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Reading log

I don't include everything I read/listen to/watch. Generally only things that take more than an hour or otherwise highly significant. You'll notice I mostly listen to audiobooks, because I find long reading uncomfortable with poor 're-play' value.

29/09/2018 Nietzsche will to power
Robert C Solomon
10/10
Excellent, informed introduction to Nietzsche and his significance and practical relevance

30/09/2018 Existentialism and the meaning of life
Robert C Solomon
10/10
Another excellent, informed introduction to the Existentialists. Great work to kick start your journey.

01/10/2018 Nietzsche in 90 Minutes
6/10
More about his life and an overview of his works. Not practical.

05/10/2018 A Guide to the Good Life The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy (Unabridged)
Irvin
9/10
Very good, except the last part where the author injects too much of his own thoughts and examples

10/10/2018 Practical Philosophy - Greco-Roman Moralists
7/10
Not a practical guide, but does provide a historical context and brief introduction to the philosophical world around the time of Rome becoming a republic and the a few centuries afterward. Unfortunate that it is not more practical, but it does provide historical context for further study and understanding of Stoicism and other philosophies around that time.

11/10/2018  How to Be a Stoic
Massimo Pigliucci - 2/10
This books starts off promising but soon devolves into a boring and unoriginal self-help book. It was a struggle to get to the end. Not really a book on Stoicism, but a bland, whimsical, disconnected and terrible self-help book trying to insert a Stoic theme. A teenager could write better. Like many poor self-help authors this guy combines some quotes, popular examples, personal antecdotes and personal politics into a rambling, incoherent mess. This guy has Wikipedia-level knowledge of Stoicism. Avoid!

12/10/2018 Stoicism: A Stoic Approach To Modern Life
Tom Miles - 4/10
A very short book, and for what it's worth - which shouldn't be much, it's not bad. A very introductory book - essentially a poorer cousin of Irvine's book. If you pay little for it and expect little, you won't be disappointed.

12/10/2018 Stoicism: The Philosophy of Calmness (Unabridged)
George Muntau - 3/10
Short. Difficult to read/listen to. Reads like an academic text and is not too practical. Flows poorly.

13/10/2018 A Guide to Stoicism
St George William Joseph Stock - 5/10
Free, so that's a plus. Too academic in nature, not practical.
Also available as audiobook. Provides good context for Stoic thought.
http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/7514/pg7514-images.html

17/10/2018 Introduction to Greek Philosophy
9/10
Excellent introduction to the pre-Socratics up to Aristotle. Couldn't recommend a better book of its nature.

19/10/2018 Aristotle in 90 minutes
Paul Strathern - 4/10
You won't learn much about Aristotle's philosophy. You get a lot of irrelevant details about his life and a lot of sneering and opinion from the author. Read Wikipedia instead.




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