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Rome as a Guide to the Good Life

A Philosophical Grand Tour
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( 58 ratings, 9 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Rome as a Guide to the Good Life by Scott Samuelson explores how the principles of ancient Rome can inspire modern living, blending travelogue and philosophy. Through insightful essays and personal anecdotes, Samuelson navigates Rome's architectural marvels and cultural landmarks, illustrating how the city's history and wisdom can enrich contemporary life. The book offers a reflective journey on finding meaning and joy in everyday experiences.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in exploring the philosophical and cultural lessons that Rome can impart on leading a fulfilling life. The author blends travel, history, and philosophy to offer insights that will enrich your worldview. Ideal for those who appreciate thoughtful reflections on history's impact on our modern existence.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A unique, portable guidebook that sketches Rome’s great philosophical tradition while also providing an engaging travel companion to the city.

This is a guidebook to Rome for those interested in both la dolce vita and what the ancient Romans called the vita beata—the good life. Philosopher Scott Samuelson offers a thinker’s tour of the Eternal City, rooting ideas from this philosophical tradition within the geography of the city itself.

As he introduces the city’s great works of art and its most famous sites—the Colosseum, the Forum, the Campo de’ Fiori—Samuelson also gets to the heart of the knotty ethical and emotional questions they pose. Practising philosophy in place, Rome as a Guide to the Good Life tackles the profound questions that most tours of Rome only bracket. What does all this history tell us about who we are?

In addition to being a thoughtful philosophical companion, Samuelson is also a memorable tour guide, taking us on plenty of detours and pausing to linger over an afternoon Negroni, sample four classic Roman pastas, or explore the city’s best hidden gems.

With Samuelson’s help, we understand why Rome has inspired philosophers such as Lucretius and Seneca, poets and artists such as Horace and Caravaggio, filmmakers like Fellini, and adventurers like Rosa Bathurst. This eclectic guidebook to Roman philosophy is for intrepid wanderers and armchair travellers alike—anyone who wants not just a change of scenery, but a change of soul.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Rome as a Guide to the Good Life by Scott Samuelson is praised as a delightful and immersive exploration of Rome, highlighting its philosophical heritage. Reviewers commend its blend of art, history, and philosophical reflection, considering it an enlightening companion for both physical travel and intellectual journeying through life's complexities. It introduces profound questions and ancient wisdom, offering an engaging perspective on Roman culture's legacy and its relevance to modern life.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780226780047

Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 24 April 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: University of Chicago Press

Illustration: 14 color plates, 2 halftones

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 399g

Pages: 272

About the Author

Scott Samuelson lives in Iowa City, Iowa, where he is professor of philosophy at Kirkwood Community College. He has taught the humanities in universities, colleges, prisons, houses of worship, and bars. He has also worked as a movie reviewer, television host, and sous-chef  at a French restaurant down a gravel road. He is the author of The Deepest Human Life and Seven Ways of Looking at Pointless Suffering, both published by the University of Chicago Press.

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