The Askesis Reading List
Every book recommended across all five courses, compiled in one place. From the original Stoic texts to the best modern scholarship — organised by tier and filterable by course.
Primary Sources
The original Stoic texts — Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Seneca, and their contemporaries.
Letters to Lucilius
Book II — contains several of the most important passages on the Stoic account of virtue as the only genuine good. Seneca
Discourses
Book III — on courage and its relationship to fear; provides the philosophical context for the Stoic account. Epictetus
Enchiridion
Book IV — contains several of the most important passages on the practice of equanimity. Epictetus
Discourses
Book IX — on the practice of focusing on one's own work and conduct rather than on the behaviour of others. Epictetus
Letters to Lucilius
Book VIII — on the practice of returning to full engagement after setback. Seneca
Meditations
Chapter 1 — "On Freedom" — the foundational Stoic account of what is genuinely good and what is not. Marcus Aurelius
Meditations
Chapter 1 — "On Freedom" — the most extended account of the dichotomy in Epictetus. Marcus Aurelius
Discourses
Chapter 1 — the foundational statement of the dichotomy of control; worth memorising in its entirety. Epictetus
Letters to Lucilius
Chapter 16 — on the appropriate response to failure and the practice of maintaining equanimity. Seneca
Letters to Lucilius
Chapter 18 — on the practice of maintaining the philosophical orientation when things go wrong. Seneca
Letters to Lucilius
Chapter 2 — on the practice of maintaining the philosophical orientation in the face of fear. Seneca
Letters to Lucilius
Chapter 2 — on the practice of maintaining the philosophical orientation under pressure. Seneca
Letters to Lucilius
Chapter 20 — on the practice of maintaining equanimity in the face of external events. Seneca
Letters to Lucilius
Chapter 30 — on the appropriate response to the behaviour of others. Seneca
On the Shortness of Life
Chapters 1–14 — the most compact and practically useful account of the dichotomy in daily life. Seneca
Meditations
Chapters 10 and 34 — on the practice of temperance and the management of desire. Marcus Aurelius
Meditations
Chapters 5 and 29 — on the practice of engaging with demanding situations without attachment to outcomes. Marcus Aurelius
Meditations
Chapters 8 and 17 — on the practice of accepting what is outside one's control while acting fully on what is within it. Marcus Aurelius
Lives of the Eminent Philosophers
Diogenes Laertius
Discourses
Epictetus
Enchiridion
Epictetus
Meditations
Letter 1 — on the management of time and the practice of focusing on what is within one's control. Marcus Aurelius
Discourses
Letter 47 — on the treatment of those in subordinate positions; a remarkable account of Stoic leadership ethics. Epictetus
Enchiridion
Letter 59 — on the appropriate response to success and the practice of maintaining equanimity. Epictetus
Enchiridion
Letter 78 — on the practice of endurance and the management of desire. Epictetus
On the Shortness of Life
Letter 91 — on the value of preparing for adversity in advance. Seneca
Meditations
Marcus Aurelius
Meditations
On the Tranquillity of the Mind) — the most sustained ancient account of equanimity; essential reading for this course. Marcus Aurelius
Meditations
On the Tranquillity of the Mind) (complete) — the most sustained ancient account of the practice of equanimity over the long term. Marcus Aurelius
Meno
Plato
Phaedo
Plato
Letters to Lucilius
Section 1 — on the natural social character of human beings and the obligations we have to others. Seneca
Enchiridion
Section 1 — the morning meditation on other people; the foundational Stoic account of how to relate to difficult people. Epictetus
Enchiridion
Section 17 — on the practice of returning to the present moment. Epictetus
Discourses
Section 18 — on the practice of managing anger through the application of the dichotomy. Epictetus
Meditations
Section 30 — the most famous passage on the "view from above" in the Stoic tradition. Marcus Aurelius
Letters to Lucilius
Section 33 — on the impermanence of success and the appropriate response to achievement. Seneca
Natural Questions
Section 36 — on the practice of seeing one's circumstances from a cosmic perspective. Seneca
Enchiridion
Section 47 — on the relationship between judgement and disturbance in the face of failure. Epictetus
On Benefits
Section 54 — "What injures the hive injures the bee" — the most important Stoic passage on justice and community. Seneca
Discourses
Section 61 — on the practice of the philosophical disciplines under pressure. Epictetus
Enchiridion
Section 7 — "Confine yourself to the present" — the Stoic account of present-moment engagement. Epictetus
Letters to Lucilius
Section 8 — on the relationship between acceptance and action. Seneca
Natural Questions
Seneca
De Tranquillitate Animi
Seneca
Letters to Lucilius
Seneca
On Anger
Seneca
On the Shortness of Life
Seneca
Consolation to Helvia
Seneca
On Providence
Seneca
On Benefits
Seneca
Consolation to Marcia
Seneca
Consolation to Polybius
Seneca
On the Happy Life
Seneca
Discourses
Seneca's extended account of the ethics of giving and receiving. Epictetus
Discourses
Stoic account. Epictetus
Meditations
Stoic meditation on mortality and the practice of living with awareness of impermanence. Marcus Aurelius
Discourses
Stoic passage on character under pressure. Epictetus
Letters to Lucilius
Stoic philosophy. Seneca
Meditations
Stoic texts for the sustained practice of the dichotomy. Marcus Aurelius
Secondary Literature
Accessible modern works that apply or illuminate Stoic principles.
Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders(1976)
Aaron Beck
Originals(2016)
Adam Grant
Give and Take(2013)
Adam Grant
Leaders Eat Last(2014)
Admiral Stockdale's account of applying Stoic principles in leadership under extreme adversity. Simon Sinek
The Consolations of Philosophy(2000)
Alain de Botton
Status Anxiety(2004)
Alain de Botton
Marcus Aurelius: A Biography(1987)
Anthony Birley
Practical Wisdom(2010)
Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe
The Body Keeps the Score(2014)
Bessel van der Kolk
Ethics and Human Action in Early Stoicism(1985)
Brad Inwood
Rising Strong(2015)
Brené Brown
Daring Greatly(2012)
Brené Brown
Emotional Intelligence(1995)
Buddhist account of equanimity that resonates with Stoic themes; useful for comparison. Daniel Goleman
Man's Search for Meaning(1946)
Buddhist-influenced account of acceptance that resonates with Stoic themes. Viktor Frankl
The Four Loves(1960)
C.S. Lewis
Deep Work(2016)
Cal Newport
Pale Blue Dot(1994)
Carl Sagan
Mindset(2006)
Carol Dweck
The Culture Code(2018)
Daniel Coyle
Emotional Intelligence(1995)
Daniel Goleman
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy(1980)
David Burns
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor(2019)
Donald Robertson
Letter to Menoeceus
Epicurus
Rethinking Positive Thinking(2014)
Gabriele Oettingen
The Dance of Anger(1985)
Harriet Lerner
The Relaxation Response(1975)
Herbert Benson
Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death(2008)
Irvin Yalom
A Guide to the Good Life(2009)
Irvine
Atomic Habits(2018)
James Clear
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art(2020)
James Nestor
Human Error(1990)
James Reason
Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero(2014)
James Romm
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work(1999)
John Gottman
A Theory of Justice(1971)
John Rawls
Full Catastrophe Living(1990)
Jon Kabat-Zinn
The Willpower Instinct(2011)
Kelly McGonigal
Courage Under Fire(1993)
Marcus Aurelius's leadership philosophy and its practical application. James Stockdale
Nonviolent Communication(2003)
Marshall Rosenberg
The Therapy of Desire(1994)
Martha Nussbaum
Learned Optimism(1991)
Martin Seligman
How to Be a Stoic(2017)
Massimo Pigliucci
A Handbook for New Stoics(2019)
Massimo Pigliucci and Gregory Lopez
Black Box Thinking(2015)
Matthew Syed
Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?(2009)
Michael Sandel
From Morality to Virtue(1992)
Michael Slote
Fooled by Randomness(2001)
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking(2012)
Oliver Burkeman
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team(2002)
Patrick Lencioni
When Things Fall Apart(1997)
Pema Chödrön
Superforecasting(2015)
Philip Tetlock
The Lucifer Effect(2007)
Philip Zimbardo
The Inner Citadel(1998)
Pierre Hadot
Mastery(2012)
Robert Greene
The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian(2005)
Robin Lane Fox
The Courage to Create(1975)
Rollo May
Willpower(2011)
Roy Baumeister and John Tierney
The Obstacle Is the Way(2014)
Ryan Holiday
The Daily Stoic(2016)
Ryan Holiday
Stillness Is the Key(2019)
Ryan Holiday
The Daily Stoic(2016)
Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
Lives of the Stoics(2020)
Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
Choke(2010)
Sian Beilock
The Swerve: How the World Became Modern(2011)
Stephen Greenblatt
Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life(2005)
Steven Hayes
The War of Art(2002)
Steven Pressfield
The Consolations of Philosophy(2000)
Stoic "view from above." Alain de Botton
Ego Is the Enemy(2016)
Stoic account of the appropriate response to achievement. Ryan Holiday
Philosophy as a Way of Life(1995)
Stoic account of virtue and legacy through the transformation of adversity. Pierre Hadot
The Consolations of Philosophy(2000)
Stoic account of what genuinely matters. Alain de Botton
A Guide to the Good Life(2008)
Stoic claim that virtue is the only genuine good and its practical implications. William Irvine
The Miracle of Mindfulness(1975)
Stoic concept of equanimity and its practical cultivation. Thich Nhat Hanh
Grit(2016)
Stoic emphasis on the quality of one's own engagement. Angela Duckworth
Stillness Is the Key(2019)
Stoic equanimity over the long term. Ryan Holiday
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor(2019)
Stoic equanimity. Donald Robertson
Rethinking Positive Thinking(2014)
Stoic negative visualisation. Gabriele Oettingen
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor(2019)
Stoic practice. Donald Robertson
The Black Swan(2007)
Stoic practice. Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals(2021)
Stoic practice. Oliver Burkeman
Stillness Is the Key(2019)
Stoic principles into daily life. Ryan Holiday
A Handbook for New Stoics(2019)
Stoic principles; an excellent companion for the daily practice of the dichotomy. Massimo Pigliucci and Gregory Lopez
Radical Acceptance(2003)
Stoic principles. Tara Brach
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway(1987)
Susan Jeffers
Meaning in Life and Why It Matters(2010)
Susan Wolf
The Stoic Life: Emotions, Duties, and Fate(2005)
Tad Brennan
Man's Search for Meaning(1946)
Viktor Frankl
A Guide to the Good Life(2008)
William Irvine
For Deeper Study
Scholarly and philosophical works for those who want to go further.
Hellenistic Philosophy(1974)
A.A. Long
Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life(2002)
A.A. Long
The Hellenistic Philosophers(1987)
A.A. Long and D.N. Sedley
The Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Antoninus(1944)
A.S.L. Farquharson
After Virtue(1981)
Alasdair MacIntyre
The Myth of Sisyphus(1942)
Albert Camus
Nicomachean Ethics
Aristotle
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End(2014)
Atul Gawande
Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions(2009)
Barbara Fredrickson
Philosophy as a Way of Life(1995)
Book I — the most practically useful of the ancient Stoic texts for the application of the dichotomy under pressure. Pierre Hadot
On the Shortness of Life
Book II — contains several important discussions of the application of the dichotomy to the demands of professional and social life. Seneca
Achilles in Vietnam(1994)
Book II — contains several important discussions of the psychology of fear and the Stoic approach to re-engagement with demanding situations. Jonathan Shay
The Marshmallow Test(2014)
Book III — on temperance and its relationship to desire. Walter Mischel
The Courage to Be(1952)
Book III — the most important ancient account of courage. Paul Tillich
On Benefits
Books VIII and IX — on friendship and community; provides the philosophical context for the Stoic account of collaboration. Seneca
On Benefits
Books VIII and IX — on friendship and the philosophical account of genuine relationship. Seneca
The Stoics Reader(2008)
Brad Inwood and L.P. Gerson (eds.)
The Cambridge History of Hellenistic Philosophy(1999)
Brad Inwood and Pierluigi Donini
A Grief Observed(1961)
C.S. Lewis
Anger: The Misunderstood Emotion(1982)
Carol Tavris
Thinking, Fast and Slow(2011)
Daniel Kahneman
Stoicism and the Art of Happiness(2013)
Donald Robertson
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius(2019)
Donald Robertson
The Greatest Empire: A Life of Seneca(2014)
Emily Wilson
The Denial of Death(1973)
Ernest Becker
The Other Side of Sadness: What the New Science of Bereavement Tells Us About Life After Loss(2009)
George Bonanno
Death and Dying: A Stoic Perspective
Jeff Mason
The Art of Living: The Stoics on the Nature and Function of Philosophy(2003)
John Sellars
Stoicism(2006)
John Sellars
The Righteous Mind(2012)
Jonathan Haidt
The Morality of Happiness(1993)
Julia Annas
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy(2012)
Kelly Wilson
Lives
Marcus Aurelius's philosophical practice and its implications for leadership. Plutarch
Stoicism and Emotion(2007)
Margaret Graver
Frontiers of Justice(2006)
Martha Nussbaum
The Therapy of Desire: Theory and Practice in Hellenistic Ethics(1994)
Martha Nussbaum
The Inner Citadel: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius(1998)
Pierre Hadot
Philosophy as a Way of Life(1995)
Pierre Hadot
Emotion and Adaptation(1991)
Richard Lazarus
The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You(2005)
Robert Leahy
A Year to Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last(1997)
Stephen Levine
The Stoics Reader(2008)
Stoic account of virtue as the only genuine good. Brad Inwood and L.P. Gerson (eds.)
A Guide to Rational Living(1961)
Stoic approach to failure and the appropriate equanimous response. Albert Ellis and Robert Harper
The Black Swan(2007)
Stoic approach to success and the appropriate equanimous response. Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The Therapy of Desire(1994)
Stoic equanimity. Martha Nussbaum
Philosophy as a Way of Life(1995)
Stoic philosophical exercise. Pierre Hadot
Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing(1999)
Stoic practices that correspond to modern mindfulness techniques. Andrew Weil
Discourses
Stoic principles. Epictetus
Nicomachean Ethics
Stoic understanding of wisdom and its relationship to the other virtues. Aristotle
A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy(2008)
William Irvine
This reading list is drawn directly from the Further Reading sections of each lesson. Books appear across multiple courses where relevant. Amazon links are search links — no affiliate relationship.