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Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness Paperback – June 26, 2007

by Epictetus (Author), Sharon Lebell (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,783 ratings
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Epictetus was born into slavery about 55 ce in the eastern outreaches of the Roman Empire. Once freed, he established an influential school of Stoic philosophy, stressing that human beings cannot control life, only their responses to it. By putting into practice the ninety-three witty, wise, and razor-sharp instructions that make up The Art of Living, readers learn to meet the challenges of everyday life successfully and to face life's inevitable losses and disappointments with grace.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    144 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    HarperOne
  4. Publication date
    June 26, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    0.4 x 6 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0061286052
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0061286056
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A treasury of eternally good advice, wise as a grandfather, earthy as the Tao.” — Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart

“The message of Epictetus is as vital today as it ever was.” — Jacob Needleman, author of The Heart of Philosophy

“Epictetus sounds like the Buddha, and Sharon Lebell’s voice makes him sound like the delightful man next door.” — Sylvia Boorstein, author of It's Easier Than You Think

About the Author

Epictetus (circa 55-135 ce) taught in Rome until the year 94 ce, when Emperor Domitian banished philosophers from the city. In exile, he established a school of philosophy where his distinguished students included Marcus Aurelius, author of Meditations. Some 1,863 years after Epictetus's death, Tom Wolfe revived his philosophy in the bestselling novel A Man in Full.



Sharon Lebell is a philosophical writer and musician who lives in Northern California. She also produced Epictetus's A Manual for Living.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperOne (June 26, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061286052
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061286056
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.4 x 6 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,783 ratings

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  1. Epictetus

    Epictetus

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    Epictetus (/ˌɛpɪkˈtiːtəs/; Greek: Ἐπίκτητος; c. AD 55 – 135) was a Greek speaking Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present day Pamukkale, Turkey), and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in north-western Greece for the rest of his life. His teachings were written down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses.

    Epictetus taught that philosophy is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are determined by fate, and are thus beyond our control; we should accept whatever happens calmly and dispassionately. However, individuals are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline.

    Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Frontispiece drawn by “Sonnem.” (? hard to read, left bottom corner) and engraved by “MB” (bottom right corner). Image scanned by the John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library. Image slightly improved by Aristeas. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

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  2. Sharon Lebell

    Sharon Lebell

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
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Small book, but does the job.
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Top reviews from the United States

Tom Venuto, Author of Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic for every personal development library
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2018
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The Art Of Living is a small book (144 pages) with big messages. I consider this book a personal development classic because while it's a modern book (1994), it’s author Sharon Lebell's "interpretation" of the classic work by stoic philosopher Epictetus.

Epictetus was born in A.D. 55 in the eastern outreaches of the Roman Empire. The book has been called the Western equivalent to the Dhamapada or the Tao Te Ching.

It is a book of philosophical teachings in the stoic tradition. This interpretation is very easy to read because it has been written in modern language. You can read the original interpretations of Epictetus in his Enchiridion or Discourses, but those are not easy to read in comparison.

This is also easy to read because it is broken in to 93 lessons or instructions (some are only a paragraph long, others a page to page and half at most), making this an easy book to pick up and read in parts during little moments of spare time.

What I like most is that it's based on personal development of character, virtue and behavior. It instructs you on how to think clearly and how to work on yourself daily to become a better person. It's about action and application not just theorizing.

The philosophy also recognizes that everyday life is fraught with difficulty, losses, disappointments and griefs and teaches you how to think right about these events and how to rise to meet challenges.

I have this in my kindle, but I also picked up the original hard cover edition years ago and still have it. Even though I've read it numerous times, this one always stays on my shelf within arm's reach, to pull down and review, or where the mere sight of it will be a cue to remember the messages inside.
125 people found this helpful
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Gary Wiley
5.0 out of 5 stars This book will definitely help live sensibly
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2024
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The advice and sayings of Epictetus have helped me time and time again to handle the craziness happening around our lives. One saying is definitely a complete cure for codependency and take responsibility for your actions, not in a self downplaying way, but with common sense and the reality of what is in your power to control and what isn't. I don't want to give away the messages and plain common reality put forth simply because this book has so much knowledge I wouldn't want to ruin it for you. This is a fantastic collection of very simple truths that kept me on track and virtually sane in what I know is a crazy world
One person found this helpful
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cristina
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2023
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This book was an interesting read . Gave insight to a certain point . I recommend reading this book its something to add to your collections a tab bit different .
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Family of Five
5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING! Have bought mutliple formats/copies. 100% happy.
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2023
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This is an easy review - FANTASTIC modern translation - done just right. I have given away two copies (paperback) of this book to those I thought could benefit from the classic Stoic text. I then bought back a Kindle copy and a Hardcover for myself. I will likely buy more paperbacks for friends and family.
The author has done such a beautiful job of making the classic text more approachable, memorable, and easy to apply to our lives. I have probably at least eight translations free from the web, but in English they always a bit of a struggle and I tend to put them down prematurely....and quickly forget what I read and therefore do not apply the wisdom to my own life.
Being a student of Roman Stoics and buying and reading many if not all of them to my knowledge (including Seneca) I believe there are three masterworks.
---(1) That One Should Disdain Hardships (aka Lectures and Sayings) by Musonius Rufus (translated by C.E. Lutz, also well done by C. King and W. Irvine)
---(2) Enchiridion by Epictetus (best modern translation by S. Lebell, she has done such a good job)
---(3) Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (best modern translation by Gregory Hays - by far the best!)
Rufus (Philosopher) directly taught Epictetus (Slave and Philosopher) who in turn heavily influenced Aurelius (Orphan, Emperor, and Philosopher). IMHO, and I have read a lot, Seneca is not in the same league as these three. Just my opinion. I have read countless translations of the Enchiridion and Meditations and highly recommend the two I noted above. Really there are only two for Rufus and you should likely get both by Lutz and by King & Irvine.
Cheers!
7 people found this helpful
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Jim Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars Cut Through the Red Tape !!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2011
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Blow the dust off this book... Epictetus has been brought to life; I for one had no clue who the man was. What a wonderfully refreshing and comprehensible read! I was pleasantly surprised from beginning to end. Even the introduction set the tone for what was to come. As soon as they mentioned the Dhammapada, and the Tao Te Ching, I knew I was in for something interesting, but I didn't know how good... I was not aware that we had an `uncovered Tao Te Ching' in the West.

This book reads like an ancient scroll of Taoism or Zen Buddhism, but minus the cryptic imagery and esoteric verbiage. Now don't get me wrong, I have been reading quite a few books on Eastern philosophy lately, and I find it fascinating (even though you still walk away from most books with some confusion, and the Zen masters state that you shouldn't understand it all anyway). This book however delivers all the goodies, but with absolutely no confusion whatsoever. What you have here is pure clarity! This is hands-down 5-stars for its simplicity and the beautiful message which unfolds on each and every page. This is reminiscent of some other insightful books such as The Rule of St Benedict, Tao Te Ching, and The I Ching. All of these books have soooo much to offer concerning your everyday thoughts, behaviors, rules of conduct, and straightforward moral ethics - all the values man has long forgotten...

This is a classic piece on a classic individual who displayed his genius way ahead of his time. This short paperback is a keeper by all means, and indeed, one book that can be a wonderful travel companion; it should be read time and time again. Pick up `The Art of Living' and refresh your inner self on how to truly live your life as a human being, one full of virtue, and tranquility...
11 people found this helpful
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Jacob
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for new readers
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2023
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I am currently just getting into reading and broadening my mind to new ideas and this book is short and vast in the concept it teaches
One person found this helpful
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Mr Ali
5.0 out of 5 stars life of purpose and virtue
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 28, 2023
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I have found this book a manual of purposeful and flourishing life. It gives advice on every aspect of life both in good and bad days. If this manual is adopted one can live good life indeed.
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Goutam Mistry
5.0 out of 5 stars Guide towards a better understanding
Reviewed in India on July 30, 2023
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I think this book is a masterpiece and no one would deny about it. It teaches us the right way to awaken our soul. It emphasizes the idea of self improvement for which we can choose the decision that would help us to build a better moral character for not only ourselves but also for the whole mankind. Okay, I won't make it larger; instead you should try it for yourself...
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Goutam Mistry
5.0 out of 5 stars Guide towards a better understanding
Reviewed in India on July 30, 2023
I think this book is a masterpiece and no one would deny about it. It teaches us the right way to awaken our soul. It emphasizes the idea of self improvement for which we can choose the decision that would help us to build a better moral character for not only ourselves but also for the whole mankind. Okay, I won't make it larger; instead you should try it for yourself...
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2 people found this helpful
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anher
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!
Reviewed in the Netherlands on October 31, 2020
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Meaningful book and quite a life changer Wonderfully written. Print quality is great. Easy to read. You know a book is great when you read it and you don't feel the time passing, I felt that with this book.
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N L
5.0 out of 5 stars Klein aber fein
Reviewed in Germany on October 15, 2020
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Das Buch ist relativ kurz, aber enthält sehr viele stoische Weisheiten, die einem im Leben sehr helfen können. Im Gegensatz zu viele anderen Stoizismus Büchern ist es auch sehr gut verständlich und leicht zu lesen. Ich würde es Leuten empfehlen, die bisher noch keine Bücher in dem Bereich gelesen haben und ein leicht lesbares Buch für den Einstieg in den Stoizismus suchen.
Ich werde das Buch auf jeden Fall noch einige Male in die Hand nehmen und bestimmte Stellen mehrmals lesen.
Long story short: absolute Kaufempfehlung!
3 people found this helpful
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Queensman
5.0 out of 5 stars An ancient essential guide for modern life.
Reviewed in Canada on September 28, 2017
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Our modern society's preoccupation with Eastern philosophies has perpetrated a great disservice to the grand thinkers of Western thought who are in every way equals to the now presently more oft cited Buddha, Confucius, et al. The stoics and Epictetus in particular offer the modern reader a reminder that great ancient minds have been asking—and answering—the same deep questions vex us moderns. This book, like all philosophers' offerings, is not an exhaustive remedy to our modern ailments but more than ample to genesis a new lasting peace and confidence in oneself and their life yet to be lived. And it is arranged in a way to afford you brisk guidance for how best think and behave for a life that flourishes.
One person found this helpful
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