Westerns Books

Do you read to be entertained or enlightened? While most of us would answer "both", we each exhibit a preference. From the celebrated first chapter, "Odysseus' Scar", of what is widely regarded as one of the definitive critical studies of comparative literature, Auerbach attempts to trace the evolution of the representation of reality in narrative in the West. The two streams, with their sources emanating from Athens and Jerusalem, converge finally in post-Napoleonic France during the first half of the 19th century, in the realism of Stendahl, Balzac, and Flaubert. The trend continues with increasing refinement in the work of their heirs in France, England, Russia and the Americas. The thread of the evolving democratization of the criteria for understanding is traced in the most fascinating manner through this study of the influence on the emphasis on the universality of meaning first emerging in the impulse of Biblical texts and later in subjectivist trends in the early 20th century.

History often proves that good can come out of bad situations. The apostle Paul's imprisonment forcefully slowed him down and gave mankind priceless letters. Erich Auerbach's flight and exile gave him leisure to write this masterpiece of which the West is in his debt.

Every chapter is very rewarding and rich. I would like to selectively comment on my three favourites:

Odysseus Scar - Compares the truth in Old Testament biblical stories whose events force us to think of their meaning in our lives with Homeric literature and Epic that primarily concerns itself with entertainment allowing the reader to merely relax and enjoy its eloquence without threat or discomfort.

Fortunata - Explains how the New Testament introduced a new way of showing reality, capturing dialogue between regular people. It is also groundbreaking by consciously portraying a deeper spiritual truth within its text. Auerbach suggests the New Testament is clearly a development off of the Jewish style rather than the Greek or Roman. In making his points Auerbach coincidentally offers support to supporters of the traditional authorship of the New Testament and it's intended portrayal of reality rather than myth.

The Interrupted Supper - Auerbach's masterstroke in criticizing the thought of Voltaire, which depends on the oversimplification of the opposing point of view in order to discredit and smear it, opened my mind to the danger of the lovable decorous little old man whose eloquence and seemingly innocuous ideas can create a chain of nefarious events in its wake. The most dangerous evil can be that which is disguised. Auerbach who believed he paid the price of the consequences of Voltaire's technique should be treated in this chapter as a sage for 21st century man.

Before reading this book I had little interest in the topic of literary criticism. After reading the book I still have little interest in its study but for a different reason. Auerbach has given me the impression that he has touched on the point that matters most when trying to understand the classics of literature and for that I am grateful.

Written in non-self-imposed exile in Istanbul, *Mimesis* is not only a fantastically influential piece of literary scholarship, but also an interesting response to the political calamities of the 20th century. Erich Auerbach, a student of Romance literatures, covers the entire history of Western literature from Homer to Proust: his goal is uncovering the literary devices that made the achievement of literary realism possible. His analytic techniques are manifold and his technical mastery of philological detail is breathtaking, but the book requires no specialist knowledge to appreciate -- this is a truly worthwhile contribution to the discourse of the educated public, not a larder of academic in-references.

Auerbach's signature move, undoubtedly influenced by his Jewish faith but also a wise assessment of the material realities of the history of literature, is to reverse the traditional critical valuations of "Hebraism" and "Hellenism" -- for him, the realistic spirit in literature begins with the Bible and not with the ancient "novels". He analyzes the progress in realism along two axes: a rhetorical one concerning the end of the "separation of styles", found in medieval realists like Dante who began to depict "low" occurrences with the same seriousness and dignity aristocratic tragic heroes had traditionally merited, and a syntactic one in which the revival of connective precision in language overcomes the poverty and ambiguity of the literary Dark and Middle Ages.

Auerbach is almost as famous for what he neglects as for what he favors: he thinks poorly of French classicism and German literature in general, and knows hardly anything at all about historical English literature beyond Shakespeare. But the scope of the book is nevertheless so encylopedic that it could not but help the reader to achieve a clearer view of European literature in its entirety; the political asides from a serious scholar with decidedly socialist sympathies, looking on at genocidal execution he narrowly escaped, are of great documentary value. Any educated person will want to read this book.

this book is excellent and one of its kind, erich auerbach commanded a veritably deep understanding of philology and languages which he used to cunning effect in analysing various works, e.g. gregory of tours' "history of the franks." there he informed us that bishop gregory's latin was something midway between roman latin and early vernacular french, somewhat crude and grammatically obfuscated. auerbach was a lot more alert to the dynamics of cultural and language change than was his contemporary ernst robert curtius, the latter was held back (i suspect by his aristocratic background) from appreciating the fact that many tectonic shifts of culture start from the bottom-up -- this auerbach took great pains to demonstrate, e.g. in the very first chapter when he compared the odyssey to the hebrew bible. curtius' view was a static, fossilized one, consisting of a select circle of literary greats convening together "in the mind" and influencing world-history. auerbach's view was more egalitarian and generous toward those works which might not be "rightfully" called literary (e.g. works that fail to satisfy the classical rules of rhetoric, as stipulated in curtius' ELLMA) -- to this category belong the nibelungenlied and other germanic epics. one walks away from "Mimesis" feeling considerably enriched by Auerbach's insights into languages and different Weltanschauungen and not least of all by his pervasive spirit of humanism.

When one starts to study western literature, and puts all of his effort to an neverending task of unravelling mysteries of European literature, one has sooner or later stumble upon this book. Sooner the better. Auerbachs work is on of the most influential works in comparative sciences of literature, it spans for Homer to Virginia Woolf, covering large variety of authors and styles. Main point in the books is recurrence of "realism" troughout the entire history of literature. "Realism" here stands for platonic and aristotelian term of "mimesis" which is, roughly said, (and as the title indicates) manner of representation of reality.

This was one of the greatest, and on the other hand, most disputed theory. Question of style related to function and age where it emerged are unanswered up till these days and will remain so in quite a few years to come.

But I am not here to debate about the contents of this book. I am here simply to note that, no matter if you agree or not with Auerbach, Mimesis is fundamental piece of work that has to be read if you are even thinking of spending your life buried inside books and start to think in a manner of literary criticism. Together with Ernest R. Curtiuses "European literature and middle ages" it stand highly above the average piece of work that you can stumble upon.

You don't have to be particularly educated for this one. It can be read on many levels and with many kinds of understanding, considering of your education, but never diminishing its value, allways offering you some more to look upon, and some new perspective to think about.

And if you are aware that this book was written in Istambul, almost without any secondary literature avaliable, admiration for this work may only go higher.

My experience was great, I got the book I needed at a great price and got it quickly!!

My stats professor used the 2nd edition of this text for my MBA statistics class. It's a very readable book that explains the topics clearly and simply. You can almost teach yourself the material from the book without need of a professor. I recently re-read portions of the book for another class and found it easy to pick up the topics again. I wish that all of my texts were this well written. If you need a great book on statistics, then this is the one.

it's a text book. i needed it for class. if you need it for class too, then i'm sure it'll work out great.

I was a little disappointed in the cookbook, but will enjoy a few of the recipes from it. I think it is more of a "60's comfort food"..type of cooking, not used as much today. Not calorie conscious or necessarily heart healthy, but one can make adaptations.

A former reporter, columnist, and editor for the Taste section of the 'Star Tribune', Ann L. Burckhardt has written or edited more than twenty-five books on food - including the original edition of the "Betty Crocker Cooky Book". So she brings a very special expertise to "Hot Dish heaven: Classic Casseroles From Midwest Kitchens" where she has compiled an impressive collection of mouth-watering, palate-pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen-cook friendly recipes showcasing what the casserole can do ranging from ordinary family meals to gourmet dishes fit for even the most elegant celebratory dining event. The recipes (ranging from Old Standby Hamburger and Rice Bake, to Satisfying Shepherd's Pie, to Beef Chow Mein Hot Dish, to Mom's Bread Pudding) are grouped into seven sections; Casserole Classics; Round the World in a Casserole Dish; Comfort Foods for Busy Days; Hot Dishes for Potlucks and Church Suppers; Satisfying Side Dishes; Breakfast and Brunch Casseroles; and Warm, Wonderful Desserts. Enhanced with two appendices featuring 'Cream Sauce' and 'Pastry Crust', as well as an informative introduction by Karal Ann Marling, "Hot Dish Heaven" is a simply wonderful addition to any family cookbook shelf, and a 'must' for the community library culinary collection.

The book covers the hot dish classics from Tater Tot Hotdish to Tuna Casserole. I love the tidbits that the authoerincludes about where the recipes come from and how they actually are a bit healthier than we thought (great way to combine beans and grains.)

The design of the book is cute -- kind of 1940s-ish -- but the recipes are not only uninspiring, but more time-consuming than I expected. I already have lots of casserole recipes but was hoping for some uniquely Minnesotan ideas, as well as quick & easy things for work nights. But most of these dishes all seem to have the same ingredients: ground beef, chopped onion, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, maybe a can of soup -- and even the ones that are supposed to be "Chinese" or "Afghan" are no different from the rest! There's very little use of herbs, spices or even garlic. Besides, many of them require at least half an hour of prep time and then at least an hour of baking. I don't know if I'll ever use this book. I'm not a Minnesotan, but there must be better "hot-dish" or casserole books out there.
Addendum: I have made two hot dishes from this book thus far, and in both of them, the proportions of ingredients seemed off. There was too little liquid (i.e., canned soup thinned with milk) to bind and moisten the rest of the ingredients, and too much meat. I also think the size of casserole dishes recommended are not always the best (usually too small/shallow), and she doesn't always specify whether to bake the casserole covered or not. I made the mistake of baking the "Meat & Potatoes Hot Dish" covered, and it was too soupy and sloppy. I'm a pretty experienced cook, and this can't all be MY fault!

Contrary to the reviewer from Boxford, MA, I assert that this book is classic Minnesotan. As a native Minnesotan, I can attest to the authenticity of these recipe selections; indeed, all the hot dish classics are here: brunch casserole, tater tot hot dish, chicken and rice, tuna and noodles, and more. The aforementioned reviewer may have read past the definition of "hot dish" at the beginning of the book: "casserole-like food common in the Midwest; normally consists of a starch, a meat, and a vegetable mixed together with a sauce, often canned soup" (from _Dictionary of American Regional English_). Hot dishes are neither gourmet nor health food, but they are a comfort for us folks in the upper Midwest. This book could not have been compiled by a better expert: Ann Burckhardt was the former editor for the Taste section of the Star Tribune newspaper and the original Betty Crocker Cooky Book. If you want a classic Midwestern style cookbook full of recipes for your church potlucks or hearty family suppers, look no further.

I am not educated in philosophy, so I read this book slowly with the help of Sparknotes and ended up really enjoying the book, not only for its philosophy (not all of which I found agreeable, however, tremendously interesting) but also for its creativity, humor and its literary energy and complexity. It is always a treat to read writings of such a brilliant thinker of our time.

This is an amazing, but also sometimes amazingly difficult to access, work. It is unfortunate that Kauffman's is the most widely used translation, because his translation is clunky and ponderous. T. Wayne's translation, in contrast, is very lyrical and frequently simply makes more sense. In some places it does appear that Mr. Wayne tries too hard to distinguish his translation from that of Kauffman, meaning his difference in word choice does not improve the work but rather makes it worse. However, to be fair, that is rare and the vast majority of the differences mark a substantial improvement. The most disappointing thing about this edition is that the publishers/editors (Algora) did a pretty sloppy job, so there are a number stupid typographical errors that will hopefully be corrected if Algora ever re-publishes it.

Nietzsche was controversial (and reveled in it), but he was also grossly misunderstood. To pigeonhole his philosophy as simply about glorifying barbaric agresssion does a grave disservice to his quest for uplifting the human soul. Nietzsche was a man who absolutely ABHORRED mediocrity, and dedicated his work into helping man reclaim the "star" that he always potentially possesses, provided he is willing to free himself from the shackles of dogma and conventionality. "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" is Nietzsche's manifesto on how to get there.

The concept of the "last-man" is brilliant, and unbelievably prescient!! This smug. self-satisfied, herd-like man exists today in overwhelming abundance!! The "last-man," to quote Nietzsche "has no shepherd and one herd! Everybody wants the same, everybody is the same: whoever feels different goes voluntarily into a madhouse." When you look around and see the mindless banal dreck on televison, in newspapers, and throughout society in general, you see the deleterious effects of the contented "last-man" who can no longer have contempt for himself, therefore, he cannot and will not strive to advance himself!!

One may not agree with everything in "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," but it is unquestionably a brilliant work that will open up new vistas of the mind and have you examining man's spiritual condition in an utterly profound way. And Nietzsche's writing style is, at its best, almost lyrical!!

"But by my love and hope I beseech you: do not throw away the hero in your soul! Hold holy your highest hope!" ~ Friedrich Nietzsche from "Thus Spoke Zarathustra"

You ready for some Nietzsche? Let's start with how you say the guy's name shall we? You can pronounce "Nietzsche" either "knee-chee" or "knee-cha." (I prefer the latter...sounds cooler, don't you think? ;)

With that behind us, you're ready for a warning: Be warned: The man, as they say, delivers his philosophy with a hammer. As Walter Kaufmann brilliantly articulates in the foreword, Nietzsche "is a dedicated enemy of all convention, intent on exposing the stupidity and arbitrariness of custom."

In "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," we meet the enlightened hero, Zarathustra, who has come down from the mountaintop to deliver a series of scathing rants on everything from his famous proclamation that "God is dead!" to admonitions to forget loving thy neighbor and instead learn to love the farthest.

It's written in a mock-Biblical style and features Nietzsche's undying commitment to our potential. If you're new to Nietzsche and thinking about reading the book, you'll definitely want a quiet space to read but don't be intimidated. Once you get into it, it flows.

Thus Spoke Zarathustra (originally Also Sprach Zarathustra) is considered by some (myself included) to have been the crowning work of the nineteenth century German philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900). Unlike most modern philosophical works, Zarathustra's format harkens back to the Bible and to the ancient Greek works such as Plato's dialogues. In it, Zarathustra wanders the landscape, talking to people, drawing out the fallacies of what they believe and propounding Nietzsche's philosophy.

Overall, I found this to be one of the most challenging works I have ever read. Nietzsche's use of paradox and ambiguity tends to obscure his teachings, while at the same time challenging the reader to read closely and understand what he is saying in spite of the ambiguity. But, it is well worth the effort.

In his seminal work, The End of History and the Last Man, Francis Fukuyama argues that the last philosophy standing that can possibly challenge the reigning philosophy of the West is that of Friedrich Nietzsche. And so, I do believe that it is worth understanding Nietzsche. Is this the best book to read to understand the great philosopher? I can't say. But, it is the book I started with. It is a challenging read, but definitely well worth the effort. I have had a copy of this book since college, and to this day I still periodically take it off the shelf and read it again.

I am satisfied of my order of Microeconomics: Principles and Policy, 2007 Update because it came on time and was in very good condition, as it was described. The price is good, and Amazon is a reliable source for buying those kind of stuff. I'm also happy that I didn't need to pay for the shipping because I used FREE shipping from Amazon. So, thanks Amazon! =)

overall great service...book was exactly as described by the seller, a great price much lower than others....book came in on time. everything 100% a great seller and i look forward to potentially doing more business...thank you

This book is a must for any serious student of spirituality, I read this book as a teen and did not appreciate it, recently I decided to purchase a copy and reread it, I found myself having many Neo moments, I would read a little paragraph and go whoaaaaaaaa like when Morpheous showed Neo how to jump across the building with out hitting the pavement lol. I find myself savoring the words and nodding my head in agreement. the Kybalion is something that is inherent in man/woman his/her spirituality and their connection with the mental universe. it put into words what I had always felt deep in my soul and at this stage in my spiritual evolution I can appreciate it and be filled with hope for humans and this planet once again.

A thought provoking, crystal-clear, concise and simple yet extremely effective explanation of the "holy grail" of ancient wisdom, the much elusive "philosopher's stone" sought after through millennia of intelligent human questioning and versed in countless forms of myth, philosophy, religion, esoterism and science throughout the whole planet.
A must for the honest, open minded and unbiased truth seeker of our times, regardless of ideological background or creed.
In our view, a priceless contribution to a much needed new era not only of knowledge but of wisdom and awareness.
"When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with wisdom".
Brilliant and unmissable!
A great thank you to "The Three Initiates".

This book covers a lot of territory and other reviewers have spoken their minds. Some comments here on one aspect of the teaching: In all our minds, there is a masculine principle and a feminine principle, also called the "I" and the "Me". Vibrations from the "I" stimulate the "Me" and creativity results. Writers, composers, visual artists and inventors create in this way. The "I" consists mostly of will and the "Me" consists mostly of imagination. If these two principles work harmonously in a person, the result is creative originality. Interesting theory as to how we create.

This is a wonderful book. I would recommend it to anyone on the Path.

I have had several copies of this book (I keep buying them because I keep giving my copies away). My criticism is simply aesthetic - this particular issue of The Kybalion is poorly formatted and contains numerous errors. The best copy I had has a picture of two hands on the cover...

Besides all that, this book is amazing. Hands down the most powerful thing I have ever read.

Another great novel by Nancy Turner, thoughtfully written. Poignant narrative with just the right amount of humor and insight into turn-of-the-century life in the territories. Bound to be a classic series.

Sarah has so many things to go wrong but she knows how to resolve the problem and keep it all together. Way to go Sarah. Mr. Hanna needs to get it together. He needs to concentrate on Sarah and not on Frances.

Let's see what happens as I get further into the book.

I have loved the two previous "Sarah" books. Sarah Prine is one of my favorite heroines, full of courage and spunk. Even when she doesn't know what to do, she does her honest best, which is a quality I admire greatly. However, (don't read any further unless you have read the book) I think Sarah "sold out" for lack of a better word. Her relations with Udell Hanna were a big disappointment to me. I know she was lonely, but that part of the book didn't feel like the true Sarah to me. She's human, as we all are, but I wish she had stayed true to herself. Still, a good story. I would like for Nancy Turner to put a picture of all the characters on her website, if she has any. Especially Jack. He must have been the Tom Selleck of his day!!

really enjoyed this book, I read the first two and this one was as good

This last book of the series was SO GOOD. Not as good as the first, better than the second. If you have read These is my Words then definitely keep reading the rest of the series! I wasn't going to read Star Garden because I didn't get that into Sarah's Quilt. I'm so glad I did!

Very interesting book with many information regarding old musicians. The CD inside is very pleasure with good quality sound.

Knowing the prices that Robert Crumb's work commands (try getting hold of a copy of his illustrated CD "That's What I Call Sweet Music" and you'll see what I mean), when I first saw this advertised I thought that the price must have been entered incorrectly, but no! Just imagine, a 240 page hardback book, illustrated in colour on high quality paper, with an accompanying 21-track CD, for less than you'd expect to pay for either on its own. The book (and CD), falls into three distinct parts, and three different techniques have been used to produce the illustrations.

I'm familiar with the jazz figures, and my comments therefore concentrate on that aspect. The first is that some of these choices are extremely idiosyncratic. Many (Beiderbecke, Armstrong, Morton) are almost obligatory, but scattered amongst them are some quite obscure figures, such as Junie C. Cobb, Roy Palmer, and Ikey Robinson. Fair enough, these are after all Mr. Crumb's heroes, but the accompanying commentary is far too brief and could with advantage have been expanded to fill the space available. Finally, whilst many of the portraits (all of which are based on photographs) are instantly recognisable a few have the look of caricature about them. All of which is to look a gift horse in the mouth, and I would disregard all of those reservations and buy it anyway if I hadn't done so already.

You really can't go wrong here...$13 or $14 for a book with wonderful artwork and brief history lessons and a companion CD with some truly timeless music.

Not a general fan of the genre, but I actually found the country music included on the CD to be the most interesting. But really every song is special.

A must have for any Crumb or roots music fan.

In 20/20 hindsight (or hindsound?) I bought the book intending to learn about music. Taken purely as an introduction to three genres of early American music, the book is a success. The pictures (and introduction to R. Crumb the artist) were a huge bonus. Wow! The CD with it completes the trifecta.

This is a fantastic introduction to multiple artistic elements - perhaps a few that will catch the reader/viewer/listener off guard. Enjoy!

Richard Nevins of Rounder Records first came up with the idea for Robert Crumb to illustrate a series of early Blues, Jazz, and Old Time Music and Bluegrass greats along the lines of the baseball cards of his childhood. Crumb went for the idea and produced what became three boxes of cards with illustrations taken from old photos on the front and write-ups about the players on the back (many of them by Nevins).

Now the famous fine arts publisher Abrams Books has designed and published a superb volume that includes the Crumb artwork as never before -- in brilliant color and on a larger scale than the cards -- along with expanded bios and a bonus CD that samples some of this great American roots music. Anyone interested in high-level cartoon art and this powerful expressive music will want to own this book.

Funny Amazon should offer us to buy this book together with Enchiridion by Epictetus (Long Translation) when these two are in fact one and the same book, different translators and different supplemental background info/comments. Of course I only realized that when both books arrived and I compared them :(. One star to Amazon for that :((( As for the book, the reason I put it on my wish list last year was the fact that in the course of last 3 years I had to release and let go of many things (and people), and I had struggled with the conflict between fighting for what I want and never giving up (cause nothing is completely lost until we give up on it) and knowing when to let go. I reverted to stoic thought for strength to live without regret and feeling of loss. And while it helped me resolve some of my inner conflicts, I must warn you that this book is not writing of a self-help guru, its an actual philosohical work. Which is OK for me, but might not serve the same purpose for everyone that it did for me. As for translation, I prefer this one to Long's because it is more in the spirit of English language, at the same time remaining non-colloquial. I also find additional information included by translator to be very enlightening and good guide into phylosophy of the age and further reading.

I have read about philophers and history and our founding fathers wonderfully created documents and the great historical and philosophic works behind their conclusions all my life. In all that time I have found almost all of them to be profound and inspiring. Yet unlike others who have reviewed this work I have found it wanting in it's basic interprative conclusions.

By that I mean in one paragraph there will be great insight and in the next the interpretation seems to loose coherency all together or has absolutely no rational application what-so-ever for living well.

Oh there are many profound ideals represented in this booklet and I agree that for his time and place in history Epictetus must have been one great piece of work to come to many of the conclusions put forth in these pages. Such as those on page 22 and 23 where:

1. He criticises the use of fortune tellers and warnes that one should see them for what they really are (just fault ridden human beings)and indicates that one does not need a fortune teller or soothsayer to know it is right to share the burden of a friend and to defend ones nation or,

2. that one should not allow the influence of others, when mingling, to cause one to slide into their bad habits, practices/lifestyles or unethical behavior and;

3. Sexual abstinence if you can achieve it is a good thing. Boy I bet the ACLU and the liberals elites in America must hate Eptictetus.

But I constantly got the feeling that the author was stuggling to give us these insights or tried just too hard to be clinical in his analysis and that he was being too Stoic (ha...ha...isn't that an interesting thought) in telling us what Epictetus really thought or was trying to impart.

I almost got the impression in considering what Epictetus had said (if one can trust, not the writings of the man himself, but what someone else thought he said or meant) and not what White's conept or interpretation of his meaning was or is...that although this Stoics philosopher was tyring to be like some Vulcan Mystic from Star Trek that he was really more like Spoc, who had underlying conflicting more human feelings.

I believe all good philosohers do struggle with this issue and ask themselves "Is what I believe, true" from time to time.

The great ones do not just dismiss this question as political party die hards and hacks do today...but actually grapple with this question and adjust when their phiolsophies trun out to be wanting, wrong, unethical, immoral and just down right false.

Yes one can glean the beginnings of great thought here when considering the time and place of his teachings, but I would not at all consider Epictetus the greatest of all philsophers whether Stoic or other wise.

He is just one of many hundreds that should be considered for that title during ones lifelong study of our rise from barbaric nomads to civilized mankind. Of course one can, if one studies modern man's fall from grace in the 20th and 21 centuries, from a neutral point of view, actually consider that we are less civlized now than we were in Epictetus' time.

Of course that is a discussion for another time. A good booklet, if read critically, as all should be, to add to any self-made philosophers collection and also for the aspiring student.

The "Handbook" is an essential read for the student of philosophy and is quintessential for those who desire a quick glance at stoic philosophy. White's masterful introduction provides the reader with the necessary context she needs in order to digest and enjoy this treat from antiquity. His translation is pleasing to the contemporary ear and true to the text.

Possibly the most famous Stoic Philosopher is Marcus Aurelius, whose "Meditations" was written, not to be read as a philosophic treatise, but rather as a personal journal, complete with seemingly random entries and no apparent structure. Moreover, it is clear from his "Meditations" that Marcus Aurelius was greatly influenced by the teachings of Epictetus. In fact, according to Aulus Gellius, Herodes Atticus (who was Marcus Aurelius' teacher at the time) told Marcus Aurelius that Epictetus was the greatest of all the Stoic philosophers, which is quite convenient for us since most of the writings of earilier Stoics (such as Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes and Chrysippus) have been lost, probably in the burning of the Library of Alexandria.

Epictetus, like Socrates, apparently never wrote anything himself; however, his students took very good notes. One student by the name of Flavius Arrian may be responsible for the composition of eight volumes, titled "The Discourses of Epictetus," of which four volumes still survive. Arrian served under Emperor Hadrian who initially choose Atticus to be Marcus Aurelius' teacher. Arrian also wrote another text, titled "The Encheiridion of Epictetus" (or "Handbook" or "Manual"), which also survives and appears to be an abstract of his "Discourses". Throughout the second century, Epictetus was regarded as the greatest of the Stoic philosophers, and became even more popular than Plato. Stoicism nevertheless lost favor in the middle ages and was not revived until 1584 when Justus Lipsius published his "De Constantia".

I would highly recommend the writings of Epictetus to anyone interested in Stoic Philosophy, or anyone at all for that matter. Epictetus should make for an excellent introduction to Stoic Philosophy, and the "Encheiridion" is an excellent introduction to Epictetus. I prefer this particular translation of "The Encheiridion of Epictetus", by Nicholas P. White, over the other translations that I have read. Oldfather's translation (Loeb Classical Library) is also very good.