The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated & Explained [Paperback]

Russell McNeil (Author), George Long (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2007

Stoicism is often portrayed as a cheerless, stiff-upper-lip philosophy of suffering and doom. Yet as experienced through the thoughtful and penetrating writings of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE), the Stoic approach to life is surprisingly rich, nuanced, clear-eyed and friendly.

With facing-page commentary that explains the texts for you, Russell McNeil, PhD, guides you through key passages from Aurelius's Meditations, comprised of the emperor's collected personal journal entries, to uncover the startlingly modern relevance his words have today. From devotion to family and duty to country, to a near-prophetic view of the natural world that aligns with modern physics, Aurelius's words speak as potently today as they did two millennia ago.

Now you can discover the tenderness, intelligence and honesty of Aurelius's writings with no previous background in philosophy or the classics. This SkyLight Illuminations edition offers insightful and engaging commentary that explains the historical background of Stoicism, as well as the ways this ancient philosophical system can offer psychological and spiritual insight into your contemporary life. You will be encouraged to explore and challenge Aurelius's ideas of what makes a fulfilling life--and in so doing you may discover new ways of perceiving happiness.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A stirring reinterpretation of Aurelius’s Stoicism for our time. In Russell McNeil, Marcus Aurelius has at last met the colleague he has sorely needed for almost two millennia: a sensitive and systematic editor, and a loyal and lucid commentator.” —John Black, professor of philosophy and liberal studies, Malaspina University-College “Marcus Aurelius was one of humanity’s great inquirers…. Russell McNeil’s revised and annotated version of George Long’s classic translation of Meditations reintroduces us to the genius of Marcus Aurelius at a time when wisdom is rare and free inquiry rarer still.” —Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Preparing to Practice “I came to this book expecting to read something that was vaguely good for me and as dull as paint; instead I found Aurelius—at once immensely likeable and helpful—and Dr. McNeil's fine introduction to the author and comments on his Meditations. That McNeil uses prose as lucid as Aurelius recommends only added to my pleasure in reading.” —Rev. Bert Ramsey, United Church of Canada minister --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Skylight Paths Publishing (October 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594732361
• ISBN-13: 978-1594732362
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #242,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Marcus Aurelius -- Poster Boy for the Communist Manifesto?, September 14, 2008

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Benjamin Pimentel (United States of America) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated & Explained (Paperback)

The book is written in contemporary American English, so it's easier to read than George Long's original translation. The annotations helped me understand the passages/verses better and were insightful.

At the end of the book in the Notes section, I beg to differ with McNeil when he writes that Aurelius' would be pro-Karl Marx and sympathetic to the Communist cause if Aurelius were alive today. Moreover, he writes about the evils of Capitalism, and why Aurelius would naturally reject it. The section is heavily slanted in favor of Communism in my opinion. You can read it, and form your own opinion about it. I feel that McNeil's belief that Aurelius would be a Communist if he were alive today, better reflects Russell McNeil's own political proclivities rather than that of Aurelius, and should not have been included in the book.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An awesome book!, December 15, 2007

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Shavauna C. Ronan "Shavauna" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated & Explained (Paperback)

I have read numerous self-help books over the years, as well as several books on the pursuit of happiness, but none have ever spoken to me the way this book has. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius brings Marcus Aurelius back to life. The annotations are well explained which make the meditations easy to understand. This is a must read for anyone who is in search of a better quality of life.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timely Meditations, May 31, 2008

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michael gose (Malibu, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated & Explained (Paperback)

I have already read Russell McNeil's The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius three times. The time was very well spent. McNeil brings Aurelius alive with wisdom, perspective, timeliness. Frankly, I am ordinarily annoyed by annotations and explanations, but in this case they are indispensable to the reading, and do the Aurelius selections full justice. It felt like McNeil was "channeling" Aurelius, that the additional commentary would have been what Aurelius would have added. Want to live a better life? McNeil has brought us Aurelius' still authentic and relevant answers.