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Random House Books for Young Readers

Meditations (Modern Library)

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Timeless insights into what it takes to lead a meaningful life—still profoundly relevant nearly two thousand years later. Now featuring a brand-new foreword from Ryan Holiday, 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Obstacle Is the Way! “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 “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 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. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Modern Library


Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 14, 2002


Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0679642609


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 02


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.2 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.63 x 0.79 x 8.35 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #3,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #6 in Chakras (Books) #6 in Spiritualism #7 in Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Timeless
Format: Kindle
A book to read and to re-read. There is something new to learn in every reading. This book should be in everyone's library.
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2026 by John W. Pollock
    • Love it
Format: Kindle
Sometimes Amazon bundles multiple translations under one product listing, so this is the Gregory Hays translation. Overall I give the translation 5/5 just from the perspective of being well-written and free of errors. This is my first reading so I can't speak to "accuracy" per se, but overall the flow of the prose gives me a lot of assurance that it's a faithful translation. This translation comes with a large opening section detailing Marcus Aurelius' life and the geopolitical and social factors surrounding the work, as well as the history we know of how the work survived and was transmitted. This background is great because the Meditations were in part Marcus' personal diary. Many lines were only meant as personal reminders - a sort of philosophical to-do list - and some lines are still such non-sequiturs that scholars can't place them. Overall though, the Meditations is sort of a philosophical play book. Marcus is essentially coaching himself - how to act, what to think about, how to carry yourself. It makes for an incredibly actionable philosophical work. Overall, it's precisely the fact that Meditations was never meant to be read which makes it such good reading! This isn't a thorough treatise trying to explain why stoicism is the best philosophy, it's more of a step-by-step guide for how to live and breathe this philosophy. Famously, this work constantly mentions death. Marcus Aurelius constantly reminded himself that he was mortal, and that he could die at any time. He clearly expresses that this belief helps him act honorably at all moments. If you believe you could die today, Aurelius believed you'd be much more likely to express yourself fully and to avoid saying anything which was dishonest or which would cause you to feel regret later. This doesn't mean he ignored the future - preparing for a good life tomorrow, including diet and exercise, has benefits today as well as tomorrow. Meditations is rarely dry. It's quick, aphoristic "to-do list" style means varied points are given one after another. If you don't get something from one paragraph, the next might still be very important to you. It's similar to Nietzsche in that regard. Unlike Nietzsche however, this book goes strongly against ego. Aurelius doesn't say he is a genius, but that he is a human like any other. Overall this is a fairly unique work in terms of major philosophical books. Because this book wasn't meant to be published, it's one of the most brutally honest and effective works out there, especially because this ethos meshes with stoicism. One stoic principle might be, "write everything down - but write honestly, as though it will never get published". Aurelius accidentally accomplished that in strong fashion, and the philosophical world is all the better for it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2019 by Providential
    • One of the Greatest Works of Stoicism
Format: Kindle
I finally got around to reading Meditations after owning it for years, drawn by its reputation as a cornerstone of Stoicism. While I can clearly see why it has endured for nearly two thousand years—and why so many people rate it so highly—it didn’t fully land as a 5-star experience for me. The book is not really a “book” at all, but a collection of personal notes, often repetitive, sometimes dull, and lacking the kind of structure or intellectual progression I usually expect from philosophy. That said, there is undeniable value here. Many of the reflections are powerful, especially around control, discipline, impermanence, and how to deal with adversity. But this leads to my main critique: I don’t see Marcus Aurelius as a philosopher in the same sense as Aristotle or Kant. He doesn’t build a system—he reminds himself how to live. He is, in my view, a wise man rather than a philosopher. In the end, Meditations feels less like a coherent philosophy and more like a lifelong practice—something to revisit in small doses rather than read cover to cover. There are great lines and moments of clarity throughout, but also inconsistencies and a strong focus on endurance rather than joy. A valuable read, but not a mind-blowing one. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2026 by Benjamin
    • Intelligent and enlightening
Format: Kindle
Worthy of study and reflection, and rereading. This is a modern translation that is clear and makes discernment relatively easy to comprehend and apply.
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2026 by Jeff Lacy
    • Marcus Aurealius
Format: Hardcover
Delivered on time and undamaged. This is an interesting book by an interesting author (Marcus). It is a clear translation and easy to understand for someone like me. I am an avid history buff but I’m no academician so I won’t be comparing it to the original work. I got the book out of curiosity and to extend my knowledge of ancient wisdom. I was not disappointed and refer back to the contents on occasion. It has expanded my knowledge of many more modern works and I have discovered that a great many notable individuals from the more recent past have based views directly from this work. It’s easy to follow and really a great pleasure to read and share with others. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2025 by jcv
    • Inspiring and Motivating Read, Beautiful Hardcover
Format: Hardcover
This book exceeded my expectations. The hardcover is well made and feels high quality with no damages from shipping, and the content itself is motivating, inspiring, and helpful for living a better life. Marcus Aurelius truly is a great stoic philosopher and leader which you can tell from his experiences and notes to himself. I’m very happy with this purchase and would highly recommend it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2026 by Kyle Lambo
    • Excellent
Format: Hardcover
I just started to explore Stoic philosophy and this book comes highly recommended. I think you need to read it a few times cause its messages are so deep. I’m on my second reading.
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2026 by Michael Barry
    • Introductions detract from meaning
Format: Hardcover
The Modern Library edition has the Hayes translation, but they also have a full novella of introductions - to the point where it is worth rebinding. It is a short text, written to be concise and accessible by quick lookup... not padded so heavily with pundits.
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2025 by Amazon Customer

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