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Meditations  By  cover art

Meditations

By: Marcus Aurelius, Gregory Hays - translator
Narrated by: Roger Davis
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Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Meditations offers a glimpse into [Marcus Aurelius’s] mind, his habits, and his approach to life. . . . I think any reader would find something useful to take away from it.”—James Clear, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Atomic Habits

“To me, this is the greatest book ever written. . . . It is the definitive text on self-discipline, personal ethics, humility, self-actualization, and strength. . . . If you’re going to read it, you absolutely have to go with the Gregory Hays translation.”—Ryan Holiday, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Obstacle Is the Way

“It is unbelievable to see how the emperor’s words have stood the test of time. . . . Read a page or two anytime you feel like the world is too much.”—Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Wall Street Journal

Nearly two thousand years after it was written, Meditations remains profoundly relevant for anyone seeking to lead a meaningful life.

Your ability to control your thoughts—treat it with respect. It’s all that protects your mind from false perceptions—false to your nature, and that of all rational beings.

A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. With bite-size insights and advice on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity and interacting with others, Meditations has become required reading not only for statesmen and philosophers alike, but also for generations of readers who responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style.

In Gregory Hays’s translation—the first in nearly four decades—Marcus’s thoughts speak with a new immediacy. In fresh and unencumbered English, Hays vividly conveys the spareness and compression of the original Greek text. Never before have Marcus’s insights been so directly and powerfully presented.

With an Introduction that outlines Marcus’s life and career, the essentials of Stoic doctrine, the style and construction of the Meditations, and the work’s ongoing influence, this edition makes it possible to fully rediscover the thoughts of one of the most enlightened and intelligent leaders of any era.

Public Domain (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Here, for our age, is [Marcus’s] great work presented in its entirety, strongly introduced and freshly, elegantly translated.”—Robert Fagles

What listeners say about Meditations

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A great translation of Meditations

Much easier to follow than older translations of Meditations. I got a lot more out of it than an older version I’ve read many times.

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Amazing Book! Thank you for this! Classic Wisdom !

Amazing Book! Thank you for this! Classic Wisdom ! Much needed in todays Times! Salute! And Blessings!

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As timeless as it is elegant.

A wisdom sorely missing from our modern popular discourse. Should be required reading in all American High Schools and universities.

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Great book!! But horrible narration

Meditations is a must read book. this iteration / translation is also magnificent, however the narration is so horrible it's almost incomprehensible.

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Wow!!

If I could use one word to describe this book, it would be amazing. This is a life altering book!
I’ve always heard of the Stoics, but Marcus Aurelius is on another level. The book will touch your soul and change the way you see the world around you. Do yourself a favor and get the book—you won’t regret it!

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Quick foundational Stoicism

Loved the simplicity of the writing. No fluff, no tangents, just straight to the point Stoicism. Amazing!

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Toilet room literature

Pick this up and read random quotes for the time you spend in the rest room. The quotes range from random to ludicrous to brilliant.

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Great book

Great book. I will listen to it again. Practical wisdom that can be incorporated into one’s behavior/thoughts/life.

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Life Changing

Cannot thank you enough, Marcus! Truly a blessing to have your wise words bestowed upon us!

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Wisdom to guide the building a life worth living.

Come hear an Emperor of Rome remind himself how to be a better person more in harmony with his human nature and the world around him.

He never intended you to hear his words but you can adapt his wisdom immediately to improve your life.

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