about my books about me events my READ poster contact me the musonius translation Order books: Guide to the Good Life Guide to the Good Life on Kindle On Desire On Desire on Kindle 
On Desire in translation |
welcome to the literary website of william b. irvine Now available ... The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy 
Finalist/Honorable Mention 2008 PROSE Award read an excerpt listen to KPFA interview Word Is Out ... "I've been looking for a book that would elucidate and fuse the teachings and mental calisthenics of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, and this book does so much better a job of it than Tom Wolfe's sloppy-Joe sandwich of a novel, A Man in Full. It is a work of clarion clarity, and you won't have to read that far into it before the phrase 'stoic joy' ceases sounding like an oxymoron and becomes a workable proposition." "Over the holiday I read a truly wonderful new book.... Unlike virtually every other modern academic philosopher, Irvine has decided to devote his energies to the question of how one ought to live (instead of writing arcane papers for other academics that have little to do with what philosophy should really be about)... I can't do justice to the book's many pleasures in a brief squib here. Suffice to say I find myself referring to the book almost every day now in ways that are driving my wife and daughter a little crazy." "Irvine has a refreshingly economic and enjoyable writing style. Like the unadorned philosophy he recommends, his book moves concisely through the most useful aspects of Stoic counsel: how to avoid feelings of frustration, how to prevent insults from angering us, how to overcome feelings of grief, how to avoid the cravings for fame, how to want what we already have." "Irvine does a fine job in offering his 'resolutely practical' brand of Stoicism to a popular audience.... His tone is just the right one for the popular audience he wishes to reach. But Irvine's work has more to offer than that. I believe he has unwittingly done a service to the scholarly audience as well by reminding us that the Stoics ... were indeed all concerned with 'meaning of life' questions, and that the Roman Stoics in particular did have a 'resolutely practical' side which gets lost if we allow ourselves to get transfixed by their theoretical queries.... Irvine's work could well, and I hope will, inspire more detailed research into the hortatory side of Stoic ethics, providing a pathway of entrance into new readings of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca's Letters, and the works of Epictetus." ""William B. Irvine's A Guide to the Good Life is a rare treat, a book from an academic philosopher that can actually help you improve your life. Irvine explains the ancient stoic way of life in a manner suited to the modern, non-academic reader. The result is a philosophy that will help you overcome suffering and achieve tranquility" "Bill Irvine has given us a great gift: the most accessible and inviting description of modern Stoicism available. Read this book and be prepared to change your life!" "Well-written and so compelling, this is a rare example of a book that actually will make a difference in the lives of its readers. Whether it's coping with grief or arriving at lasting happiness, Irvine shows, with care and verve, ancient Stoic wisdom to be ever relevant and very, very helpful." "Never have I seen so delightful, empathetic, and supple a presentation of Stoicism as Irvine gives us here. Hardly Christian even in sensibilities, the Stoics were, none the less, wise in the ways of life, a benison Irvine exposes, and then delivers here, with panache and great acumen." "How can we live a fulfilling and meaningful life? According to Irvine, modern academic philosophy cannot help us answer this question because it is more concerned with theoretical problems . . . . He explains that we must look back to the Stoic philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome to establish a philosophy of life. . . . Irvine shows how Stoic ethics and psychological theories can help us overcome negative emotions and determine what is truly important for living a fulfilling life. These sections cover a wide range of topics from how to deal with insults to how to confront death. In the last sections, Irvine explains the impact of Stoic philosophy on his own life and offers advice for individuals who want to live by Stoic doctrines. . . . Everyone can profit from his clear presentation . . . . Recommended for academic and public libraries." |
Also by the author ...
Why We Want What We Want 
Critics Say ... "Why We Want What We Want," the subtitle of William B. Irvine's book, dangles the possibility that it is his ambition to let readers glimpse the hidden workings of their hearts. But "On Desire" is a far less romantic exploration than its jacket implies, with its flowers and tormented, downcast faces. In fact, an accurate description of the book's contents would be "How Not to Want What We Want . . . ."
(read more) "... a sprightly and entertaining book.... Those who would like to understand and control some of their desires will be glad to find this book on the library shelf." "Irvine offers a solid exposition on the origin and nature of desire. . . . What is delightful about this book is that the usual suspects are not as conspicuous. Instead, the Shakers are discussed alongside Buddha, and Diogenes adjacent to Thoreau. . . . With clear writing, backed up by careful exegesis and a unique twist to a common thesis, this work is necessary for most undergraduate collections, and for students of philosophy and happiness. Summing Up: Highly recommended." "In a ruminative volume that falls, thankfully, between mass-market, silver-bullet self-help guide and unreadable thesis, Irvine, a professor of philosophy at Wright State University, carefully, with intelligence and good humor, walks readers through the nature of desire in human beings.... This is that rare book that should appeal to a wide range of readers . . . ." "Irvine has given us a very engaging book on what desire is: how central it is to human existence, what science has to tell us about it, and what we can do with it and about it. He combines knowledge, wisdom and wit with a light but sure philosophical touch." "William B. Irvine has written a disarmingly seductive and easily readable treatise on the origins, nature, vicissitudes, and 'crises' of desire. He simply and clearly discusses biologically instilled incentive systems, the rich psychological research on the peculiarities of our motivation, and the wisdom of various religious and spiritual traditions. It is a well-informed, wise, informal interdisciplinary book that is highly recommended for the general reader." |