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A Pocket Mirror for Heroes
A Pocket Mirror for Heroes is a mirror because it reflects "the person you are or the one you ought to be." It is a pocket mirror because its author took the time to be brief. And it is a mirror for heroes because it provides a vivid image of ethical and moral perfection to which all can aspire. The Art of Worldly Wisdom by Baltasar Gracian was all but forgotten for three hundred years, until its republication in 1992 turned this lost classic into a New York Times bestseller. Now Gracian, the Spanish Jesuit considered Machiavelli's better in strategy and insight, sets a new standard on the art of living and the practice of achieving. That new standard is the art of heroism--how to be "the consummate person, ripe and accurate in judgment, mature in taste, attentive in listening, wise in sayings, shrewd in deeds, the center of all perfection."
Gracian teaches the reader to be "a giant"--"the greatest person possible, a miracle of perfection, a king." Wit, wisdom, courage, elegance, grace, humility, spontaneity--these are the qualities needed to reach heroism in any occupation. But it is not enough to be wise or one must learn as well how to manage that talent, how to distinguish a quality fiom its shadow. A Pocket Mirror for Heroes provides "a politics for governing oneself, a compass for sailing toward excellence, an art for reaching distinction with just a few rules of discretion," and it will be wise and witty company for anyone who recognizes--and relishes--the challenges of daily life.
Gracian teaches the reader to be "a giant"--"the greatest person possible, a miracle of perfection, a king." Wit, wisdom, courage, elegance, grace, humility, spontaneity--these are the qualities needed to reach heroism in any occupation. But it is not enough to be wise or one must learn as well how to manage that talent, how to distinguish a quality fiom its shadow. A Pocket Mirror for Heroes provides "a politics for governing oneself, a compass for sailing toward excellence, an art for reaching distinction with just a few rules of discretion," and it will be wise and witty company for anyone who recognizes--and relishes--the challenges of daily life.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1657
46 people are currently reading
626 people want to read
About the author
Baltasar Gracián
433 books469 followersBaltasar Gracián y Morales, SJ, formerly Anglicized as Baltazar Gracian, was a Spanish Jesuit and baroque prose writer and philosopher. He was born in Belmonte, near Calatayud (Aragón). His proto-existentialist writings were lauded by Nietzsche and Schopenhauer.
The son of a doctor, in his childhood Gracián lived with his uncle, who was a priest. He studied at a Jesuit school in 1621 and 1623 and theology in Zaragoza. He was ordained in 1627 and took his final vows in 1635.
He assumed the vows of the Jesuits in 1633 and dedicated himself to teaching in various Jesuit schools. He spent time in Huesca, where he befriended the local scholar Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa, who helped him achieve an important milestone in his intellectual upbringing. He acquired fame as a preacher, although some of his oratorical displays, such as reading a letter sent from Hell from the pulpit, were frowned upon by his superiors. He was named Rector of the Jesuit college of Tarragona and wrote works proposing models for courtly conduct such as El héroe (The Hero), El político (The Politician), and El discreto (The Discreet One). During the Spanish war with Catalonia and France, he was chaplain of the army that liberated Lleida in 1646.
In 1651, he published the first part of the Criticón (Faultfinder) without the permission of his superiors, whom he disobeyed repeatedly. This attracted the Society's displeasure. Ignoring the reprimands, he published the second part of Criticón in 1657, as a result was sanctioned and exiled to Graus at the beginning of 1658. Soon Gracián wrote to apply for membership in another religious order. His demand was not met, but his sanction was eased off: in April of 1658 he was sent to several minor positions under the College of Tarazona. His physical decline prevented him from attending the provincial congregation of Calatayud and on 6 December 1658 Gracián died in Tarazona, near Zaragoza in the Kingdom of Aragón.
Gracián is the most representative writer of the Spanish Baroque literary style known as Conceptismo (Conceptism), of which he was the most important theoretician; his Agudeza y arte de ingenio (Wit and the Art of Inventiveness) is at once a poetic, a rhetoric and an anthology of the conceptist style.
The Aragonese village where he was born (Belmonte de Calatayud), changed its name to Belmonte de Gracian in his honour.
The son of a doctor, in his childhood Gracián lived with his uncle, who was a priest. He studied at a Jesuit school in 1621 and 1623 and theology in Zaragoza. He was ordained in 1627 and took his final vows in 1635.
He assumed the vows of the Jesuits in 1633 and dedicated himself to teaching in various Jesuit schools. He spent time in Huesca, where he befriended the local scholar Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa, who helped him achieve an important milestone in his intellectual upbringing. He acquired fame as a preacher, although some of his oratorical displays, such as reading a letter sent from Hell from the pulpit, were frowned upon by his superiors. He was named Rector of the Jesuit college of Tarragona and wrote works proposing models for courtly conduct such as El héroe (The Hero), El político (The Politician), and El discreto (The Discreet One). During the Spanish war with Catalonia and France, he was chaplain of the army that liberated Lleida in 1646.
In 1651, he published the first part of the Criticón (Faultfinder) without the permission of his superiors, whom he disobeyed repeatedly. This attracted the Society's displeasure. Ignoring the reprimands, he published the second part of Criticón in 1657, as a result was sanctioned and exiled to Graus at the beginning of 1658. Soon Gracián wrote to apply for membership in another religious order. His demand was not met, but his sanction was eased off: in April of 1658 he was sent to several minor positions under the College of Tarazona. His physical decline prevented him from attending the provincial congregation of Calatayud and on 6 December 1658 Gracián died in Tarazona, near Zaragoza in the Kingdom of Aragón.
Gracián is the most representative writer of the Spanish Baroque literary style known as Conceptismo (Conceptism), of which he was the most important theoretician; his Agudeza y arte de ingenio (Wit and the Art of Inventiveness) is at once a poetic, a rhetoric and an anthology of the conceptist style.
The Aragonese village where he was born (Belmonte de Calatayud), changed its name to Belmonte de Gracian in his honour.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 1, 2019
Üslubun, filozofun sanatındaki önemini, daha doğrusu iyi bir filozofun aynı zamanda bir sanatçı olduğunu gösteren bir hazine...
August 12, 2013
This book is less suspicious than The Art of Worldly Wisdom. I enjoy this book, it utilizes history and fables to convey deeper truths about attaining Greatness as a person, it taps into the Prudence of his aphorism found in The Art of Worldly Wisdom but not excessively so. This book is something to read to its entirety but just because you read it once entirely it does not mean one is done reading it rather people will refer to this again and again. At the end of the day, this quote from the book I think crystallizes Fr. Baltasar Gracian's thoughts behind writing A Pocket Mirror for Heroes as well as The Art of Worldly Wisdom:
"This aphorism doesn't bid the prudent to be cynical, but to be intelligent and observant. It advises them neither to censure everything-for this would be an abominable and moody lack of moderation-nor to applaud everything, which is pedantry."
One could read Machiavelli's works and speculate that he wants the read to become fearful, manipulative, and cynical toward his neighbor but with Fr. Baltasar Gracian one does not get the sense of fearfully focusing on ones neighbor but on intelligently or even mindfully focusing oneself as they live in the world.
"This aphorism doesn't bid the prudent to be cynical, but to be intelligent and observant. It advises them neither to censure everything-for this would be an abominable and moody lack of moderation-nor to applaud everything, which is pedantry."
One could read Machiavelli's works and speculate that he wants the read to become fearful, manipulative, and cynical toward his neighbor but with Fr. Baltasar Gracian one does not get the sense of fearfully focusing on ones neighbor but on intelligently or even mindfully focusing oneself as they live in the world.
May 31, 2015
How often do you get to read a book first published in the 1600’s? The author is a Jesuit professor and church administrator who wrote this book, a summary of a larger work, kind of as a response to Machiavelli’s The Prince. It’s basically “advice on how to live your life.” The author uses historical examples of kings and Roman emperors from his vast classical education. There are no surprises. So we learn: Everything in moderation. The importance of wit and grace. Stop and smell the roses. Be modest; never praise yourself. Under-promise but over-deliver. Don’t show all your cards at once and know when to fold ‘em. The importance of prudence. Cultivate excellence in something. Gracian is modern in his acknowledgement of the importance of appearances: what matters is not what you know but what people think you know. And his last lines, which we’ve heard before: “Philosophy itself is nothing but a meditation upon death: we must think about it often to do it well but once.” A quick read but a bit of a sleeper.
November 7, 2021
A great book to prompt some thinking. A little hard to get into in parts because of the writing style, but worth the effort. I hate that I read it more because it is short (because I gotta hit 20 books this year!) than for true study and understanding. Maybe I reread it next year?
Recommend for anyone. Worth reading.
Recommend for anyone. Worth reading.
February 23, 2020
JUKU MIKÄ KIRJA! 1600-luvun suuren neron sanat täräyttävät hölmöä joukkoihmistä suoraan nenuun!
Paras kirja sitten edellisen 5 tähden kirjan.
"Sillä jos ihmisessä on sitä enemmän ihmistä, mitä enemmän hän tietää, lukeminen on jalointa ajanvietettä. Hän ahmi kirjoja, sielun ravintoa ja hengen herkkua. Mikä onni hänellä olikaan tavata jokaisen aihepiirin valitut mestarit! Hän oppi kaikki hengen aateliselle sopivat taidot, jotka niin kovasti poikkeavat työn orjuudessa elämänsä viettävän taidoista."
Paras kirja sitten edellisen 5 tähden kirjan.
"Sillä jos ihmisessä on sitä enemmän ihmistä, mitä enemmän hän tietää, lukeminen on jalointa ajanvietettä. Hän ahmi kirjoja, sielun ravintoa ja hengen herkkua. Mikä onni hänellä olikaan tavata jokaisen aihepiirin valitut mestarit! Hän oppi kaikki hengen aateliselle sopivat taidot, jotka niin kovasti poikkeavat työn orjuudessa elämänsä viettävän taidoista."
May 5, 2020
17. yüzyılda yaşamış bir cizvit papazının kaleminden çıkan denemeler; okuyucu üzerinde belki beklenmedik bir tesir bırakmıyor olabilir ama, yine de birçok konu da döneminin ötesinde görüşler ile, hala günümüzde farklı bulacağımız bakış açılarını aktarmış. Dini ve mitolojik motiflerin olduğu kısımlar pek ilgimi çekmese de, eğer Montaigne'nin Denemeler'ini okuyup tadı damağınızda kaldıysa, güzel bir alternatif mevcut.
September 20, 2013
I love keeping Baltasar Gracian's books around the house and picking them up from time to time. Wonderful tidbits of wisdom about how to achieve greatness. (Can't hurt to keep trying!)
August 25, 2024
Una guía y ejemplificación de la persona perfecta: exitosa, querida y virtuosa. Generalmente utilizada como contraposición de los principios de Maquiavelo en "El Príncipe".
Los conceptos son útiles e interesantes pero el estilo de escritura barroco se excede en complejidad de sintaxis y vocabulario, por lo que varios capítulos fueron más un calvario que un disfrute.
Los conceptos son útiles e interesantes pero el estilo de escritura barroco se excede en complejidad de sintaxis y vocabulario, por lo que varios capítulos fueron más un calvario que un disfrute.
September 23, 2018
“A pocket mirror for heroes” - what a title!
“There are four ways to know much: live for many years ; travel trough many lands; read many good books (which is easiest); and converse with wise friends (which is most enjoyable).” p. 61
“There are four ways to know much: live for many years ; travel trough many lands; read many good books (which is easiest); and converse with wise friends (which is most enjoyable).” p. 61
November 27, 2020
A definite 5 star.
This is a very interesting and insightful book. Written in the 1600’s and yet it contains so much practical advice for our times.
This is a very interesting and insightful book. Written in the 1600’s and yet it contains so much practical advice for our times.
December 26, 2020
“Virtue alone is for real; all else is sham.”
Transformative reading as always, with the graceful Gracián.
Transformative reading as always, with the graceful Gracián.
November 29, 2021
Fantastic. Read it now.
May 24, 2024
91/100
5 stars - 90/100
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5 stars - 90/100
4 stars - 80/100
3 stars - 70/100
2 stars - 60/100
1 star - 50/100
December 28, 2025
Perhaps my favourite philosophy book..
October 19, 2017
This book was not at all what I expected. It's a selected collection of the works of a 17th Century Spanish priest, a response to Machiavelli's Prince which seeks to teach people how to be their best selves. It sets out to construct a model of behavior and instruct the reader on how to best rule themselves--not only to grow as a person, but to succeed in their relationships with others.
Having that as a background, it has all the hallmarks of the philosophy of that era in European history: setting "Great Men" (generals, kings, etc.) as his ideals of the best in humanity, using images of kings and lions, telling allegorical tales, referencing classical figures. His pessimistic disdain for the masses, and his habit of hyperbolically listing every virtue in turn as The Most Important, somewhat undercuts what he's trying to say. And sometimes the writing gets very dry and abstract.
Still, it was an interesting read, if only because it gave me a window into what my 7th Sea RPG characters might be reading. How's that for an endorsement? XD
Having that as a background, it has all the hallmarks of the philosophy of that era in European history: setting "Great Men" (generals, kings, etc.) as his ideals of the best in humanity, using images of kings and lions, telling allegorical tales, referencing classical figures. His pessimistic disdain for the masses, and his habit of hyperbolically listing every virtue in turn as The Most Important, somewhat undercuts what he's trying to say. And sometimes the writing gets very dry and abstract.
Still, it was an interesting read, if only because it gave me a window into what my 7th Sea RPG characters might be reading. How's that for an endorsement? XD
January 6, 2026
I think of Baltasar Gracian as a kinder, gentler Machiavelli, and this particular collection of wisdom is one of my all-time favorite books. I have read it many times and like to give it as a graduation gift to bright young students who are interested in politics and philosophy.
January 6, 2014
I definitely learned some valuable things in this book, but most of it was philosophical. I would recommend it to a friend!
August 21, 2016
More aphorisms in addition to The Art of Worldly Wisdom.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews