How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

While William Irvine’s book introduced me to Stoic philosophy, Donald took me further into the incredible life of Roman emperor and Stoic Marcus Aurelius. This book takes you deeper into Stoic philosophy. I get asked whom I’d want to have lunch with, dead or alive, and I answer Marcus Aurelius. During his reign he was the most powerful person in the Western hemisphere. History is littered with examples that prove Lord Acton’s quip “Power corrupts; absolutely power corrupts absolutely.” Marcus is a rare exception.

Part biography, part self-help book, Donald Robertson draws on his own professional experience as a psychotherapist to draw out of the Meditations a series of practical techniques that people can use today.

For readers new to Marcus Aurelius, this book is a great place to start, introducing the man himself, the Stoic philosophy on which he drew, and shows how people might draw on and make use of ideas in the Meditations in their own lives.

This is an engaging introduction to one of history’s greatest figures: Marcus Aurelius. The author Donald Robertson effectively combines Stoic philosophy with elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – modern research sewed into ancient philosophy. Fantastic! In this inspiring book you learn how to live by your values and how to deal with negative emotions such as anger, fear, or desire.

This book is an excellent introduction for those new to Stoic philosophy and a treat for those who know the Stoics well. Robertson, a psychotherapist and renowned expert on Stoic philosophy, weaves together noble Stoic insights on how to live a tranquil, happy, virtuous, socially responsible life with the most effective techniques of modern cognitive psychotherapy that grew from those insights. His deep knowledge of and respect for the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius also rings clear from these fascinating pages which bring the ancient philosopher-emperor to life as a noble guide to the good life for citizens of the 21st… show more.