The goal of this page is to point to the best resources to understand Stoicism. With the help of these books, blogs, and podcasts, you have everything you need to apply Stoic principles.
As the Stoic community is very active, make sure to regularly check this page for fresh suggestions.
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Ramses
The books below I recommend to anyone starting out with Stoic philosophy. There's no complete curriculum that came down to us from antiquity, so we have to rely on commentaries from moderns to understand Stoicism. While there have been many books written on the subject, start here, and in this order. It'll all make sense once you start reading.
John Sellars is an engaging academic with a deep respect for and understanding of Stoic philosophy. In this 79-page introduction to Stoicism, Sellars shows us in what areas of our lives Stoicism can play a role. He outlines the techniques Stoicism offers us to live a happy life, and live in harmony with our human nature, other humans, and Nature as a whole.
Bill Irvine is a Stoic student like all of us. In this book, he dives into the practical sides of Stoicism and shows us what a daily Stoic practice could look like. At the same time, he's not afraid to make some modifications to the Stoic system.
While I don't agree with everything Irvine says nor with all of his modifications, I think every (aspiring) Stoic should read this book to see it doesn't take much to get started with Stoicism.
Matt van Natta is the guy behind the Immoderate Stoic blog and Good Fortune podcast. While most modern Stoic teachers are academics, Matt's deep understanding of Stoicism stems from years of practice. He knows how to clearly communicate the core Stoic principles, and ties them to practical exercises everywhere he can.
When I first picked up Farnsworth book, I'd been practicing Stoicism for some years. I thought I knew the system and was incorporating Stoic principles well enough in my life. I was mistaken.
This book showed me many simple ways to extend and deepen my daily practice, while explaining in clear and simple words the Stoic worldview.
I first encountered Jonas Salzgeber through his blog NJlifehacks, which he writes together with his brother Nils. Don't let the name of their blog fool you; Jonas knows his Stoic literature and shows it in this practical guide.
I recommend every aspiring Stoic to read Salzgeber's book. It explains the Stoic system in simple and modern terms, without cheapening it. The book also contains many practical exercises.
Donald Robertson is a philosopher and licensed therapist specialized in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In his book Stoicism and the Art of Happiness, he clearly outlines the Stoic philosophical system, how it helps us achieve and maintain happiness, and offers us a breadth of practical exercises to get started practicing.
How to Be a Stoic can be regarded as a modern classic, as it's the book most people started out with in their Stoic journey (myself included). Stoic principles are presented and carefully explained through the three disciplines. The reason I placed it down the list is because I believe there are easier books to start with if you're a beginning Stoic. Still, once you understand the basics of Stoicism, How to Be a Stoic is a great way to solidify your knowledge.
Pierre Hadot was a French philosopher who beautifully analyzed Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. From it, he distills the Stoic worldview and explains it in depth. After reading The Inner Citadel you're more than ready to deeply engage with Marcus' words. You'll be able to clearly see the Stoic themes in the Meditations, which will definitely have a positive influence on your journaling practice.
Warning: This work goes deep and is fairly academic in tone.
Modern commentaries on Stoicism are essential to understand the philosophy, but at some point you'll want to dig into the classic works. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius are a great starting point, as it's a relatively short book that packs quite a few punches of wisdom.
Hays' translation is the best out there. It's modern, easy to follow, and he's not been afraid to rework some of the text to make it clearer for moderns to grasp the meaning.
Epictetus is my favorite Stoic teacher from ancient times. He speaks very directly and has a great wit. Although he didn't write anything (as far as we know), his student Arrian transcribed some of his lectures in the book Discourses and condensed Epictetus' core teachings in the Enchiridion (Handbook).
The Penguin edition is the translation I recommend. It's written in clear and modern language, and contains all of Epictetus' words that survive.
Letters from a Stoic is just one of the many works that Seneca wrote for publication. It's not the only Stoic work by Seneca, but it does communicate the Stoic system most clearly. I recommend you start with Seneca's Letters and then move on to his essays like On Anger.
I again recommend the Penguin classic. Seneca's language can be quite flowery, so you'll want to have the translation that's most clear and modern.
The Modern Stoicism blog is maintained by the people behind Stoic Week and the annual Stoicon conference. Essentially these are the people who popularized Stoicism in our time, and it's a central hub for Stoic materials and news from the community. While most original content is quite academic in tone, this blog is a must-follow.