Donald Robertson’s ‘Stoicism and the Art of Happiness’ is possibly the most successful step towards legitimizing Stoicism as a modern, rational, therapeutically grounded system of thought and practice that I have encountered.

If you are new to Stoicism and want a summation of its practices – or have a great depth of experience, I recommend this book. Within the pages Robertson explains Stoic rationale and classic practices, whilst managing to introduce multiple new and effective practices which are clearly inspired by his blend of psychological theory and philosophy (notably utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy).

This is one of my favorite quotes from the book, and gives a representation of the writing style of the author:

Rational joy comes from the contemplation of praiseworthy, or virtuous, actions, not from maximizing sensory pleasures, according to Stoicism.

Robertson uses a mix between psychological and philosophical language to create a medium between with which he can communicate with the reader in a persuasive and logical manner.

In my reading I found that the main and most important message from the book was its claim about the essential nature of Ancient Stoicism – that not only is the philosophy of Stoicism meant to be practical, but that it was actually created with the express purpose of being something to practically live by. An Ancient form of psychotherapy and secular (or non-secular) fundamental meaning.



Robertson starts the book by expressing and then building upon the fundamentals of Stoic belief and then relating these fundamentals to psychotherapy, as the book continues it moves towards slightly more complicated Stoic theory while never straying from its base in psychology. Thematically the book is written in a ‘how to’ fashion, with easy summations at the end of each chapter before information on the next. This layout makes it easy to pick up and revisit for the implementation of the strategies and theories it provides for living. With this format and the practical nature of the book in mind, you may wish to tab the pages for reference to the exercises and ideas in the future. This is very likely a book you will revisit for a long time.

My only critique towards the book would actually be its sole focus on practicality. When reading ancient philosophy there are multiple variables which are important to identify, such as the subjective facets of existence. Though this is only a small critique, as the book is presented with the intent of being a practical ‘how to’ guide, it may be better leaving this out. Therefore, I would recommend this book as one of the best concerning how to practically live your life – but I would recommend this alongside one of the classic Stoic works to a beginner as to not leave out some of the less practical yet important facets of the Stoic school of thought.



As aspiring Stoics we can learn a dramatic amount from this book. Stoicism is geared towards informing how you think and rationalize at the most basic levels, and this book utilizes both the most effective psycho-therapeutic practices alongside knowledge from the great ancient Stoics to do just that.



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