humanity’s supreme goal as “living in agreement with nature”.  Although Marcus only uses the word “Stoic” once, he often uses this slogan.  He gives thanks that his tutors provided him with frequent examples of what “living in agreement with nature” meant in practice, in their daily lives.  He also tells himself that nothing can prevent him from living in agreement with nature, just like they did, although he often struggled to do so in practice.  

“In agreement with nature”, for the Stoics, meant rationally because they considered reason to be the highest human faculty.  If we lived consistently in accord with reason, we would perfect our nature and attain the virtue of wisdom.  If we apply such wisdom in our relationships with others, treating them honestly and fairly, we achieve the social virtue of justice.  In order to live more fully in accord with wisdom and justice, though, we need to master any fears and desires that threaten to lead us astray.  That calls for courage and moderation, giving us the four “cardinal virtues” of ancient Stoicism: wisdom, justice, fortitude, and temperance.  The Stoic goal of life can also be understood, in this sense, as “living in accord with virtue”, as long as we bear in mind that all the virtues are taken by them to be forms of moral wisdom.

Although the wise are not highly perturbed by misfortune, neither are they completely unfeeling.  Marcus, as we’ve seen, could be described as quite a sensitive man.  He gradually trained himself to manage his emotions better, by examining them rationally rather than merely suppressing them.  Stoicism taught him to view external events, i.e., events beyond our direct control, as of secondary importance.  Marcus thereby learned a kind of psychological therapy, designed to free him from unhealthy passions, a state of mind called apatheia by the Stoics.  Almost everything he says about philosophy can be related back to this basic goal of living in agreement with Nature, free from unhealthy emotions.  This book includes over a hundred such references tothe Meditations, which have been carefully interspersed in order to highlight various connections between Marcus’ Stoic principles and the events of his life. 

Who was Marcus, though?  Many today came to know him through his portrayal by Richard Harris in the movie Gladiator (2000) and a few may recall Alec Guinness in The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) – these are only very loosely based on history.  Sometimes people assume that we know little or nothing about the facts of Marcus’ life.  Fortunately, that is not the case.  Indeed, we know more about him than about any other Stoic, or most other ancient philosophers.  Three main Roman histories survive that describe his life and character: the Historia Romana of Cassius Dio, Herodian’s History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus, and the Historia Augusta.  We also possess a cache of private letters between Marcus and his rhetoric tutor, which give us an exceptional insight into his private life as Caesar, and later as emperor. 

Experts Praise the Book

  • “Few historical figures are as fascinating as Marcus Aurelius, the emperor-philosopher. And few writers have been so effective at bringing his complex life and character to the attention of modern readers as Donald Robertson.”—Massimo Pigliucci, author of How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life
  • “Robertson has written a very thorough and very readable account of Marcus’s life and the events and people that shaped him. Anyone who wants to understand the author of Meditations should read this book.”—Robin Waterfield, author of Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: The Annotated Edition
  • “Donald Robertson guides us into the world of a philosopher-emperor whose humility and Stoic teachings fill the pages. We are indebted to Robertson for this wonderful account of the emperor who penned notes to himself while in battle that would be later known as the Meditations and read by millions for philosophical inspiration. Simply spellbinding.”—Nancy Sherman, author of Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience
  • “This highly readable biography is the perfect place to begin for anyone who wants to learn more about the man behind the Meditations.”—John Sellars, author of Marcus Aurelius (Philosophy in the Roman World)
  • “Robertson’s biography provides a compelling narrative of Marcus’ life, carefully based on the primary sources. He brings out very clearly the life-long significance of Stoicism for Marcus and the interplay between philosophy, politics, and warfare.”—Christopher Gill, author of Marcus Aurelius: Meditations, Books 1-6