Stoicism Lite: The Golden Sayings of Epictetus

From the Foreword: "We may not know the ultimate scheme of things in the cosmos, but a Stoic view can enable one to have a feeling of relaxation and liberation as one goes through the varying strands of life and be able to more easily and readily surrender to its natural ebbs and flows. As indicated in the famous German film, Run Lola Run, all the events of life occurred the way they did because of all of the events that preceded it. One small change in the past, whether in our own life or with the infusing environment around us, and everything appears different. In the widely viewed animated cartoon, The Simpsons, when Homer time traveled he inadvertently stepped on an insect from prehistoric times and then when projected into the future found himself in a totally different reality than he expected. The point is that all of life is intimately connected in ways we cannot even fathom. Our job, the Stoic would petition, would be to wisely acknowledge and embrace this understanding, and, finally, with a certain level of maturity make the best of everything, whatever that may be."

This book contains a judicious selection from the Golden Sayings of Epictetus.