Reddit reviews The Inner Citadel: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

First of all, I want to say that it speaks very well of you that you are looking to use your time in prison to your advantage. Most people would see this as a catastrophe, but you see it as an opportunity. If you want to make this a full-time, in-depth study, this is the plan I recommend.

I would first start with a good introduction to the entire Stoic system. A great one is Stoicism by John Sellars.

Then I would start reading the source material. We are fortunate enough to have the lectures of one of the great teachers of Stoicism, Epictetus. I would go with Epictetus - Discourses, Fragments, Handbook translated by Robin Hard.

After reading Epictetus, you can move on to Marcus Aurelius, who was directly influenced by the Discourses. Robin Hard has also done a translation of the Meditations.

To fully appreciate the Meditations (and to better appreciate Epictetus), next read The Inner Citadel by Pierre Hadot. This is an incredible analysis of the Meditations which explains Epictetus' influence on Marcus Aurelius and his work.

Finally, you must of course read Seneca. Two good sources are this book of his essays and this book of his letters.

Between the footnotes in these translations and the detail given by Sellars and Hadot, you won't need Wikipedia to get clarification on any points. You'll have the expert knowledge in your hands.

I don't think it's necessary to read one of the modern how-to type books before you begin reading these, but if you think it would help to read something lighter first to become acquainted with the core concepts ahead of time, I recommend Stoicism and the Art of Happiness by Donald Robertson.

There are other sources, such as Musonius Rufus and Cicero, but these are the three most people start with and the three that I recommend first. You can look at the FAQ for more ideas if you'd like.

Find out how many books you are allowed to have at one time, as this may be an issue in prison.

As others have said, it's a very good idea to keep a journal of your thoughts, both on what you are reading and how you relate what you are reading to your life.

I'm not a fan of Irvine's book, generally. It makes a major departure from the tradition of Stoicism as virtue being the telos of philosophy for tranquility. It's okay for a first look into Stoicism, but not much beyond that.

As a companion to Meditations, I like "The Inner Citadel" by Pierre Hadot.

The sidebar has an overview of writings of Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius or Seneca or modern books on Stoicism from Donald Robertson or William B. Irvine.

For introductory reading, I'd also like to add Massimo Pigliucci's "How to be a Stoic".

For a deeper understanding of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations and Stoic principles in general, Pierre Hadot's "The Inner Citadel" is a must read.

off the top of my head:

Meditations, with The Inner Citadel as a reader

Letters from a Stoic

A Guide to the Good Life by Irvine

Do The Work by Pressfield as well as The War of Art by Pressfield

Managing Oneself by Ducker

Man's Search for Meaning by Frankl

What Predicts Divorce by Gottman

Nicomachean Ethics

Models by Manson seems to be popular on reddit

So Good They Can't Ignore You by Newport, as well

I'm currently reading Triumphs of Experience by Vaillant and find it insightful.

This isn't a critique of your distillation, but I love the one Pierre Hadot gives in the Inner Citadel:




Activity | Domain of Reality | Inner Attitude
--------|-----------------|--------------

1. judgment | faculty of judgment | objectivity
   
2. desire | universal Nature | consent to destiny
   
3. impulse toward action | human nature | justice and altruism
   
   In other words....
   
   
4. Be objective in your judgments.
   
5. Amor Fati (love your fate)
   
6. Always be just and act altruistically (be virtuous).

Also, this book, Man's Search for Meaning, is great and really goes well with Stoicism.

http://streetschool.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Viktor-Emil-Frankl-Mans-Search-for-Meaning.pdf

If any of the stuff I linked to interests you, definitely check out Marcus Aurelius's book Meditations and Inner Citadel. You can probably get the latter book through interlibrary loan.

I've just always been interested in how people psychologically overcome horrible tramas, like surviving concentration camps or prison or stuff. IMHO, the philosophy of Stoicism is a great tool for this and it has helped me in some aspects of my own life. So just throwing it out there.

Sure thing. See The Inner Citadel by Pierre Hadot which is a scholarly work on that idea.

To read along with the Discourses.

To read along with the Meditations.

Marcus Aurelius, is not something you read and go "FUCK YEAH, I CONQUERED THAT BOOK. I'M A BADASS!!!!"

It's an investment that will pay dividends years to come. It's not the simplest stoic text to read. However if you want the feeling of reading the words of a Roman Emperor from 1,000 years ago, and also actually use his words to change and live your life by, here are a few ideas:

• Read and skim through it. Get a general sense of the book. Read the Gregory Hays translation. READ THE GREGORY HAYS TRANSLATION. READ THE GREGORY HAYS TRANSLATION (shout out to a hero of mine /u/ryan_holiday for this)
  
  (I'm trying to emphasise this and I might not get this point across, but honestly you can read a translation written by someone who knows the english language and the worldview context in 2002, or by someone from the 19th century. Your choice.)
  
  
• You won't really understand the book. But you'll get a sense of the general philosophy he was trying to remind himself. They're called The Meditations. Aphorisms and pieces of advice written in a specific format to remind himself how to live. We actually don't have any modern equivalent to this.
  
  
• Now, you're ready for the golden treat. The princess at the end of the castle. The goose that will keep laying golden eggs. Pick up a copy of The Inner Citadel by Pierre Hadot. Think of it as the guide to read the Meditations. The cheat guide to the crossword puzzle. The How-To Manual on how to understand Marcus Aurelius' mindset as he wrote that beast throughout his life. It's with this book that you'll understand Meditations. You'll understand the 3 central tenets he wrote by, and just why he wrote them in a codified mysterious way. You'll get a glimpse into the man. You'll understand just what role Philosophy actually played in ancient times. (Hint: it wasn't the circle jerking that modern philosophy is) And you'll come away with a deep understanding of Stoicism. Heck, it might just change your life.
  
  Honestly it's not the greatest introduction to Stoicism. Personally I prefer Seneca (I've gifted a short version of his On The Shortness of Life to 4 different friends), because he was writing for a wider audience as opposed to just himself. But if you want to go down the rabbit hole. If you want to take the red pill, read it like I've just suggested.