How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
Donald Robertson, How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius (St. Martin's Press, 2019)
Summary: Part psychology, part self-help, part history, part biography. A wonderful blend. The reader may benefit from the quickest of refreshers on ancient Rome in the 2nd-century AD, particularly the wars with the Parthians and the Marcomanni.
Key Quote: "Mental images of feared events often rapidly escalate to the worst, most anxiety-provoking part and then remain glued there as if the upsetting experience were somehow timeless. In reality, though, everything has a before, during, and after phase. Everything changes with time, and experiences come and go...Reminding himself of the transience of events is one of Marcus's favorite strategies...." - p. 74
Bottom Line: Read this book if you want to learn more about the old man who dies at the beginning of Gladiator — or if you desire a calmer approach to life's ups and downs.
