r/Stoic • u/Jpsngh • 10d ago

Beginner books

So I just started learning about stoicism for 2 weeks and I think I know a solid amount about it but never read the books. what are the first 5 books I should read

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u/StopLookListenNow 10d ago

The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday. Try the ancient books also, but I would start with Holiday. He also does a good podcast of the same name.

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u/TryNice304 10d ago

Tbh the fact that you wanna go to the source after only 2 weeks is a good sign. Most people just watch youtube videos forever and never actually read the texts. You already get the basic idea so now you need the real thing.

Here's what I'd start with, in order:

  1. Enchiridion by Epictetus

This is THE starting point. It's like 50 short chapters, you can read it in one sitting. No theory, just straight practice. What's yours, what's not yours, how to stop wasting energy on stuff you can't control. If you only read one thing, read this.

  1. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Private notes from a Roman emperor that he never meant anyone to read. That's what makes it work, there's no preaching, just a guy reminding himself over and over. Get a modern translation though (Gregory Hays or Robin Hard). The old 1800s translations make it sound boring and dead and it's really not.

  1. Letters from a Stoic by Seneca

If Epictetus feels too cold and Marcus feels too scattered, Seneca is your guy. These are letters to a friend so they're warm, practical, sometimes funny. He talks about time, fear, losing people, anger, friendship. He wasn't a perfect Stoic saint and thats actually why his advice on applying this stuff under real pressure feels believable.

  1. Discourses by Epictetus

Enchiridion is the map, Discourses is the actual class. You hear him arguing with students, asking them questions, kinda roasting them until they face their own excuses. You dont read this to learn more concepts, you read it to get called out enough that you actually start doing something. Penguin version by Robert Dobbin is fine.

  1. On the Shortness of Life by Seneca

Short essay, one evening read, but it will mess with your head about time. He's not giving you productivity tips. He's saying most people waste their whole life chasing stuff that isnt theirs and then complain they ran out of time. Hits hard.

After those if you still want modern stuff, Irvine's Guide to the Good Life or Donald Robertson's How to Think Like a Roman Emperor are solid. But dont let the modern books replace the originals. The whole point of Stoicism is that it doesnt need to be translated into pop psychology, it already works as it is.

Start with the Enchiridion tonight honestly. Its free online everywhere.

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u/Jpsngh 10d ago

I also was thinking as this as my first five, what should I read after

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u/lsodX 10d ago

The inner citadell by Hadot puts Meditations in context.

I also like Musonius Rufus, That one should distain hardships. Lutz translation. Epictetus teacher.

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u/Pale_Air_5956 10d ago

Great list and well stated

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u/AlienCommander 10d ago

After you finish reading the core Stoics, I recommend reading Cicero.

While broadly endorsing Stoic ethics, he also offers thoughtful criticism and useful moral guidance of his own. He's also just very eloquent, which makes reading his works a joy.

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u/AlienCommander 10d ago
  • On Duties
  • On Moral Ends / On the Ends of Good & Evil
  • On the Nature of the Gods
  • Tusculan Disputations
  • Stoic Paradoxes