The 5 Best Stoicism Books of All Time (2024)

Welcome to our Best Stoicism Books Collection. Here you’ll find summaries of the best books on Stoicism, giving you the best introduction to stoic philosophy. From ancient wisdom by Marcus Aurelius to modern insights by Ryan Holiday, these must-read books offer invaluable guidance for living a good life.

1 Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a classic of Stoic philosophy and shows us how to become more self-disciplined, stop caring what people think, and control our emotions. The author was a powerful Roman Emperor about 2,000 years ago and wrote down these ideas in a private journal to himself.

"Choose not to be harmed—and you won't feel harmed. Don't feel harmed—and you haven't been." —Marcus Aurelius

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2 Letters From a Stoic by Seneca

Letters from a Stoic is about how to stop feeling unsatisfied in life or worried what people think. Seneca says we must first reduce our desire for pleasure, wealth and social approval. Then we can become less fearful and hesitant with techniques like remembering that we're all gonna die.

"If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you're needing is not to be in a different place but to be a different person." —Seneca

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3 Discourses of Epictetus by Epictetus

Discourses of Epictetus is a compilation of lectures on Stoic philosophy from almost 2,000 years ago. The book delivers timeless wisdom that continues to be intensely practical, guiding us on how to stabilize our emotions, become more self-disciplined, and live a good virtuous life.

"There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will." —Epictetus

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4 Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

Can't Hurt Me is a guide to building mental toughness, and it's also the motivational life story of David Goggins. When he was young David survived abuse and racism, but later he transformed himself into a Navy SEAL, ultramarathon runner, and world record holder.

"If you want to master the mind (...) you'll have to become addicted to hard work. Because passion and obsession, even talent, are only useful tools if you have the work ethic to back them up." —David Goggins

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5 Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Man's Search for Meaning was written after Viktor Frankl survived the concentration camps of WW2. He noticed that his fellow prisoners who could find purpose and meaning in their suffering found the strength to survive, while others perished. This book is also a guide to finding meaning in your life.

"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's way." —Viktor Frankl

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