How to Give, Seneca
How to Give, Seneca
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How to Give
An Ancient Guide to Giving and Receiving

Author: Seneca, James S. Romm

Narrator: James Cameron Stewart

Unabridged: 2 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/10/2020


Synopsis

Timeless wisdom on generosity and gratitude from the great Stoic philosopher Seneca

To give and receive well may be the most human thing you can do—but it is also the closest you can come to divinity. So argues the great Roman Stoic thinker Seneca in his longest and most searching moral treatise, "On Benefits" (De Beneficiis). James Romm's splendid new translation of essential selections from this work conveys the heart of Seneca's argument that generosity and gratitude are among the most important of all virtues.

For Seneca, the impulse to give to others lies at the very foundation of society; without it, we are helpless creatures, worse than wild beasts. But generosity did not arise randomly or by chance. Seneca sees it as part of our desire to emulate the gods, whose creation of the earth and heavens stands as the greatest gift of all. Seneca's soaring prose captures his wonder at that gift, and expresses a profound sense of gratitude that will inspire today's audiences.

Complete with an enlightening introduction, How to Give is a timeless guide to the profound significance of true generosity.

About Seneca

Seneca (c. 4 BC-65 AD) was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, and dramatist. As a writer Seneca is known for his philosophical works, and for his plays, which are all tragedies.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Massimo on August 24, 2023

How to Give is James Romm's translation of parts of a classic Stoic text, Seneca's On Benefit. And it is well worth the read. "Benefits," in Seneca's parlance, are a wide variety of gifts that we give to or receive from others, which may include objects, money, or favors. Gifting each other is, Sene......more

Goodreads review by Tarek on February 21, 2023

On Benefits" by Seneca is a powerful reflection on the nature of giving and gratitude, and the ways in which these practices can help us to find deeper meaning and purpose in our lives. Here are some of my key takeaways from the book: Types of Benefits: 1. Necessary benefits: those that provide for ba......more

Goodreads review by Elena on July 02, 2024

Creo que es mi libro favorito de filosofía. Seneca tiene una moral y una ética en mi opinión es más que superior. Es un libro que me ha hecho ser mejor persona en cualquier ámbito, me lo he leído 2 veces, es corto y fácil de entender si estás empezando a leer filosofía.......more

Goodreads review by Matt on March 10, 2023

To give but expect in return is a total loss......more

Goodreads review by Matt on February 24, 2021

A wonderful little book, and my first taste of the philosophies of Seneca. I enjoyed it thoroughly. "A man is ungrateful in the face of the first benefit? He won’t be in the face of the second. Has he forgotten them both? The third will remind him of those he let slip. Besiege him with your benefits.......more