The author presents a case for Marcus Aurelius, the sixteenth Roman emperor who reined from 160 to 180 A.D., to have produced one of the most introspective and enduring works of philosophy, his collected Meditations. These are rooted in the Stoic philosophy of Epictetus, a Greek thinker who taught the importance of discerning the difference between things under one’s control and things not under such control. Usually, according to Stoic thought, this means such ability lies within oneself, with the external world and its affairs lying outside of one’s efforts to control. Added to this is an acceptance of one’s “Fate,” an ancient Greek concept that is interwoven by the Stoics into their concept of a rational and divine order permeating the universe, what they called the “Logos.” Aurelius adapted this somewhat airy form of thought into the practical dealings he had to face in ruling a Rome embroiled in war in what is now the Bohemian region in the Czech Republic, where Germanic troops were amassing, and the Antonine plague, probably a form of smallpox or measles which killed millions, including some of Aurelius’ family.

Kelley provides an interesting comparison of the ancient schools of Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Skepticism, and the Cynics with the Stoic approach, showing that each has a value in the development of thought, with Aurelius’ Meditations shown to uniquely value social action and what is called “sympatheia,” the concept of one’s actions resonating through society and even the universe. This book then makes the case for Meditations' relevance to today’s crises, such as global warming, digital overload, and the search for external validation instead of internal virtue being enough for happiness. Logically progressive in his argument, the author is neither too technical nor too complicated in his writing and provides a good introduction to Aurelius’ thinking.

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