On the Shortness of Life by Seneca
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Seneca was a very influential thinker. One of the early romans he was also the teacher of Nero. As a stoic, one sees that they approached life reasonably, taking the aesthetic of rationality derived from their Greek heritage seriously. They made that mode their way of being.
There are no lofty concepts here. Only an attempt to exercise being without ego, life without excess, keeping ones feet on the ground at all times. Through examples from history and some personal history, (even on writing to his mother about his own state ordered suicide) Seneca orients us to live not out of fear, want self satisfaction but out of being what we are; a spot on change to go forth and be the best person we can, no more no less.