“What I also discovered in Seneca’s writings is that nothing significant has changed in human nature over the last two thousand years, which made everything he had to say contemporary. Vanity, greed, ambition, pursuit of luxury, and runaway consumerism—aspects of Rome’s elite, decadent society that Seneca described in detail—are all still very much with us.
But countering these negative aspects of human behavior, Seneca teaches his readers how to overcome worry and anxiety; how to live a good life under any conditions; how to live with purpose and cultivate excellence; how to contribute to society; and how to overcome grief and all kinds of obstacles that might (and certainly will) cross our paths. ...
Despite the very high level of interest in Stoicism today, no one has written a book explaining Seneca’s teachings for the general reader, even though he’s been called ‘the most compelling and elegant of the Stoic writers.’ I hope this book will fill that void, and provide a bird’s-eye view of his thinking. ...
This book might satisfy the entire curiosity of some readers about Seneca’s philosophy. But for those who wish to continue on to Seneca’s actual writings, or to host their own breakfasts with Seneca, may this guide serve as a helpful companion in that quest.”
~ David Fideler from Breakfast with Seneca
I got this book immediately after seeing Tom Morris’s strong recommendation of it in his new book Stoicism for Dummies. It’s FANTASTIC.
Now... I’ve always loved Seneca.
I can still *vividly* remember reading his Letters from a Stoic nearly 25 years ago (on a boat in the Mediterranean!) not too far from where Seneca wrote the letters 2,000 years ago while on a philosophical quest that included studying Socrates in Athens, Jesus in Jerusalem, Rumi in Turkey, and Aurelius near the Danube in Hungary.
But... Other than that high-level overview and some references to Seneca in all the other books we’ve featured, there’s never been a book ALL about him and his wisdom until this one. I HIGHLY recommend it. (Get a copy here.)
This book is now one of my all-time favorite books on Stoicism. It made me fall in love with Seneca. In fact, as you know if you’ve been following along, I’ve often said that Epictetus is my favorite teacher and Aurelius is my favorite leader but... Seneca is a fascinating blend of BOTH of their BEST qualities. I think he’s now my favorite Stoic.
I just got all his other letters so I can study him more deeply. Much more coming soon. For now, I’m excited to share some of my favorite Big Ideas from this GREAT book.
I read the book in basically one sitting. I felt like I was having breakfast with TWO dear friends: Seneca AND David Fideler.
It’s the kind of book I was sad came to end. It felt like a 2.75-hour breakfast I recently had with a new friend (Billy Donovan—the head coach of the Bulls) that came to an end because he had to get going to get to the next city for their next game.
The book is PACKED (!) with Big Ideas. We’ll barely scratch the surface of its wisdom before we run out of space/time but I’m excited to share some of my favorites so let’s get to work!
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