In The Stoic’s guide to the care and feeding of homo sentiens, the role of the inner, emotional self is considered and integrated into the classical framework of stoic thought. A common criticism of stoicism is that it ignores or suppresses human emotion’s joyful and passionate nature. In this book, Smyth rejects the typical stereotypes and gives a clear and concise guide to embracing a rich emotional life within the stoic ethos. Breaking free from the Spock-like image of stoicism, the author shows how the full spectrum of human emotion enhances stoicism rather than detracts from it.

Smyth presents the Enchiridion with accessible prose in this ground-breaking interpretation while leading the reader through the relevant emotional context. Unlike many contemporary translations, he accomplishes this without destroying the original voice of Epictetus’s masterwork.

Featuring a unique and predictive model for the duality of human nature, this book provides clear and powerful tools to understand how to achieve stoic peace and tolerance without forsaking the joy and wonder of the human experience.