BOOK REVIEW: A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine

Pages:  283

Ideal Reader: Everyone.  Especially those bothered by negative emotions, searching for peace of mind, are bullied or insulted frequently, or who are looking for a guided way to live their life.

Ideal Issues:  

• Being insulted
• Depression
• Grief or Bereavement
• Anxiety
• Negative thinking
• Dealing with change and transitions in life
• Facing personal hardship
• Feeling lost in life

Summary:

This is an unorthodox self-help book based in Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy which holds psychological concepts and ideas similar to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.  The author breaks the book down into four parts: 1) the history of Stoicism, 2) psychological techniques found in Stoicism that help combat and overcome negative emotions and maximize joy and tranquility, 3) Stoic advice on how to deal with common and universal life situations, and 4) how Stoicism fits into the modern world, religion, and science.  This book provides readers with a comprehensible guide, or philosophy of life, on how to seek peace of mind, good character, and maintain joy despite the environment surrounding the reader. The goal is to help the reader cultivate a good life, a life ruled by rationality over negative emotions, and provides information on how to maintain and maximize our relationships with those around us by focusing on the proper values and enacting them in everyday life situations.

How it Helps:

• Provides a guide on how to live one’s life
• Offers psychological techniques to better manage negative emotions
• Gives advice on how to deal with common, universal challenges
• Develops resilience and mental tranquility

Therapist Reflections:

I found this book while perusing the philosophy section of my local bookstore, like I have a tendency to do.  I was immediately drawn in by its title on how to live a good life (one of my favorite areas in philosophy). This is the first book I’ve ever read on Stoic philosophy and I was immediately taken with it.  I wasn’t sure what to expect from this school of philosophy but found it to be comprehensible and applicable to modern day. Sometimes Ancient philosophy is dismissed because it is old. We often forget that what makes us human beings hasn’t changed all that much.  For this reason, this philosophy can be adjusted to fit our everyday lives. I particularly like the practical implications of this philosophy on dealing with negative emotions (something everyone experiences) and its value of personal responsibility. This philosophy places our happiness into our own hands.  It is empowering without being harmful to others and offers a guide for developing a more tranquil existence. I was particularly tickled by the authors idea of a “congenital Stoic” describing this person as someone who figures out the tenets of Stoicism on their own and are perpetually optimistic and appreciative of the environment in which they find themselves.  This definition spoke to my soul as it was helpful to be able to name some of my own practices in order to share them with clients and friends. I felt this book can be taken in two ways. One, is using the psychological techniques presented to work through specific situations or emotional challenges. Another is to adopt Stoicism as a way of life and apply these principles in all areas of your life such as work, family, romantic relationships, and personal well-being.  I hope readers choose the latter because the more practice one has, the better they will become at utilizing these ideas, and reach a more consistent state of joy and tranquility. Who doesn’t want that?