Letters on Ethics: To Lucilius (The Complete Works of Lucius Annaeus Seneca) Paperback – 6 Nov. 2017

I like what Stoicism has to offer and have found it very useful in my current, difficult, circumstances. Seneca is, for me, the best and wisest of the Stoics and his letters contain many little gleams of wisdom. The price is a bit steep but this book is quite long so you get reasonable value for money.

Haven’t started reading the book yet but have read some of Senecas letters so know it will be brilliant. Good quality book

Seneca's 'Letters to Lucilius' is one of the richest and most complex extant Stoic texts we have. It depicts a teacher/pupil relationship as it moves from opening exchanges, and broad themes, towards more precise, advanced and argumentative accounts of the central premises of Stoic philosophy. It is uniquely human, and Seneca's voice is very endearing: rather than striking a too-lofty tone (and therefore perhaps being hypocritical, given Seneca's life) with his student and friend, Seneca describes himself as sharing ideas and practices that have helped him to stave of the worst elements of his own character. It's a discussion between two friends lying next to each other in their sickbeds, rather than a stern lecture from a doctor-philosopher to a patient. But it is undeniably a sort of philosophical therapy.In terms of Stoic practice, the letters are extremely well suited to daily contemplation; it seems likely that this was their author's intent. For the interested reader, I recommend reading this alongside Romm's biography of Seneca, 'Dying Every Day', to situate his voice, rhetorical talent, and political struggles & machinations as you read. Seneca had quite the life.This edition has struck the perfect note in terms of style, readability, introduction, notes, production and voice. Graver and Long are two of the most well-read and productive authorities on Stoicism, and their collaboration on this edition is a real blessing. Between them they have shaped how we understand the philosophy, helping to rehabilitate it from its unfair stereotyping as a philosophy that advocates emotional emasculation, documenting the school's actual practices, and demonstrating that nothing could be further from the truth. Their edition of the Letters really should be in any Stoicism collection. Top class work.

Con la traducción moderna de Margaret Graver y Anthony Long, hacen las cartas de Seneca una lectura elocuente y sencilla.

Solidly constructed, high quality paper and typesetting. If only all softcover books were this well made...

Among the ancient Stoics, Seneca, who was a contemporary of Jesus and the Apostle Paul, is universally considered to be the best writer. This is a book that will change your life, if you let it, every bit as much as Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. Incredibly lucid, and very attentive to all the reasons that his readers might have to be dismissive of Stoic doctrines and virtue ethics, Seneca gives us one of history's most compelling and admirable examples of a philosopher who has made a daily practice of pursuing an ideal standard of virtue via concrete, realistic steps.Far from an ancient curiosity, Seneca remains a wonderful go-to resource for tips on handling anxiety, coming to terms with death, living in the moment, avoiding hypocrisy, being a loyal friend, and many other exceedingly practical ethical topics—all with a smooth, conversational, and what I can only describe as a non-dogmatic-and-yet-firm tone. He touches lucidly and casually on many areas of philosophy that are still widely discussed today, such as free will and the usefulness (or not) of abstract ethical theory. The book is littered with quotes from famous Greek and Roman philosophers, including many Stoics, but also Epicureans, Aristoteleans, etc.Since the book is such a delightful piece of literature, and since it is broken up into 124 short letters, it makes for perfect meditational reading. Personally, I use it as a secular alternative to spiritual devotionals. It is a book worth reading more than once.On the translation: It is lovely, lucid and contemporary (2015), as 'Chicago Med Student' made clear in their review. There is a well-written preface on Seneca's works in general, with one of the easiest to comprehend summaries of Stoicism I have found, and there is a long introduction to the Letters in particular that will provide casual readers with all the historical context they need. Ample endnotes are provided for scholars and the curious alike.On the book: The typography, cover, and rich blue dust cover are simply beautiful—the quality you should expect for the price. I own many translations of ancient philosophical works, and as an admitted bibliophile I have to say this is one of the most beautiful books in my library. Only Ian Johnson's  The Mozi: A Complete Translation (Translations from the Asian Classics)  compares. The Mozi: A Complete Translation (Translations from the Asian Classics)

One of the great minds of all time. The presentation is good. I really like this book and expect to read it again.

Well written and full of great notes and commentary. I would recommend the University of Chicago Press editions for any of Seneca's work.