How to Die

An Ancient Guide to the End of Life

By: Seneca, James S. Romm - introduction and translation

Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan

"It takes an entire lifetime to learn how to die", wrote the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca (c. 4 BC-65 AD). He counseled readers to "study death always", and took his own advice, returning to the subject again and again in all his writings, yet he never treated it in a complete work. How to Die gathers in one volume, for the first time, Seneca's remarkable meditations on death and dying. Edited and translated by James S. Romm, How to Die reveals a provocative thinker and dazzling writer who speaks with a startling frankness about the need to accept death or even, under certain conditions, to seek it out.

Seneca believed that life is only a journey toward death and that one must rehearse for death throughout life. Here, he tells us how to practice for death, how to die well, and how to understand the role of a good death in a good life. He stresses the universality of death, its importance as life's final rite of passage, and its ability to liberate us from pain, slavery, or political oppression.

Featuring beautifully rendered new translations, How to Die also includes an enlightening introduction, notes, the original Latin texts, and an epilogue presenting Tacitus's description of Seneca's grim suicide.

Introduced, edited, and translated by James S. Romm

©2018 Princeton University Press (P)2018 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Short easy read

This was a powerful, short and easy read. Filled with valuable lessons. Thought provoking and reflection. I truly enjoyed this book. Would recommend and reread.

Audio performance not great

The speaker’s voice sounded robotic and mispronounced the name of Seneca’s compatriots. Maybe I am wrong but I don’t think Marcia is pronounced “Mark-ia” or Lucilius as “Lu-kill-ius”.

A solid narrative performance!

Most clear intonation, although full of nuances. A true classic, both in content and execution.

Excellent content for Stoics

I enjoyed the content and learning about Seneca writings.
The narrator however, sounds like an AI generated voice. The content fortunately is worth listening to this book.

Excellent

Well don't and exactly what I needed to hear. This highlights many/most of Seneca's views on death, dying and suicide.

the narrator was good and the book well organized. Exactly the stoicism I needed.