Meditations

A New Translation Paperback

Paperback, 256 pages

English language

Published May 6, 2003 by Random House Publishing Group; First American PB Edition.

ISBN:
978-0-8129-6825-5
Copied ISBN!
ASIN:
0812968255

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (108 reviews)

Nearly two thousand years after it was written, Meditations remains profoundly relevant for anyone seeking to lead a meaningful life.

Few ancient works have been as influential as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and emperor of Rome (A.D. 161–180). A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, it remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. Marcus’s insights and advice—on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity and interacting with others—have made the Meditations required reading for statesmen and philosophers alike, while generations of ordinary readers have responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style. For anyone who struggles to reconcile the demands of leadership with a concern for personal integrity and spiritual well-being, the Meditations remains as relevant now as it was two thousand years ago.

In Gregory Hays’s new translation—the first …

49 editions

Review of 'Meditations (Penguin Classics)' on 'Goodreads'

1 star

I was eager to read this acclaimed and highly rated book. And then I wasn't eager anymore, but rather bored, even annoyed.

I don't like the writing style: it has archaic words and uses convoluted syntax. A result of translating an old text without adapting it to modern standards (probably to ensure that nothing gets lost in the translation?).
The style forces me to constantly switch gears between understanding the sentence and understanding the idea that Marcus Aurelius is conveying.

After a bit of reading like this, I got incredibly annoyed. I read books because I like to absorb knowledge, not because I like to solve riddles. I'd still like to read the book, but the translations that I found online (free) have this same issue. Until I find something better, 1 star is enough.

Review of 'The meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

I was having a hard time getting through this and wondered why, and finally decided it was because it is boring. The book collects the tweet-like notes of [a:Marcus Aurelius|17212|Marcus Aurelius|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1225676437p2/17212.jpg], mostly self-chastisements or self-encouragements accompanied by reminders about the insignificance of human life and fame and the importance of meeting what fate throws at you with calm, steady resolve.

That's all well and good, but it gets repetitive, and often requires you to accept a pretty dogmatic stoicism and some dubious accompanying metaphysical assumptions in order for it to speak to you and your own situation.

The best thing about it is the attitude demonstrated by [a:Marcus Aurelius|17212|Marcus Aurelius|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1225676437p2/17212.jpg] -- constantly examining himself and trying to remove all the obstacles he's tempted to put in his own path on his way to becoming a more noble person. While his specific advice might not be particularly inspiring, this attitude of …

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