Well researched and well written it was a good thoughtfull book to read, speacially around the pandemic we are going around right now.

Not posting a review to Goodreads or Amazon for this one as I didn’t finish it. I like the idea of the book and the topic it covers, but couldn’t really find an enjoyable angle with the writing.

It’s difficult to put my finger on exactly why that is. It wasn’t dry, and even if it were that alone does not necessarily prevent me from enjoying a book. It wasn’t lecturing or any particular descriptor with a negative connotation. I just didn’t find the writing appealing, for whatever that may be worth here.

This was my first NetGalley book, and I felt a bit guilty for not having completed it, but honest feedback is generally useful.

It seems stoicism has been enjoying a resurgence of late and being intrigued by different schools of philosophical thought and educating myself on each of them I simply couldn't resist nabbing a copy of this. The ideas central to stoicism are woven into the biographical account of one of the most important writers and Stoic philosophers of his time. What I found most impressive about the book was its accessibility - even those who know little about philosophy, in general, should be able to read and understand this text without issue. We in Britain tend to be labelled as the most likely to subscribe to stoicism when it comes to the continent of Europe so we should all be interested in the subject.

With the current state of the world, this is an interesting and sensible outlook that many people are adopting. Discussing the core concepts of stoicism alongside cognitive behavioural therapy is a thought-provoking approach and is exceptionally well written and researched, it appears. Often philosophy books can alienate those who want to educate themselves on these ideas but Mr Robertson keeps it down to earth and concise. This is a book that has the potential to be life-changing and the comparison made between stoic wisdom and CBT absolutely fascinated me. The helpful hints of how to incorporate stoicism into your day to day life are a great way to move towards emotional resilience and hopefully a happier and more fulfilled life.

Many thanks to St Martin's Press for an ARC.

What drew me to this initially, besides it being about Marcus Aurelius and Stoicism, is the fact that Ryan Holiday recommended it. I have read everything he's written, and know he is a trusted source when it comes to Stoicism as a life philosophy.
Mr. Robertson discusses Stoicism in terms of CBT, which is an intriguing premise. This book appears to be well researched, and is well written. It's also easy for any lay person to pick up, as it's not full of "$10 words".
I believe anyone interested in expanding their horizons would enjoy this book.

personal, and yet not overly personal, very well researched and concise, without being overly wordy or providing so much background history that you get lost in the dregs. This is a thoughtful book that will encourage you to look at a figure from the past in a new light and see which of his lessons you might wish to apply to your own life.

I read this book over a couple of days and found within it many parts that were worth highlighting to come back and read again. if you are interested in philosophy, particularly Stoic philosophy, then you will probably enjoy this book. Even if you aren't there are some good lessons here that we should perhaps all apply to our lives to make them better and more fruitful.

I enjoyed it.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

A fascinating and interesting book about a fascinating and interesting character, Marcus Aurelius.
It's great to see how we can apply now his philosophy and how his philosophy can still be modern and applied to our current lifestyle.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC

Donald Robertson has written a truly fascinating book that is easy to read and enjoyable. I would recommend this book to others.

I really enjoyed this one! It was well written and very easy for someone who isn’t working towards a PhD or some type of degree. I enjoy reading about all Things Roman, most especially the Emperor world. Having the philosophical attitude, mindset towards our mortality does allow you to feel more “free”,

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about Rome, emperor’s and even simple philosophy.

"How to Think Like a Roman Emperor" was an enjoyable read. There honestly isn't too much new ground covered here though.

I was lucky to get a free copy via NetGalley for my true and honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book! I absolutely loved reading Marcus Aurelius book the Meditation. In How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, cognitive psychotherapist Donald Robertson weaves the life and philosophy of Marcus Aurelius together seamlessly to provide a compelling modern-day guide to the Stoic wisdom followed by countless individuals throughout the centuries as a path to achieving greater fulfillment and emotional resilience

Obviously, I would love this book. I definitely recommend it for all those who love philosophy or want to learn more about stoicism or Marcus Aurelius.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I liked this book a lot, mostly because of the comparison between stoicism and the cognitive behavioral therapy. I am a long time fan of Marco Aurelio, even before the movie "Gladiator" or the book of Marguerite Yourcenar made him a well known Emperor between all the others, but I still think he was one of the best and Everybody should read his Meditations.

Questo libro mi é piaciuto molto, fondamentalmente grazie ai paragoni che l'autore faceva costantemente trai principi stoici e quelli che regolano la terapia cognitivo comportamentale. Inoltre sono da molto molto tempo una grande fan di Marco Aurelio, prima che ascendesse agli onori della cronaca per via del film "Il gladiatore" o il libro della Yourcenar (Le memorie di Adriano): Lo ritengo uno dei principali imperatori romani, specialmente se paragonato alla maggior parte di loro e penso che sarebbe molto importante che ognuno di noi leggesse le "Meditazioni".

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

This is a great attempt in explaining the circumstances that may have formed or at least refined one of the most influential Stoic and his legacy. Written partly in the format of a biography, each chapter provides a good mix of history, interpretations, similarities to modern-day psychological methods, and a few practical hints on how to potentially incorporate them in one's daily life. Thankfully, this is not a typical self-help book nor an attempt to Mcdolanize Stoicism (there is an industry that is focused on mindfulness to do that!)... Nor is this too focused on biography or historical details that would interest a history buff. That good blend sustains the reader throughout the book, despite some repetitions when it comes to the actual techniques itself (for example the notions of cognitive distancing and functional analyses come up very often almost in the same context). One also gets to obtain an overview of the progression of various Greco=Roman schools of philosophy. Overall, this is the best book that has helped me develop a good understanding how Marcus may have become the Stoic he is respected as and a much more deeper appreciations of "Meditations'.