Donald J. Robertson's Blog, page 47
April 2, 2019
Out Now: How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
I’m delighted to announce that my new book How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius is out now. You can order a copy from any good book store. It’s currently available in hardback, eBook, and audiobook formats. Signed copies can be ordered for shipment internationally from Ben McNally books …
March 29, 2019
Book Sweepstake: Win a Call with the Author
Put your name in our sweepstake to win a video call with Donald Robertson, author of Stoicism and the Art of Happiness and How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius. Enter Sweepstake You can pre-order How to Think Like a Roman Emperor now from most online bookstores.
March 26, 2019
Response: Why is Silicon Valley so Obsessed With the Virtue of Suffering?
I’ve just read the op ed Why Is Silicon Valley So Obsessed With the Virtue of Suffering? by Nellie Bowles in The New York Times. This won’t be a long response. The essence of her argument appears to be that Stoicism advocates self-inflicted suffering and that Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are obsessed with it for that …
March 25, 2019
Marcus Aurelius on Hadrian
In book one of The Meditations, Marcus Aurelius lists the traits and virtues he most admired in sixteen different of his tutors and family members. The person he has by far the most to say about is his adoptive father, Emperor Antoninus Pius, who served as his main role model as emperor. However, Marcus has …
Amazon Giveaway: Stoicism and the Art of Happiness (2nd Edition)
Amazon Giveaway: win a free copy of Stoicism and the Art of Happiness (2nd edition).
March 20, 2019
History Repeating Itself: “You are nuts.”
This is the opening passage from Chapter 7 of my new book How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, titled “Temporary Madness”: May 175 AD. A nervous courier hands over a letter to Gaius Avidius Cassius, commander of the Syrian legions and governor general of the eastern provinces. It …
March 18, 2019
Marcus Aurelius and the Little Birds
Marcus Aurelius often seems to turn everyday observations into philosophical metaphors, throughout his personal reflections in The Meditations. One of my favourite examples is the way he refers to sparrows and other birds, which were surely a very familiar sound and sight to him, especially while campaigning on the northern frontier, such as at Carnuntum …
March 15, 2019
Reddit: Ask Me Anything
To celebrate the publication of my new book How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, I’ll be doing an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Reddit, from Vienna, where Marcus died, on March 16th, the day before the anniversary of his death.
March 9, 2019
Win a Free Stoic Meditations Calendar
I’m giving away five free copies of my Stoic Meditations 2019 calendar to celebrate the forthcoming release of my new book How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius. Follow the link to the Amazon Giveaway offer right now for your chance to win a free copy of the Stoic …
