Wisdom worth returning to.
Wisdom Classic Books is an independent publisher devoted to philosophy and classics of practical wisdom. We seek works worth reading in full and returning to throughout a lifetime.
Our first book
Meditations
Marcus Aurelius governed the Roman Empire and wrote notes to himself in Greek. In them, he returned to impatience, difficult people, his duty to others, and death. He was not writing a treatise; he gathered reminders that very nearly did not survive.
This edition brings together all twelve books in a new translation directly from the Greek, with a preface, a brief life of Marcus Aurelius, selective notes, and a glossary.
Already reading, or curious to begin? Download the free guide, Beyond the Quotes.
About the publisher
Some books change for the reader even when not a word in them changes. When we return to a classic, we bring new questions. We want our editions to give readers the means to make that journey attentively and on their own terms.
That approach begins with our first title. The translation of the Meditations was made directly from the Greek and checked against authoritative critical editions. The preface, brief notes, and reference material place the work in context while letting the text itself remain at the center of the reading.
Moments Marcus wrote about
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After an insult
When the answer seems obvious, Marcus considers what his response might make of him.
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Before the day begins
The struggle to leave the warmth of the blankets becomes a question of what is worth doing with the day.
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When the future feels uncertain
Marcus reminds himself that he will meet the future with the same reason he uses to face the present.
“Be like the headland against which the waves continually break: it stands firm, and around it the swelling water settles down.”
Meditations 4.49