Stoic Wisdom

How do we find calm in times of stress and uncertainty? How do we cope with sudden losses or find meaning in a world that can easily rob us of what we most value? Drawing on the wisdom of Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and others, Nancy Sherman's Stoic Wisdom presents a compelling, modern
Stoicism that teaches grit, resilience, and the importance of close relationships in addressing life's biggest and smallest challenges.

A renowned expert in ancient and modern ethics, Sherman relates how Stoic methods of examining beliefs and perceptions can help us correct distortions in what we believe, see, and feel. Her study reveals a profound insight about the Stoics: They never believed, as Stoic popularizers often hold, that
rugged self-reliance or indifference to the world around us is at the heart of living well. We are at home in the world, they insisted, when we are connected to each other in cooperative efforts. We build resilience and goodness through our deepest relationships.

Bringing ancient ideas to bear on 21st century concerns -- from workers facing stress and burnout to first responders in a pandemic, from soldiers on the battlefield to citizens fighting for racial justice -- Sherman shows how Stoicism can help us fulfil the promise of our shared humanity.

In nine lessons that combine ancient pithy quotes and daily exercises with contemporary ethics and psychology, Stoic Wisdom is a field manual for the art of living well.

"Stoicism has made a comeback as the ideal ancient philosophy for those seeking calm in times of stress and uncertainty. For many, it has become the new Zen, with meditation techniques that help us face whatever life throws our way. The Stoics address a key question of our time: how can we be masters of our fate when the outside world threatens to unmoor our well-being? Making Stoic wisdom relevant and accessible, Sherman distils time-honored techniques for building modern resilience. Drawing on the thought of Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca, and others, Sherman argues that Stoic resilience is miscast as rugged self-reliance. We are at home in the world, the Stoics taught, when we are connected to each other in cooperative efforts. While self-mastery is essential, we draw on our deepest relationships for true strength and resilience. Bringing ancient wisdom to bear on 21st century settings-from Silicon Valley leaders in search of lifehacks, to first responders in a pandemic, to soldiers on the battlefield-Sherman shows how Stoicism can both prepare us for an uncertain future and help us reduce the stress and anxiety of modern life. Stoic Wisdom will appeal to anyone feeling helpless or looking for deeper, meaningful strength and goodness in addressing life's biggest and smallest challenges"--

"Nancy Sherman goes far beyond the kind of 'pen-and-ink philosophy' that the Stoics had so little time for. In this book, she applies Stoicism where it is most needed--for our warriors and working people alike--and helps them become better and more resilient."--Ryan Holiday, #1 New York Times
bestselling author of The Daily Stoic and Stillness is the Key

"What a delight this book is! Stoic Wisdom is a lively, deeply knowledgeable, and wide-ranging exploration of the Stoic tradition, and how it can inform modern life." --Phil Klay, Winner of the National Book Award and author of Missionaries and Redeployment

"Moving with grace and nuanced human understanding from ancient Stoic texts to our world today, drawing vivid examples from hospitals, the military, the world of Silicon Valley, and recent protests seeking racial justice, Sherman proves a sure-footed and appealing guide to what is truly worth
holding on to in ancient Greek and Roman Stoicism. Engaging sympathetically yet critically with the ancient texts, she ultimately fashions her own Stoicism for today: based not on detachment but on resilience and adaptability, not on emotional hardness but on empathetic attunement to the needs of
others, not on a retreat from politics but on a commitment to change what we cannot accept." --Martha C. Nussbaum, University of Chicago

"Stoicism is more than two millennia old, and yet Stoicism has become - as Nancy Sherman writes - the Zen of the West. I can hardly think of a more clear and useful guide to ancient and modern Stoicism than Stoic Wisdom." --Massimo Pigliucci, author of A Field Guide to a Happy Life

"Stoic Wisdom is a fresh and insightful take on this ancient philosophy. Sherman provides ways of updating Stoicism, philosophically and psychologically, so that it can be of practical benefit to modern readers in their daily lives. Its discussion of moral injury and emotional resilience will be
of particular value to those in the armed forces. The lessons in this book contains are relevant to everyone-and increasingly needed for the welfare both of the individual and our society." --Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

"Seneca and Epictetus would greatly appreciate Nancy Sherman's subtle and elegant elucidation of Stoicism. Modern Stoic popularizers embrace a philosophy of individual self-mastery and toughness. Yet Sherman shows that they fail to grasp true Stoic wisdom. She persuasively argues that Stoicism
encourages action in pursuit of a virtuous life aimed at overcoming both individual and shared challenges to realize our collective well-being." --Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Vice Provost of Global Initiatives and Levy University Professor, University of Pennsylvania

"An accessible, powerful and thoughtful exploration of Stoicism as guidance for life. Nancy Sherman probes the possible weaknesses as well as strengths of the Stoic approach and in doing so brings out its genuine value for us now. A special merit is that she underlines the Stoic emphasis on social
engagement as well as self-reliance and resilience." --Christopher Gill, University of Exeter

"In a season of pandemics, mass death, and worldwide economic dysfunction, it is well worth listening, once again or for the first time, to the views of the ancient Greek and Roman Stoics. Sherman's book is an historically faithful guide to the ancient thinkers, which shows on every page how their
thought finds application in our contemporary predicaments. Filled with lively anecdotes, case-studies, and personal observations, this book is unmatched in its combination of scholarly accuracy and urgent relevance." --Tad Brennan, Cornell University

"This is a wonderful book. With deft intelligence, Nancy Sherman displays the part that Stoicism could play for all of us today in these high-pressure times. Her case studies are drawn from the real world of today and illuminated by snippets of ancient Stoic texts. People in high-risk jobs loom
large, because they show clearly what can be done - how we too can break free of what, in good Stoic fashion, she calls our 'enslavement.' Sherman passionately urges that Stoicism could help all of us, whatever form of emotional turmoil is impeding us, to gain control of our lives." --Robin
Waterfield, translator of Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus

"Stoicism is directly relevant to the way we live our lives, but it appears at first to make unrealistic demands on us - and it appears to require us to extinguish our emotions. Nancy Sherman introduces us, with grace and liveliness, to the deep, striking and complex ideas behind the seemingly harsh
demands. Appealing to today's events as well as the ancient world, and on our full range of sources as well as the ones familiar from self-help guides, she presents Stoicism in the round. She shows us how we are called on to enlarge our lives as Stoics in our everyday mundane dealings as well as in
extreme and testing situations - because Stoicism strengthens our social and political energies as well as our resilience and grit. Sherman makes Stoicism appealing without oversimplifying it, and calls attention to its relevance to us while keeping us aware of our distance from the world in which
it developed. This is much the best introduction to Stoicism." --Julia Annas, University of Arizona

"Nancy Sherman has written a practical, readable guide for everyday living. In this age of political polarization, impulsive tweeting, and the threat of covid-19, Stoic Wisdom is a refreshing reminder that reasonable behavior is still a possibility."--Washington Independent Review of Books