Scan barcode
eli_cart's review against another edition
Just a man spinning his male boringness thinking he knows it all.
chou520's review against another edition
4.0
i want to watch seneca and sigmeund freud have a debate
so this wasn’t exactly bad, but i also wouldn’t recommend it. it’s definitely a must-read for those interested in philosophy just so you can like say you read it and that you have an informed opinion on seneca. otherwise, just read marcus aurelius. seriously like on the 0 to marcus aurelius scale this lands a solid 3.
seneca is snarky and funny, and he’s definitely handing out lots of tough love here. i especially liked the bit about how those in the modern age (and i use modern age lightly, considering when this book was written) are lucky, because we (and i once again use the proverbial we lightly, considering seneca definitely did not expect the internet or tiktok or whatever) have access to all the writings of those before us. feeling depressed? read some epictetus. confused about your life? plato is right there at your local library. i loved the bit about how our experiences have been experienced and puzzled about and found solutions for by so many of our admittedly more intelligent predecessors. because yeah he’s right. there’s a comfort in the transcendental anonymity of philosophy.
but my point is, if you really want to know about the shortness of living and how to live your life accordingly, just read marcus aurelius. seneca’s got the spirit and the jokes, but that’s all i can give him
so this wasn’t exactly bad, but i also wouldn’t recommend it. it’s definitely a must-read for those interested in philosophy just so you can like say you read it and that you have an informed opinion on seneca. otherwise, just read marcus aurelius. seriously like on the 0 to marcus aurelius scale this lands a solid 3.
seneca is snarky and funny, and he’s definitely handing out lots of tough love here. i especially liked the bit about how those in the modern age (and i use modern age lightly, considering when this book was written) are lucky, because we (and i once again use the proverbial we lightly, considering seneca definitely did not expect the internet or tiktok or whatever) have access to all the writings of those before us. feeling depressed? read some epictetus. confused about your life? plato is right there at your local library. i loved the bit about how our experiences have been experienced and puzzled about and found solutions for by so many of our admittedly more intelligent predecessors. because yeah he’s right. there’s a comfort in the transcendental anonymity of philosophy.
but my point is, if you really want to know about the shortness of living and how to live your life accordingly, just read marcus aurelius. seneca’s got the spirit and the jokes, but that’s all i can give him
toffishay's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Misogyny
Minor: War and Slavery
esthersedition's review against another edition
5.0
If you want to question the fruitfulness of your life then this is a MUST READ
Very short but as insightful as it is, it takes longer to digest it.
The start of the book, began with gems, but in honesty, the middle seemed to ramble a bit/ going off on a tangent. It picks up again towards the end & his conclusion made me smile, though some may describe it as biased.
In summary, live life to fullest! treat your time preciously. Retiring, drinking, wiling away your time is not fulfilling. Seneca answers what he deems to be the most fulfilling way to live life is, which make our lives and insights seem to last lifetimes.
Very short but as insightful as it is, it takes longer to digest it.
The start of the book, began with gems, but in honesty, the middle seemed to ramble a bit/ going off on a tangent. It picks up again towards the end & his conclusion made me smile, though some may describe it as biased.
In summary, live life to fullest! treat your time preciously. Retiring, drinking, wiling away your time is not fulfilling. Seneca answers what he deems to be the most fulfilling way to live life is, which make our lives and insights seem to last lifetimes.
lachiemorris's review against another edition
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
3.75
A wonderful book on the topic of life. The points were well explained, while also allowing interpretation from the reader. Each chapter grappled with something slightly different, but all related back to the topic of life and living.
The first chapter in my opinion was the best, the way it explains the ways in which we 'waste' our time living, and thus becomes our notion of the shortness of life. I found this chapter to be the most agreeable.
The second chapter I found to be the weakest, but still enjoyable in some areas. This chapter felt weighed down by the constant historical references, some of which were explained, but others were just flat out left as is. This chapter dealt with wealth, and overindulging, while also relating to Seneca's own mother? I'm not too sure if thats correct or not, but it's how it read to me. I found the usage of slavery and the topic of women to be typical of its time, but again history is going to be written in line with history.
The third chapter I enjoyed rather well. Its use of a letter like system between Seneca and a friend was well written, allowing two different opinions on the same matter. That which summarised the entire book up until that point. The points were often times a tad inflated, but also added some charm through its mentions of Seneca's personal affairs with life.
The first chapter in my opinion was the best, the way it explains the ways in which we 'waste' our time living, and thus becomes our notion of the shortness of life. I found this chapter to be the most agreeable.
The second chapter I found to be the weakest, but still enjoyable in some areas. This chapter felt weighed down by the constant historical references, some of which were explained, but others were just flat out left as is. This chapter dealt with wealth, and overindulging, while also relating to Seneca's own mother? I'm not too sure if thats correct or not, but it's how it read to me. I found the usage of slavery and the topic of women to be typical of its time, but again history is going to be written in line with history.
The third chapter I enjoyed rather well. Its use of a letter like system between Seneca and a friend was well written, allowing two different opinions on the same matter. That which summarised the entire book up until that point. The points were often times a tad inflated, but also added some charm through its mentions of Seneca's personal affairs with life.
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny and Slavery