Customer Reviews (13)

A very important author
Seneca was probably not the most original thinker of the Stoic school.His writing style was also not the most agreeable to many.However, Seneca has had a profound influence on many, many later writers.Pliny the Younger, St. Augustine, and Ralph Waldo Emerson all quote, and borrow from Seneca.With Marcus Aurelius, Seneca is one of the most accessible of the Stoics.He is also an invaluable source of information about Stoicism's rivals, Epicurus and his followers.This particular volume is also filled with very helpful notes, and it is a good place to start a journey with the stoics.

Seneca - Letters
This is an enjoyable read. Ancient self-help for every man, not a dense philosophical treatise.Also, many opportunities to take a glimpse into the daily life of an ancient Roman; not so different from us, eh?

An excellent translation
The letters in this book are full of nuggets of wisdom and quotable passages. Seneca isn't my favorite Stoic philosopher but this book is one of the easiest to read translations of an ancient text I have ever come across. It was worth adding to me library.

Stoicism - - a modern philosophy
Stoicism has been much misunderstood, and the adjective "stoic," which loosely can be taken to mean bearing up under duress, is partly correct but does not do justice to one of the world's great philosophies. This Penguin volume presents a great selection from the letters of Seneca, which hits all the high points of the philosophy and captures Seneca's remarkable personality, which has made him a hit with the cognoscenti for 2,000 years. Few perhaps realize that the Stoics postulated a great commonwealth governed by law, or that they idealized democracy. Seneca mentions Solon the lawgiver as the creator of democracy and refers numerous times to the Roman Stoic saint, Cato, who strove mightily (and unsuccessfully) to preserve the Roman Republic.

Seneca, like other Stoics, has a doctrine of nature that is remarkably close to that of Emerson or modern American environmentalists. The wise man (sapiens) will never be bored when contemplating the simple things of nature. The natural beauty of the countryside and the healthful action of the waves can have a calming effect (although there's a memorable passage in which a storm causes terrible sea sickness). He also believed in the simple and strenuous life and the avoidance of luxury and decadence, and there are numerous passages in these letters to his disciple, Lucilius, which decry the ostentatious, self indulgent practices of his contemporaries. These are sentiments and ideas adopted by many in the modern world, including President Theodore Roosevelt. Seneca has no patience for philosophy as a word game or a practice of engaging in hair-splitting arguments for their own sake.He rather sees it as a practice or way of life that all those who seek the good should investigate and adopt. While the Stoics believed in democracy and republicanism, their doctrine of freedom is different from the modern idea of Liberty. Freedom was the ability to endure and pursue the good even under tyranny. While that may be admirable, modern commentators on liberty (such as Isaiah Berlin) have pointed out that defining down the range of one's actions is not a satisfactory solution to the problem of the absence of liberty in society or the world.

No stranger to power himself, Seneca virtually ruled Rome as tutor of the boy Nero--and yet he adopts a quite believable stance of simplicity and humility. It's a good bet these letters will still be found absorbing by readers for another 2,000 years.

A Secular Bible for the 21st Century
Seneca's one hundred and twenty four letters to Lucilius constitute a secular bible, an ethical catechism written in a gnomic and epigrammatic style that sparkles as it enlightens. So impressed were the early church fathers with Seneca's moral insights that they advanced (fabricated?) the speculation that he must have come within the influence of Christian teachings. T.S. Eliot sneers at Seneca's boyish, commonplace wisdom and points out that the resemblances between Seneca's 'stoic philosophy' and Christianity are superficial. For those seeking a practical, modern manual on how to do good and how to do well, written in the 'silver point' style that values brevity, concision and memorable expression, Seneca's letters are indeed the Good Book.

... Read more

Book Description
In a quiet town of Seneca Falls, New York, over the course of two days in July, 1848, a small group of women and men, led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, held a convention that would launch the woman's rights movement and change the course of history. The implications of that remarkable convention would be felt around the world and indeed are still being felt today. In Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Woman's Rights Movement, the latest contribution to Oxford's acclaimed Pivotal Moments in American History series, Sally McMillen unpacks, for the first time, the full significance of that revolutionary convention and the enormous changes it produced. The book covers 50 years of women's activism, from 1840-1890, focusing on four extraordinary figures--Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, and Susan B. Anthony. McMillen tells the stories of their lives, how they came to take up the cause of women's rights, the astonishing advances they made during their lifetimes, and the lasting and transformative effects of the work they did. At the convention they asserted full equality with men, argued for greater legal rights, greater professional and education opportunities, and the right to vote--ideas considered wildly radical at the time. Indeed, looking back at the convention two years later, Anthony called it "the grandest and greatest reform of all time--and destined to be thus regarded by the future historian." In this lively and warmly written study, Sally McMillen may well be the future historian Anthony was hoping to find.A vibrant portrait of a major turning point in American women's history, and indeed in human history, Seneca Falls, 1848 is essential reading for anyone wishing to fully understand the origins of the woman's rights movement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The people part of history
What timing!Events in the lives of the four bright and strong-willed nineteenth century women highlighted in this book have heightened relevance in the current presidential election campaign.In both periods competing interests of minorities create potential conflict.

The way that Professor McMillen intricately wove the events leading up to and following the Seneca Falls Convention into the fabric ofeveryday life was brilliant.For the first time I began to understand: Why in the world did it take 72 years from Seneca Falls in 1848 to 1920 to pass the amendment giving women the right to vote?McMillen provided precious details about the human goings-on and the interpersonal relationships that explain the sputtering, two-steps-forward, one-step-back movement.

History often seems so top-down and conceptual, but this book reminds one of the significance of those day-to-day small steps.The Seneca Falls convention may have been the catalyst for a pivotal moment in womens rights, but McMillen allowed the individual personalities throughout the period to shine.
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Inspiring Read
This was a great book! The stories of these four women is truly inspirational. It's so important for everyone (especially women) to know the history behind our gaining the right to vote and what a long struggle these women endured to make it happen. It's a story that has always touched my heart and McMillen really brought it to life. Fabulous work!

Excellent - a must-read
This is a wonderful book. Although I studied feminist history in college and have been familiar with the names and deeds of the four women featured in "Seneca Falls..." for years, it wasn't until reading this book that these women became human to me.The author does a stunning job of bringing them and their individual and collective struggles to life in a wonderfully engaging, accessible way.What an extraordinary story of patience and deep-seated belief in the possibility of change - a timely, inspiring message I'm very glad to have stumbled upon.

Truly inspiring book
This is a book that anyone with an interest in women's rights should read. It is just one more example of what a great historical author McMillen is. It is particularly timely in light of the current presidential election. McMillen's use of primary sources and her meticulous research gives the reader a stong understanding of the struggle that women went through to get the right to vote.

Interesting Account of Seneca Falls
How refreshing to find a history book that is so readable. Seneca Falls is such an important and interesting topic and I think McMillen has done a terrific job making it accessible to readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

goldstars for ancient thought carried to modern times
This text is good for those who love to think and ponder the greater things in life.A must have for aspiering philosophers!!It's !Wit and wisdom is needed in a cold and calous age

Unreadable bore
I have a moderate interest in philosophy, and watched that recent show on PBS called Consolations of Philosophy, with some interest.Based on de Botton's interpretation of Seneca, I bought this book.I found it absolutely unreadable and boring.Furthermore, it does NOT contain De Irae/On Anger.I can't imagine anyone benefiting from reading this book, or enjoying it.

Wisdom of the Ages
Even though this book was written over two thousand years ago, there is so much wisdom that is appropriate today.

I must be honest and tell you that it is not an easy read.Writers of that age did not believe in simple sentence structure.And unless you are a student of ancient history, there are lots of references whom you will not know.However the value is so great that I recommend you spend the time and effort and learn from a great thinker.

Thankfully we have moved to a democratic form of government.The rulers of that day generally ruled by brute force, eliminating those who opposed them.A large part of his writings were to teach people how to deal with the problems of the day.

While our problems are different in name, the underlying principles for dealing with them have not changed.We have learned more about the mind and how it works, so his discourse on the mind is a little dated.

Some examples of his insight:

"It is not that we have so little time but that we lose (waste) so much."

"Many people, I imagine could attain wisdom if they were not convinced they already had it, ..."

"...we are tormented alike by the future and the past.Our superiority brings us much distress; memory recalls the torment of fear, foresight anticipates it.No one confines his misery to the present."

His lessons are still very valuable today.

The Good Book
Seneca's one hundred and twenty four letters to Lucilius constitute a secular bible, an ethical catechism written in a gnomic and epigrammatic style that sparkles as it enlightens. So impressed were the early church fathers with Seneca's moral insights that they advanced (fabricated?) the speculation that he must have come within the influence of Christian teachings. T.S. Eliot sneers at Seneca's boyish, commonplace wisdom and points out that the resemblances between Seneca's 'stoic philosophy' and Christianity are superficial. For those seeking a practical, modern manual on how to do good and how to do well, written in the 'silver point' style that values brevity, concision and memorable expression, Seneca's letters are indeed the Good Book.

As good a book on Stoicism as is out there
I read this book while in graduate school (when I was suppose to be reading something else of course), and it had a profound effect on me. There are many legends in Stoicism but there are few tangible works, onesthat one can imbibe and feel atleast a littlefilled--other than MarcusAurelius. This book gives not so much a systematic look at the philosophybut it does have that density and practicality and intimacy, which is sorare. It is interesting and more illuminating than any other book on thetopic that I have come across, including the other greats: Epictetus,Aurelius. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Remedy for a Mid-Life Crisis
For my mother's fifty-fifth birthday, I gave her a copy of this book. Even I, at sixteen, was completely changed by Seneca's powerful and timeless ideals in this book- these are essays for all ages, all eras, all people. Although Seneca wrote in the beginning of the "common era," his description of a world where people search fruitlessly for happiness through materialism and waiting for the future rings truer than ever in our postmodern age. His ideas for remedying our distress, through accepting each minute of life as it comes and concentrating completely on our present task, are no less than transforming.

"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans."
So it is, Seneca observes, it's not that we are not given a short life, but that we waste a lot it.Life is long if you know how to use it.How stupid to forget our mortality."Live immediately."Also known for his tragedy Oedipus,Seneca (Lucius Annaeus) (AD 4-65) was a Stoic philosopher.His reputation as a philosopher is derived primarily from his twelve books of MORAL ESSAYS and philosophical letters. The Stoics emphasized the importance of self-sufficiency and equanimity in the face of adversity, and believed that virtue is attainable only by living in harmony with nature.Although he may not rank with Plato or Aristotle as a philosopher, or with Marcus Aurelius (121-180) (MEDITATIONS) or Epictetus as a Stoic sage, Seneca nevertheless offers us timeless wisdom for living a meaningful life. (It should be noted that this review refers to the 2005 Penguin Great Ideas edition of ON THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE, translated by C. D. N. Costa, which includes the three essays, "On the Shortness of Life," "Consolation to Helvia," and "On Tranquility of Mind.")

G. Merritt

On The Shortness of Life
If you are looking for fast light reading this is not it. Seneca reiterates the same theme many times in different ways. It is worth reading on the premise you are having the "mid life crisis". It will give light to the things that are important in life. Of course we are not all wealthy, living in Rome AD which makes a big diference. Still the question of are you waiting till you are old and grey to live you life for your self is illuminating!

"Never have I trusted Fortune..."
Seneca's brand of Stoicism emphasized the philosophy by which his reader might face life's setbacks. In particular he considered it important to confront the fact of one's own mortality. The discussion of how to approach death dominates this book, which is a series of letters to relatives and friends.Seneca himself was ordered to commit suicide by the Emperor Nero, and did so in A.D. 65.

This book also elucidates the author's pet peeves, many of which sound quite modern:

* Men who comb their few strands of hair forward in an effort to hide their baldness
* Historians who memorize obscure dates and battles in an effort to appear knowledgeable
* Collectors and hobbyists of any sort
* Sports fans (men who sit at "a wrestling ring...keenly following the bouts between boys")
* Men who pretend they're younger than they are
* Lunatic poets who prose on about love
* The current mode of dance (mincing and wriggling)

There is very little talk about love or mitigating the pain of death through love.In fact, Seneca recommends that we detach ourselves from strenuous goal-seeking, repeated indulgence in sport and play, or overindulgence in anything.

Everything in moderation.

Yet his wife did commit suicide with Seneca.Was that out of love or fear?

This small book (106 pages) gives its reader a window into the life and customs of the Roman Empire as seen through the clear gaze of one of its eminent philosophers.

great presentation
I disagree with the former reviewer that this is not a wise purchase. These texts are available online if you know how to find them, so part of buying a book these days is the having of a crafted object upon which to enjoy that text. In this regard, this 100 page book has the title nicely embossed into it's paper cover and its art is simple, classic. The paper inside is an off white that has obviously been carefully chosen. Best of all, the type is very crisp and clear and easy to read. When I buy a book I am most concerned with the quality of the type because, in my opinion, muddy text is distracting.

I would agree that it is not a definitive reference, but I enjoy soaking in a few gems from many writers on many subjects, and for this reason I am glad that these little great ideas books are being published.

I have not seen the other volume that was aforementioned by the previous reviewer and therefore cannot compare its qualities. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Forget what you know about classical tragedy...
And forget what you know about Seneca the Stoic.In his tragedies, the younger Seneca gives full reign to what Nietzsche later (and perhaps unrelatedly) recognized as the Dionysian: lust, anger, revenge, and unadulerated humanity in its most elemental.Although some apprecition of classical mythology is needed to enter these texts fully, once you're in them, you look around, and find yourself in a house of horrors or else in the deepest region of the unconscious.

Read _Thyestes_, and you'll have the underpinning for horror and suspense from Poe to Jim Thompson to the _Blair Witch Project_.

You could take my word for it, or you could listen to Seneca's admirers and imitators: Webster, Jonson, Shakespeare...

Vulgar and unrestrained
As we all know, classical rules of poetry dictate that no violence must be shown on stage, that the protagonist must be admirable except for one fatal flaw, that the declamation must be dignified and poetic.Seneca violatesall of these rules, plus many others.His protagonists are nothing butshrieking hysterical fools, and the stage is awash in blood by the end ofevery play.As for the "poetry," it is nonexistent.Perhaps Ijust read a bad translation, but I still recommend that anyone who isseeking a Roman imitation of Sophocles or Aeschylus to forgo Seneca. ... Read more

Book Description

Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, born at Corduba (Cordova) ca. 4 BCE, of a prominent and wealthy family, spent an ailing childhood and youth at Rome in an aunt's care. He became famous in rhetoric, philosophy, money-making, and imperial service. After some disgrace during Claudius' reign he became tutor and then, in 54 CE, advising minister to Nero, some of whose worst misdeeds he did not prevent. Involved (innocently?) in a conspiracy, he killed himself by order in 65. Wealthy, he preached indifference to wealth; evader of pain and death, he preached scorn of both; and there were other contrasts between practice and principle.

We have Seneca's philosophical or moral essays (ten of them traditionally called Dialogues)—on providence, steadfastness, the happy life, anger, leisure, tranquility, the brevity of life, gift-giving, forgiveness—and treatises on natural phenomena. Also extant are 124 epistles, in which he writes in a relaxed style about moral and ethical questions, relating them to personal experiences; a skit on the official deification of Claudius, Apocolocyntosis (in Loeb number 15); and nine rhetorical tragedies on ancient Greek themes. Many epistles and all his speeches are lost.

The 124 epistles are collected in Volumes IV-VI of the Loeb Classical Library's ten-volume edition of Seneca.

Customer Reviews (2)

A Secular Bible for the 21st Century
Seneca's one hundred and twenty four letters to Lucilius constitute a secular bible, an ethical catechism written in a gnomic and epigrammatic style that sparkles as it enlightens.So impressed were the early church fathers with Seneca's moral insights that they advanced (fabricated?) the speculation that he must have come within the influence of Christian teachings. T.S. Eliot sneers at Seneca's boyish, commonplace wisdom and points out that the resemblances between Seneca's 'stoic philosophy' and Christianity are superficial. For those seeking a practical, modern manual on how to do good and how to do well,written in the 'silver point' style that values brevity, concision and memorable expression, Seneca's letters are indeed the Good Book.

A Secular Bible for the 21st Century
Seneca's one hundred and twenty four letters to Lucilius constitute a secular bible, an ethical catechism written in a gnomic and epigrammatic style that sparkles as it enlightens.So impressed were the early church fathers with Seneca's moral insights that they advanced (fabricated?) the speculation that he must have come within the influence of Christian teachings. T.S. Eliot sneers at Seneca's boyish, commonplace wisdom and points out that the resemblances between Seneca's 'stoic philosophy' and Christianity are superficial. For those seeking a practical, modern manual on how to do good and how to do well,written in the 'silver point' style that values brevity, concision and memorable expression, Seneca's letters are indeed the Good Book. ... Read more

Book Description

Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, born at Corduba (Cordova) ca. 4 BCE, of a prominent and wealthy family, spent an ailing childhood and youth at Rome in an aunt's care. He became famous in rhetoric, philosophy, money-making, and imperial service. After some disgrace during Claudius' reign he became tutor and then, in 54 CE, advising minister to Nero, some of whose worst misdeeds he did not prevent. Involved (innocently?) in a conspiracy, he killed himself by order in 65. Wealthy, he preached indifference to wealth; evader of pain and death, he preached scorn of both; and there were other contrasts between practice and principle.

We have Seneca's philosophical or moral essays (ten of them traditionally called Dialogues)—on providence, steadfastness, the happy life, anger, leisure, tranquility, the brevity of life, gift-giving, forgiveness—and treatises on natural phenomena. Also extant are 124 epistles, in which he writes in a relaxed style about moral and ethical questions, relating them to personal experiences; a skit on the official deification of Claudius, Apocolocyntosis (in Loeb number 15); and nine rhetorical tragedies on ancient Greek themes. Many epistles and all his speeches are lost.

The 124 epistles are collected in Volumes IV-VI of the Loeb Classical Library's ten-volume edition of Seneca.

Customer Reviews (2)

excellent
In this series of letters to a friend, Seneca discusses his philosophy of life, which seems quite realistic and uplifting to me (your mileage may vary). He often quotes Epicurus, sometimes to agree with him, sometimes to disparage him.In addition to the philosophy there are also many glimpses of everyday life and occasional bits of wry humor. The English translation flows well and reveals the depth and wit of the original text.

A Secular Bible for the 21st Century
Seneca's one hundred and twenty four letters to Lucilius constitute a secular bible, an ethical catechism written in a gnomic and epigrammatic style that sparkles as it enlightens.So impressed were the early church fathers with Seneca's moral insights that they advanced (fabricated?) the speculation that he must have come within the influence of Christian teachings. T.S. Eliot sneers at Seneca's boyish, commonplace wisdom and points out that the resemblances between Seneca's 'stoic philosophy' and Christianity are superficial. For those seeking a practical, modern manual on how to do good and how to do well,written in the 'silver point' style that values brevity, concision and memorable expression, Seneca's letters are indeed the Good Book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

"the most reasonable and practical thinker Rome ever knew"
If Seneca was not the greatest philosopher of the Silver Age, then he was the most reasonable and practical thinker Rome ever knew.For his natural, straight-forward system of applied ethics made philosophy a way of living for the whole of the Roman populace.Truly, it was not just the singular privilege of educated wealthy aristocrats and politicians to realize the Stoic ideal, but it was also within the power of uneducated slaves and lower-class-citizens to embody those virtues as well, as the example of Epictetus clearly shows.Now, here presented in this piecemeal selection of Seneca's works, one may first come to meet this exemplar of Stoicism face-to-face in every genre he ever wrote in, with the exception of his Tragedies and his only extant Satire entitled, The God Claudius.Furthermore, these short extractions from Seneca's relatively immense corpus of writings are rich in allusion and anecdote, and they are packed with profoundly helpful advice on how to endure life's hardships and how to enjoys life's benefits to the fullest as well.This little volume will be a great introductory source for Roman Stoicism and it will compel readers to pursue the greater portions of Seneca's superb works.One may discover the complete surviving body of Seneca's writings in text and translation within the invaluable editions of the Loeb Classical Library (Harvard).

Great Introduction to Seneca
Great book. This collection by penguin includes a piecemeal assortment of some of Seneca's work. This was my introduction to Seneca so I can't speak to its representation of his work.

The essays and letters read in the classic proscriptive style of stoic philosophy (see especially the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius). It was filled with succinct proverbial exhortations that are memorable and penetrating. Seneca and the stoics provide more psychological self-help than most contemporary books in that genre. There is a reason some authors are still read after 2000 years. A quick read and for a worthwhile investment in time--at least for those who are new to Seneca.

Some of my favorites:

It is better to be despised for simplicity than to suffer agonies from everlasting pretense. Still let us use moderation here: there is a big difference between living simply and living carelessly.

We should also make ourselves flexible, so that we do not pin our hopes too much on our set plans and can move over to those things to which chance has brought us without dreading a change in either our purpose or our condition, provided that fickleness, that fault most inimical to tranquility, does not get a hold of us.

The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and losses today. ... Read more

Book Description
This volume offers new translations of the most important of Seneca's "Moral Essays": On Anger, On Mercy, On the Private Life, and the first four books of On Favours.They give a full picture of the social and moral outlook of an ancient Stoic thinker.A General Introduction describes Seneca's life and career and explains the fundamental ideas underlying the Stoic moral, social and political philosophy in the essays.Individual introductions, footnotes and biographical notes explain their historical and philosophical contexts.Download Description
This volume offers new translations of the most important of Seneca's "Moral Essays": On Anger, On Mercy, On the Private Life, and the first four books of On Favours.They give a full picture of the social and moral outlook of an ancient Stoic thinker.A General Introduction describes Seneca's life and career and explains the fundamental ideas underlying the Stoic moral, social and political philosophy in the essays.Individual introductions, footnotes and biographical notes explain their historical and philosophical contexts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Was this the book that was referred to in the play "ART"?
My friends and I saw the play "ART" in Los Angeles, with Alan Alda and two other very fine actors. The book Seneca was mentioned. The play was about a man buying a white on white painting and the relationshipthereafter with his two friends. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fascinating Reading
Required reading on the subject of the Seneca.The author paints an objective picture, but also manages to add emotional poignancy to a very thorough historical account.The language and syntax remain scholarly throughout, yet Wallace's powers of observation place the reader in the longhouse, in the minds of the Seneca, and in the hearts of a people brought to the brink of cultural extinction. An excellent work.

How a rave gone awry launched a spiritual movement
This book can be read several ways-- as a chronicle of the American Revolution from the Native American point of view, as escapist literature glorifying the Iroquois in their heyday, as a rather challenging alternative perspective on serial monogamy, torture, and social norms, as the transformation of a branch of Native American spirituality into a movement for sobriety, right-to-life, and the renunciation of witchcraft, as analysis of an early Quaker effort in Third World development work ... And naturally, the overall reading is as the tale of how a proud culture pulled itself back together after being overrun and almost destroyed as a consequence of European settlement.

Our local Heinz Regional History Museum somehow manages to overlook the story about the origins of the Handsome Lake spiritual movement. It so happened that there was a bend in the river, where now stands the Kinzua Dam, a flat spot surrounded by steep hills and cliffs, where the Cornplanter band, the largest remaining band of free living Senecas, took refuge after the Revolutionary War. The Senecas had served as winning warriors for the losing side, and as a result, refugee camps up near Fort Niagara filled up with thousands of Indians in need of British relief, mourning their burned-out towns and villages. In the ensuing atmosphere of despair, Handsome Lake and some of his Cornplanter band buddies decided to bring a raft with plenty of liquor up the river from Pittsburgh. The party that followed was-- well, let's just say that the repentance occurring in the wake of that rave gone awry launched a spiritual movement which continues to this day.

The author's synthesis of the tremendous amount of material buried in regional historical records is truly amazing. Even if the life of the Senecas wasn't really that way at all,it may not matter. There's nothing like a great story which will continue to shatter its readers' preconceptions about cultural norms and human potential for many years to come.

Historically correct Seneca hist., religion, culture.
I read this while participating in the YMCA Indian Guide/Indian Princessprogram and found it to be very wide in scope in covering the history,religions, culture, tales, and all aspects of Seneca life.I found itfascinating and recommend it to anyone exploring the fate of the Iroquois. I also found the Seneca museum in Salamanca, NY to be a good source ofinformation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

After Watching TV Tonight I thought Of This Woman
In many ways I remain beautifully limited by the things I grew up with, from my place in space if you will.

My close friend in childhood descended from this woman's hero, which was an amazing thing that embarrassed her. She is forever connected by history made at Seneca Falls. And coincidentally my state contains a beautiful place called Seneca Falls, which for years meant I was confused about Seneca Falls being in NY. Completely, confused, as I was a West Virginian with a love for a place named this. I happily went there many times, once camping with a friend in college, and felt it as sacred.Funny.

I grew up with very independent young women friends, and a mom with strong notions of community, advocacy, and actions matching words. So when I read of Elizabeth Cady Stanton in school I thought, why of course. Women are equal now. But I never understood her young life, how she developed her perspectives over time, never looked at letters and diaries of hers to understand her perspectives on being a woman at that time or really asked my friend anything about her famous relative. And of course she did know a great deal about that. Her grandfather a local historian a great deal more. A treasure I let get by me, fortunately my mom did not and she knows a lot about what the family said about the limitations she perceived as a woman and her efforts on the issue.Nowadays we would do oral histories, interviews, look at primary source documents, conduct ethnographic investigations. Then I sat on a bleachers at lunch and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches together and tried not to embarrass her by mentioning it.


In fact it really wasn't until the last two decades in my life that I have considered this idea of women's treatment, rights and roles more fully. My worst experiences in how I was treated by doctors until the cancer was found, I learned a great deal.Patronizing. Not good. Though living in a world I felt full of possibilities is my basic personal orientation, I did not fully realize my ceilings, and now my daughter tells me it is necessary she become a "radical feminist".She has an interesting global look at the limitations in her own age, where the sexualization of women still predominates as a media image frenzy of beauty consumption as well as in unequal salary issues and opportunities and in many areas unequal opportunity to find audience for discussion of the issues. She related well to this bookyounger as it told the young life of Cady Stanton which was brought forward in ways surprising me. I felt so many points of agreement. Even in being thought less important when speaking on issues I do fully understand.....So in many ways it seems our students may in fact need to look to Stanton for a role model in an on-going way for a long while to center their efforts as well as gain historical perspectives. Maybe as much as ever we learn much from history. And the book is lovely. Gentle, a sweet telling. Perfect for a class, I loved using it in 3rd grade. Will use again next year in March.
My daughter for instance going into physics will need to consider the role of women in that science. She won't be alone, the field itself appears to be ready to look at whether or not women may indeed have a great deal to offer. I think she noted to me recently a person, teacher I think,telling her the male brain better biologically suited to the field. It remains to be seen how she will deal with this. Or what this means. I am certain she has to "prove herself", that is a concern.....but let me pull this back away from my random thinking ...whenever I consider the issues women had to fight for to gain the place they have, I do think about Cady Stanton. And my friend. And I see this notion of equality as an on-going work in progress.

As a teacher I have this book, actually have six I ordered for lit circles. Sometimes it's important in these smaller groups that read together then meet with themselves and the teacher developing the content, sometimes you use this setting to introduce figures as role models and background historic figures to provide a base for young women and men in understanding how rights for women evolved from individual actions and as functions of their character. I know the kids enjoy the story and it was well done by Swain who has written other equally important books about "things that matter".

I recommend this. Stanton Cady's anti-slavery work was important. Her participation at Seneca Falls inspiring. At Seneca Falls, New York, in the summer of 1848 a group of American women and men came together to talk about the role women had in their times. Amazingly to reveal the limits. Their understanding of those issues had been expanded by their participation in the anti-slavery movement.They used the language and structure of the Declaration of Independence to claim the rights they felt women had right to as American citizens in their Declaration of Sentiments....go read the book with children and celebrate the importance of Seneca Falls, Cady Stanton and the beginning of something not yet completed, achieving an equality and respect for the intelligences, abilities roles and capacities of women as equal partners in the human race story in America.

WAKEUPTOWHATWEOWETHESUFFRAGISTS !
"The Road to Seneca Falls" will take contemporary readers back to the time of their great, Great, GREAT-grandparents. Can today's 4th and 5th graders identify with what may seem ancient history? Will Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her sausage curls draw young readers?

Let's hope Gwenyth Swain's story ignites interest & even passion
in 'Women's Rights' and the tough fight to change conditions which today's girls can hardly believe ever existed: NO college for women! NO rights to personal or real property! and definitely NO VOTE!

Elizabeth was never a shy violet. She was bright and determined. The story of her childhood makes her seem genuinely real. Her beliefs were authentic and she never turned her back on them, or those who stood with her, persistent and dedicated.

As a fan of the author, I was delighted to see her picture on the back cover of the library edition. She is shown at the truly meaningful national historical monment to women's rights, an exciting museum complex in Seneca Falls -- in upstate New York.
This is a town which many people identify asthe backdrop for the movie classic "It's a Wonderful Life". The museum draws people from all over the USA and world and gives one the opportunity to pay tribute to women who did battle for a worthy cause. I could bridge many decades and pose next to a hero, Frederick Douglass!

I recommend this 5-star book for its well-researched story, and useful bibliography. It will help growing readers as they learn to choose values for their own lives. ... Read more

Book Description
'No man is crushed by misfortune unless he has first been deceived by prosperity.'In these dialogues and essays the Stoic philosopher Seneca outlines his thoughts on how to live in a troubled world.Tutor to the young emperor Nero, Seneca wrote exercises in practical philosophy that draw upon contemporary Roman life and illuminate the intellectual concerns of the day. They also have much to say to the modern reader, as Seneca ranges widely across subjects such as the shortness of life, tranquillity of mind, anger, mercy, happiness, and grief at the loss of a loved one.Seneca's accessible, aphoristic style makes his writing especially attractive as an introduction to Stoic philosophy, and belies its reputation for austerity and dogmatism. This edition combines a clear and modern translation with an introduction to Seneca's life and philosophical interests, and helpful notes. ... Read more

Book Description

Seneca is a figure of first importance in both Roman politics and literature: a leading adviser to Nero who attempted to restrain the emperor's megalomania; a prolific moral philosopher; and the author of verse tragedies that strongly influenced Shakespeare and other Renaissance dramatists. Here is the first of a new two-volume edition of Seneca's tragedies, with a fully annotated translation facing the Latin text.

Seneca's plays depict intense passions and interactions in an appropriately strong rhetoric. Their perspective is much bleaker than that of his prose writings. In this new translation John Fitch conveys the force of Seneca's dramatic language and the lyric quality of his choral odes.

Customer Reviews (1)

Seneca: Rome's Great Stoic Philosopher Is Also No Average Poet
One of Rome's greatest philosophers was also one of Rome's greatest poets and dramatists.Seneca's versatility and prowess as an author will become evident to the reader who examines the contrast between the crude but dignified prose of his Stoic Epistles and the stunning elegance of his verse in the pathos laden Tragedies.Now it is simply amazing that the stern-browed champion of Roman Stoicism would don the laurel and take up the tragedian's genre.Perhaps he sought to indoctrinate the stage-crazed Roman mob with the tenets of Stoicism, since he worked many stoic ideals into the Tragedies' themes?It seems likely that he directed his program of moralization through the medium of public entertainment.Whatever the case may be, Seneca has handed us poetry and drama that rivals his Latin predecessors, Terrance and Plautus.And even though he used the Greek tragedies as a model, Seneca's originality emerges as he reworks those classic Grecian themes to fit his Latin audience, adorning them with a stoic twist.A testament to the sublimity and timelessness of the Tragedies is their legacy; their presence is felt in the hallowed works of Shakespeare, Marlowe and Ben Johnson [Oxford Classical Dictionary, Seneca].Overall, the enthusiast of the classic drama, the lover of Latin poetry, and the collector of ancient works can hardly go without these two volumes, which are here presented in a fresh, vibrant and lucid, English translation.The scholarly analyses and annotations that accompany the text will be welcoming and profitable to readers as well.





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Book Description
16-page section of 32 b/w photos5 maps6 x 9Includes Henry Simmons's 1799 journal This account of a 1799 Quaker mission to a Seneca village in northwestern Pennsylvania is based on the journal of Henry Simmons and offers a captivating look at Seneca culture of the period-their festivals and games, division of labor, and fascinating cult of dreams, which affected many of their actions. The perceptive Chief Cornplanter, realizing that his people must adapt to new social and economic patterns, welcomed the Quakers as teachers, not so much for their religion, but for their knowledge of agriculture. The interactions between the two groups brought on conflicts among the Senecas and new developments in their culture, among them the rise of the powerful prophet Handsome Lake and his Longhouse religion. The author shows how Simmons and Cornplanter each attained a grasp of the other's religion, politics, and lifestyles and were able to mutually achieve their goals by finding the similarities and utilizing them. David Swatzler is a professional writer who lives in Cooperstown, Pennsylvania. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A book about Indian Peace, not Indian Wars
This book is fantastic and covers so many topics so thoroughly, it is hard to choose just one thing as the best part.The author tells about the Quakers, their history and beliefs, about the Iroquois and their history of war and land loss, as well as giving a rare glimpse into everyday life in the 1700's--games, religious festivals, feasts, mythology.The story of the interaction of the groups as they get to know each other and explore their similarities and differences is sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and the author even includes a glimpse into the religious and social implications of the interaction for the Indians.The story of Handsome Lake is particularly well-told.At the end of the book, I felt that I understood the whole vast episode, and I even had a certain fondness for Henry Simmons, the irascible Quaker.His entire 1799 journal, which is a wonderful read, is included as an appendix, and is worth the price of the book. ... Read more

Book Description
Traces the course of the women's rights movement from its origin in the Seneca Falls Convention through the passage of the Nineteenth Ammendment giving women the right to vote. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Ladies of Seneca Falls
This was an excellent historical account of the early phase of the women's rights movement It provides the background of several of the woman viewed as leaders of the women's movement.It provides a perspective andoffers details which other accounts fail to provide. The struggles of the women who were at the forefront of the women's movement in its early years is lucidly presented.It is a well written account and added substantially to my knowledge of the early phases of the movement.I highly recommend the book.

Great read; great reminder
Our (usually fiction-reading) book club read this in October, 2004.I avoided starting it for a long time, but as soon as I got past the first chapter, I couldn't put it down.It was amazingly well-written with wonderful stories of the women who only earned a passing mention in our 7th-grade history books.This book made me see how many dedicated and strong women were needed to make a basic change in American culture and made each member appreciate her right to vote so much more in the November 2004 election.

Slow scattered start, builds in confidence and writing style
An overview of the women's suffrage movement in the United States during the 18th. Century.This was a time when the legislature of Tennessee declared that women could not own property since they had no souls.In the few states where a women could own property, she had no voice over its taxation, a complaint the Founding Fathers had against the English crown.The book begins with a series of sketchy biographies, and then tells the tale very ably.If you know little of the American suffrage movement two centuries ago, this is a good primer.Truly makes you respect Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, giants in the quest for freedom for all.The irony of newly freed black male slaves, totally unbooked, refusing to be taught by an educated person because they were female and therefore beneath them, was an interesting cocktail of prejudice.Even the great Even Frederick Douglass spoke about his concern that black male suffrage should proceed a woman's...either white or black.Susan B. Anthony thought that equal meant just that, equal rights for both women, blacks, and the white males.

"Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about a reform.Those who are really in earnest must be willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation, and publicly and privately, in season and out, avow their sympathy with despised and persecuted ideas and their advocates, and bear the consequences."-Susan B. Anthony, 1860.

An essential reference
A thorough, easily-read, fascinating book about the early American Women's Rights movement.I have read many books on this subject, and rate this as one of the highest in objectivity and appeal.Especially good as aspringboard for those not already familar with the subject. Brush up onyour HERstory! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Dickon got taken!
This sequel to Dickon Among the Lenape was a let down for me.It didn't ring true to his connections with the Lenape- who were NOT friendly to the Iroquois. It appeared to me to be much more fictionalized thanDickon. I also do not think the illustrations were as good as C> Elsworth's in the first book. His work and the text were practically a beginner's textbook for me when I first began studying the Lenape. Plus, I saw some of the actual items he sketched at the old NY Museum of the American Indian.

Dickon got taken!
This sequel to Dickon Among the Lenape was a let down for me.It didn't ring true to his connections with the Lenape- who were NOT friendly to the Iroquois. It appeared to me to be much more fictionalized thanDickon. I also do not think the illustrations were as good as C> Elsworth's in the first book. His work and the text were practically a beginner's textbook for me when I first began studying the Lenape. Plus, I saw some of the actual items he sketched at the old NY Museum of the American Indian.

A Love For Native Americans
M.R. Harrington has a real love for the Native American and with this he is able to educate.The action is real as well as believable characters.I read his first book "Dickon Among the Lenapes" to my Fourth Grade Class as a real aloud and they couldn't get enough of it.And know they can't wait for the sequel. ... Read more

Book Description
In the middle of the nineteenth century women's rights became a cause for which many women were willing to fight. The Women's Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848 was the first attack in a battle that would last for many years. Through an examination of the declaration written and signed at that conference and a variety of other activities, students will discover the impact of that event on their lives today. They will also gain insight by studying a suffrage campaign song and by analyzing political cartoons on the topic.

Handouts, discussions and primary source documents are included in this easy-to-use resource.

Students will be amazed to discover the efforts it took over a period of more than 70 years to obtain the right to vote for women. As they investigate and examine the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, history will come alive! ... Read more

Book Description
The Seneca language is a member of the Iroquoian language family. Seneca is a seriously endangered language spoken in upper New York State and Southern Ontario.This book consists of 3 parts. Section I, on orthography, describes a way of writing Seneca words consistently and without omitting features that are significant. Various spelling systems have been used, and are being used, for the writing of Seneca by missionaries, anthropologists, and the speakers of the language themselves.Section II, on grammar, is concerned with the structure of Seneca words.Section III is a brief glossary of the Seneca language. ... Read more

Book Description
Seneca's Moral Epistles is an excellent introduction to Seneca's moral and practical philosophy for intermediate and advanced students of Latin. This redesigned reprint of the 1985 Scholar's Press edition is an attractive, affordable, and user-friendly edition.

Seneca's Moral Epistles offers an intriguing selection in Latin of 40 letters of Seneca on philosophical and practical topics ranging from the lofty ("On Integrating Knowledge" and "God Within You") to the nitty-gritty -- debauchery at resort baths ("Baiae and Vice") and the woes of over-training ("Against Strenuous Physical Exercise"). These letters provide a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of Rome in the Empire and one man's contemplation of it.

This edition includes:
* Introduction on Seneca's live and work, philosophy, style
* Chronologies: historical and of Seneca's extant works
* Selected bibliography
* Latin text of 40 Senecan letters with facing-page notes
* Vocabulary ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fantastic!(but not quite perfect...)
Seneca is a terrific read.Everything about his moral epistles--their style, their topics--evokes the chaotic, whirling, world-out-of-balance picture associated with the Roman Empire in the 1st century A.D.One hears in his voice the tension of a man earnestly trying to be a "healer of souls" while acknowledging that in maddening times, it's hard enough work maintaining the health of one's own.In short, his epistles are good reading for the modern student staring out on a world that seems to be spinning out of any one man or nation's control.Seneca probably would enjoy a greater readership in schools if it weren't for that taint of "Silver Age" attached to the literature of his generation.

He is not, after all, difficult to read.One quickly gets the hang of his style--his fondness for the pithy remark, unexpected reversal, or direct address to the reader; one learns to take the platitudes along with the more penetrating and insightful passages.For the Latin teacher (or independent yet highly-motivated student) who'd like to give Seneca a try in the classroom, Motto's edition is a congenial one.The selection of letters is numerous (40 or so) and wide-ranging.Chapter vocabularies, which include what I would call some elementary words, save the beginning or intermediate student time not having to flip to the glossary in the back.I find fault only with the commentary, which seems unusually sparse.In some places, it hardly numbers four or five lines.Teachers must therefore be prepared to explain a lot of grammar and syntax, not to mention content, to their students.But even with that shortcoming, I hope teachers and students alike will enjoy and treasure this edition. ... Read more