Books
These books have inspired me in one way or another. Some have brought perspective; others have resonated with my soul.
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
Donald Robertson
As with a healthy heart, we need a healthy mind. How to Think Like a Roman Emperor offers a lot of insight into creating positive action from sound reasoning. Marcus Aurelius’ ability to step outside the chaos of traumatic events and see life from a broader perspective is remarkable. There is also a lot of fascinating historical context presented in the book. I would recommend it especially to those who often feel blinded by emotions or experience existential crisis.
The Way of Men
Jack Donovan
Our lives today resemble little of what our pre-history ancestors experienced. The Way of Men offers a step back in time to understand our masculine roots. We are still biologically primed to function in small tribes where the fundamental virtues of men were developed. This book represents a perspective on how men operated for millennia and describes why it’s not reasonable for men to abandon their nature in the name of safety or fairness. Many parts of this book can be difficult to read, but I believe Jack’s perspective to be invaluable to unlocking understanding of masculinity.
The Obstacle is the Way
Ryan Holiday
An easy read on the merits of taking responsibility for your experience. There are many short stories here, all about men who were able to contextualize failure, heartache, and tragedy as a worthy challenge - ultimately creating incredible character and leading to the greatest successes of mankind. If you take the message of The Obstacle is the Way to heart, you’ll welcome your problems and be better for them.