I need to read more philosophical text. Its mind boggling how commentary on virtues and happiness are still relevant after 2,000+ years, but here we are. I thought it was very insightful and easy to read (as Epictetus preaches, philosophy should be accessible). It will be more difficult to put into actual practice though, and that is okay.

I personally took one star off because it becomes repetitive towards the second half of the book. That was just my impression.

This is Epictetus re-packaged for modern readers that may not be used to reading philosophy or who simply want a quick introduction to Stoic philosophy.

Lebell's re-packaging of Epictetus is a quick read, and does an excellent job of distilling the main ideas of stoicism, such as not worrying about what one cannot change, the importance of maintaining inner tranquility, and so on.

I only give it 4 stars rather than 5 because it is a bit thin in some areas. For example, although Epictetus reminds us that faith is an important component of happiness, it is left as an assertion rather than a full fledged argument. You'll have to pursue other works such as Seneca's Letters and Marcus Aurelius' Meditations (or the original Epictetus) to see the basic Stoic arguments more fully fleshed out.

However, this is a minor quibble. I think that the book does what it sets out to do exceptionally well, and I would recommend it to anyone, even people that are very familiar with stoicism.

This is the first book I've read about stoicism so I may not be the best judge of this books teachings. I enjoyed it though, nice short lessons and values of Epictetous in modern interpretations by the Author.

Excellent intro to Epictetus and one I frequently give as a gift. If you want any easy way to improve your inner life - here it is.

Easy to read, a lot of advice of Epictetus applies to our times
Self-confidence, internal and external feelings, and focus on what can we control.