This had lots of good reviews and was recommended by a Stoic site, but I don't think it is worth having. I've read about half up to now and I'm losing interest, I doubt I'll finish reading it. Lots of heartwarming examples of people who were not actually Stoics but exhibited some form of Stoic behaviour don't really convince me that the author had anything useful to say. The book feels like he padded it out to make the word count, there's little in the way of original insights or things you didn't realise. The fact that he uses a lot of stories from American sports is something I personally find tedious, I have no idea who the people are or what he's writing about. I really dislike chapters that are three pages long. I also found his use of English was poor, it's not fluid, you constantly notice how he's expressed himself, rather than what he's said. Good English should be unobtrusive and flow from the page to the reader's mind without you noticing it.
He does explain the basics, so it's not a bad book to read if you have never encountered Stoic ideas before, but he doesn't seem to cover the subject in any depth. I'm waiting for him to introduce concepts like Eudaimonia and Apatheia, but this book reads too much like a self-help book for my taste. He's constantly offering military insights, not all of them accurate (The German attack on Poland in 1939 was a series of Kesselslachen, not Blitzkrieg). Lots of them are about American generals, quite a rich field where you can find many good examples, but after a quick introduction of Sherman (for example), he briefly discusses his personal qualities and he then moves on. Sherman wasn't a stoic (He was a Catholic as an adult), it's as if the author is trying to find things that can be used to support his views. Sherman was mired in controversy several times in his life and had a nervous breakdown in 1861. He was an effective general but not a good choice to support the book's narrative. This book is more like a magazine article or an essay written by someone who knows nothing about the subject but has researched it well on-line.
There are a lot of better books to read on the subject that offer more depth and better insights. I'd not recommend this book to anyone who showed any interest in the subject.
Flip to back
Flip to front
Follow the author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
-
Apple
-
Android
-
Windows Phone
To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number.
What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Customer reviews
Top reviews from United Kingdom
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 February 2018
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 November 2017
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 September 2018
Verified Purchase