Here’s an interesting read for you philosophy fans out there: Classical historian and professor James Romm has selected passages from Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca’s De Ira (On Anger) treatise, translated them anew, and compiled them into a relatively short book called How to Keep Your Cool: An Ancient Guide to Anger Management.

In what appears to be a loose follow-up to his similarly compiled 2018 volume, How to Die: An Ancient Guide to the End of Life, How to Keep Your Cool aims to be a moderating influence in the lives of temperamental people:

Drawing on his great arsenal of rhetoric, including historical examples (especially from Caligula’s horrific reign), anecdotes, quips, and soaring flights of eloquence, Seneca builds his case against anger with mounting intensity. Like a fire-and-brimstone preacher, he paints a grim picture of the moral perils to which anger exposes us, tracing nearly all the world’s evils to this one toxic source. But he then uplifts us with a beatific vision of the alternate path, a path of forgiveness and compassion that resonates with Christian and Buddhist ethics.

Seneca’s thoughts on anger have never been more relevant than today, when uncivil discourse has increasingly infected public debate. Whether seeking personal growth or political renewal, readers will find, in Seneca’s wisdom, a valuable antidote to the ills of an angry age.

Have trouble keeping your cool at times? Prone to passionate resentment? This is the kind of book you need on your shelf. The advice within is timeless and can help keep things on an even keel in your life.

Get the book in these formats:

• Kindle ($10)
• Apple Books ($12)
• Hardcover ($13)
• Audio CD ($20)