Meditations

by Marcus Aurelius

Book Overview

One of the world's most famous and influential books, Meditations, by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 121-180), incorporates the stoic precepts he used to cope with his life as a warrior and administrator of an empire. Ascending to the imperial throne in A.D. 161, Aurelius found his reign beset by natural disasters and war. In the wake of these challenges, he set down a series of private reflections, outlining a philosophy of commitment to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 048629823X
• ISBN13: 9780486298238
• Release Date: July 1997
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Best book I’ve read!

This book helped change my perspective on life. Helped me to find a more positive mindset and allows me to fight everyday struggles more easily. If the most powerful man in the world battled his inner demons and won, I can too!

Fast Shipping, Exact Condition As Described

Shipping much faster than expected, and the book came in the exact condition as expected. This is my favorite translation of Meditations so far! Easy to read and comprehend, but still elegant.

Like New Condition

Came in like new condition.

Dover Thrift edition only 99 pages

I just want to warn others when choosing the edition the Dover Thrift is only 99 pages and “modernized” to a book that would be good for school age children but not the classic translation I was looking to replace. Also the cover is different than what was shown online.

2000 year old wisdom at your fingertips

I couldn't help chuckling and nodding my head continually while reading Marcus' Meditations. His thoughts and life principles can be seen as repetitious through out Meditations (the books within it pretty much cover the same territory over and over, but actually cement his views firmly within your mind)yet they will give you great pause and reflection upon your own life. I can't think of any better primer for living in today's crazed, money-obsessed, celebrity-driven and unbelievably shallow world. He is a Stoic by definition, of course, but the man really knew the world and Man all too well and he would find no surprise in the opinionated, self-righteous nature of the 21st century. It's a short book, but is best read slowly and savored intellectually. I couldn't help but feel that all the Tony Robbins, Eckhard Tolles, Wayne Dyers, Deepok Chopras and Dr's Phils of our silly world pale next to his simple, yet solid principles and to some degree their books are derivitive of Aurelius' work. Highly recommended! I never reread books - there are too many wanting my time, but I will do so with this one. In truth it's a startling honest and insightful book of how to run your life and should be stuck in your backpack or suitcase for those times when you lose your patience with people, grow disillusioned and world-weary, or just want to travel back through time and communicate with a man that actually ran the entire Western World for a while, a man who took never took himself or the trappings of the world all that seriously.

A timeless meditation book for anyone

Here is a great book of meditations for both believers and atheists. Marcus Aurelius was emperor of Rome with an unfaithful wife, a worthless son, and the duties of leading an army for 13 years in what is now Germany. Trying to cheer and console himself in the middle of a desolate area, he wrote down what he remembered of the Stoic philosophy which he had studied. His thoughts are inspiring and provoking. This is the book you want with you when life becomes tough. As Marcus' view of god is a pantheistic one, anyone can profit from his thoughts, whether atheist or believer. A book to read ever few years. Highly recommended.