{"product_id":"2940151214315","title":"Meditations (illustrated)","description":"One measure, perhaps, of a book's worth, is its intergenerational pliancy: do new readers \u003cbr\u003eacquire it and interpret it afresh down through the ages? The Meditations of Marcus\u003cbr\u003eAurelius, translated and introduced by Gregory Hays, by that standard, is very \u003cbr\u003eworthwhile, indeed. Hays suggests that its most recent incarnation--as a self-help \u003cbr\u003ebook--is not only valid, but may be close to the author's intent. The book, which \u003cbr\u003eHays calls, fondly, a \"haphazard set of notes,\" is indicative of the role of philosophy\u003cbr\u003eamong the ancients in that it is \"expected to provide a 'design for living.'\" And it does,\u003cbr\u003e both aphoristically (\"Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take \u003cbr\u003ewhat's left and live it properly.\") and rhetorically (\"What is it in ourselves that \u003cbr\u003ewe should prize?\"). Whether these, and other entries (\"Enough of this wretched, \u003cbr\u003ewhining monkey life.\") sound life-changing or like entries in a teenager's diary is \u003cbr\u003eup to the individual reader, as it should be. Hays's introduction, which sketches \u003cbr\u003ethe life of Marcus Aurelius (emperor of Rome A.D. 161-180) as well as the basic \u003cbr\u003etenets of stoicism, \u003cbr\u003eis accessible and jaunty.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIncludes unique illustrations.","brand":"Potter\/Ten Speed\/Harmony","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47080517501168,"sku":"2940151214315","price":2.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940151214315_p0.jpg?v=1764007468","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940151214315","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}