Finished Listening to…: How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius by Donald J. Robertson 📚
The audiobook, “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor” by Donald Robertson was narrated by the author himself, which is usually not my preference. However, Robertson did a fantastic job bringing the book’s message and tone to life. He spoke in a slow, clear voice with what I think is a beautiful Scottish accent. It felt like he was talking to me directly, in a dignified and elegant way.
I went in thinking the book was going to be all about Marcus Aurelius, his life, and how he lived. While it did touch on that, it wasn’t the main focus. The philosopher king was more of a framework Robertson used to hang his ideas about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Stoicism, and how these seemingly modern fields actually have roots that stretch back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The way of life that Marcus tried to embody is mirrored in many of the disciplines we use today to better ourselves.
There were so many valuable nuggets of wisdom packed into this book, all delivered through a narrative that kept the content moving and made it genuinely enjoyable to listen to. It wasn’t dry or boring at all. On the contrary, it was a pleasure to spend time with each day. All 8 hours and 47 minutes of it. In fact, I was left wanting more when it ended. One of my favorite morsels of wisdom was that “things do not affect us… the judgement of things affect us.”
The book was wonderful through and through, but the last chapter was the best. It was impactful and heartfelt. As soon as I finished, I paused to reflect on what I had just heard, and I wanted to start it all over again. I didn’t, because it was time to move on to something else, but I can definitely see myself revisiting it soon.
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