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 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 centuries ago. Topics include: Living life with openness and integrity Understanding the physical nature of the universe Maintaining the health of the earth?'s environment Skillfully governing our lives, families, business, and nations