Looking for the best books on stoicism of all time?
You’re in the right place!
Here’s what you’ll find on this page…
Quick Intro: Stoicism 101
In this list of book recommendations, you’ll find 3 core stoic texts and 15 of the best stoic books ever written. But before we jump in, let’s tackle a few common FAQs about stoic philosophy…
What Is Stoicism?
Stoic philosophy teaches that the best way to be happy is to accept and strive to express the most virtuous version of yourself in every moment, no matter what comes your way. Stoic philosophy first flourished for about 600 years (from ~300 BC to ~300 AD) before losing ground to Christianity in the 4th century AD. Since then, it's made several comebacks including a major surge in popularity over the last 15 years.
Where Do I Start Reading Stoicism?
If you're looking for an introduction to stoicism, try Ryan Holiday's excellent The Daily Stoic (#2), The Obstacle Is The Way (#5) or Ego Is The Enemy (#6). After that, you may want to try something from the ancient stoics like Seneca's Letters From A Stoic, Marcus Aurelius's Meditations or Epictetus's Discourses before circling back for more stoic ethics and philosophy from some more best books on stoicism.
What’s the Best Book on Stoicism?
There is no best stoic book. There is only the best stoicism book for you. If you want your stoicism, in short, concentrated doses, try Letters from a Stoic, Meditations or The Daily Stoic (#2). For an introduction to stoicism with more narrative, try The Obstacle Is The Way (#5).
Stoicism is about as practical and accessible as philosophy gets, so don’t let this list overwhelm you. Scan my recommendations, pick a book on Stoic philosophy that excites you and start reading.
And until next time, stay humble, be awesome and go well.
The 3 Ancient Stoic Texts
These three ancient stoic texts contain the most concentrated and practical collection of Stoic wisdom we know of today. There are others but these are the best place to start.
The 15 Best Books on Stoicism
Why these best books on stoicism and not others? The best books on stoicism below are the top picks from my master database, ranked by a combination of Goodreads rating, the number of Goodreads reviews and first publication date. The goal is to give a good balance of what’s most loved, what’s most popular and what’s delivered timelessly relevant advice.
Think something’s missing? Email me and I’ll add it to the next round of updates. I honestly love hearing from you so, please, do get in touch!
Books 1-5: The 5 Best Books on Stoicism of All Time
The top 5 best books on stoicism of all time are…
Books 6-15: 10 Good Books on Stoicism to Read Next
Here are the next 10 best books on stoicism from my database…
More Book Recommendations
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