In letters from a stoic 46, Seneca is giving an honest critique on a book Lucilius wrote himself. There is nothing more suitable to do a book review than the wise old man himself who was considered to be one of the greatest writers in the ancient world. Overall, he was happy and enjoyed reading the book although there is still room for improvement. “I was not merely pleased; I rejoiced. So full of wit and spirit it was! I should have added ‘force,’ had the book contained moments of repose, or had it risen to energy only at intervals.”
I think one of the most important key takeaways in the letter is that we should value books because people pour all their energy into writing them. It’s true that we get to see other people soul’s through books. Another important key takeaway is that we should not shy away from asking critique from the things we do especially from people who are well versed in their own craft. Constructive criticism is the best and fastest way to master our craft. These people help us find blind spots we are unable to see by ourselves.
***** Letters from a Stoic Key Takeaways is a collection of short key takeaways from the letters sent by Seneca to Lucilius. Read each letter’s key takeways here .
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