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    Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a Greek Island In Search of a Fulfilled Life
    Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a Greek Island In Search of a Fulfilled Life
    Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a Greek Island In Search of a Fulfilled Life
    Audiobook12 hours

    Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a Greek Island In Search of a Fulfilled Life

    Written by Daniel Klein

    Narrated by James Jenner

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The best-selling coauthor of Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar, Daniel Klein delivers a stirring meditation on the simple pleasures to be found late in life. Traveling to the Greek island of Hydra, Klein set out to discover what could be learned about aging from the sage philosopher Epicurus. Equal parts travel book and guide to living well, Klein's delightful work shines a welcome light on the richer aspects of one's golden years.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateDec 7, 2012
    ISBN9781470337049
    Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a Greek Island In Search of a Fulfilled Life
    Author

    Daniel Klein

    Daniel Klein is the co-author of the international bestseller Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar. He is a Harvard graduate in philosophy and an acclaimed writer of both fiction and non-fiction. When not enjoying the slow life on Greek islands, he lives in Massachusetts with his wife. He is seventy-four years old.

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    Reviews for Travels with Epicurus

    4/5

    113 ratings19 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A good read for those of us moving up in years.
    • 4/5
      I bought this book because recent reading has me suspecting that Epicurus has been rather maligned over the centuries and I wanted to learn more about what his philosophical school was really about. But I didn't want to find out via a dry, academic tome and I wanted to avoid anything that would hurt my brain (see: Heidegger's question, "Why are there things that are rather than nothing?"); I enjoyed Klein's Plato and Platypus Walk Into a Bar so this seemed a perfect fit. Except that I didn't read the summary close enough. This is a book about Klein's reflections on old age and how he can live the most meaningful, authentic, old age he can. If I use my mom as a benchmark (and I will) then I'm still just slightly on the south side of middle-age, so I'm decidedly not this book's demographic. Also, there's very little about Epicurus here; he and his school of thought are mentioned in passing throughout, but Aristotle, Plato, Kierkegaard, Sartre and Heidegger get more specific play than poor Epicurus. Still, I got a lot out of this book, even when I completely disagreed with him (and most modern philosophers, come to that). He discusses the paradox inherent in end of life choices, which even at my spring-chicken age I'm deeply interested in. He doesn't offer any answers and ultimately questions whether there are any answers to be had, and that really, for me, is the heart of philosophy. A worthy read, but one that will be far more relevant (God willing) in a few more decades. Until then I'm still on the lookout for an engaging narrative about poor, misunderstood Epicurus.
    • 4/5

      Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.
      —EPICURUS


      The first thing you learn about Epicurus is that he wasn't a great gourmand.

      Epicurus preferred a bowl of plain boiled lentils to a plate of roasted pheasant

      He knew that if he ate mindfully he would experience all of their flavor, flavor that rivals spicy food. The key is mindfulness not the food.

      While this book may be enjoyed by all I think that it will only truly be appreciated by the old, and maybe not by a large number of those who are fighting against oldness. For me I'll come back to this book often. I'm not that old, I learned something new about Epicurus today.


    • 5/5
      I read this book about seven or eight years ago. I decided to skim through it again and I was able to finish the book within a few hours. It was an enjoyable read and one that was timely. I have just turned 68 and though I may not consider myself an old person, I am. So every now and then, I need some inspiration and guidance that this book and story provide.

      The author was 72 when he wrote the book and he was struggling with how to conduct his life in old age. He travels to Greece carting along with a number of philosophy books and observing upon the Greek lifestyle ruminates on life. He focuses on the teachings and writings of the ancient Greek philosopher, Epicurus. The author draws upon the wisdom of Epicurus and other philosophers such as Bertrand Russell, William James, Aristotle and others, as well as his life’s experiences on handling the struggles of old age and the fear of death.

      This is a book that I will keep and re-read a number of times as I grow older for inspiration and solace.

      Listed below are some sections where I found personal wisdom and inspiration from the block…

      “For starters, Epicureans had little interest in the political process. Indeed they believed that to enjoy a truly gratifying life one should withdraw completely from the public sphere; society would function remarkably well if everyone simply adopted a live-and-let-live policy, with each man seeking his own happiness. ”

      “For me, it is Epicurus’s overall assessment of the qualities of a truly satisfying life that sheds the brightest sunshine on what a good old age might be. High on his list of the ways we thwart happiness is by binding ourselves to the constraints of the “commercial world.”

      “One of my favorite of Epicurus’s aphorisms is: “Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little.”

      “Freed from “the prison of everyday affairs and politics,” an old man needs only to answer to himself. He does not need to stick to a strict schedule or compromise his whims to sustain his life. He can, for example, sit for hours on end in the company of his friends, occasionally pausing to sniff the fragrance of a sprig of wild lavender.”

      “Companionship was at the top of Epicurus’s list of life’s pleasures. He wrote, “Of all the things that wisdom provides to help one live one’s entire life in happiness, the greatest by far is the possession of friendship.”

      “Epicurus was not afraid of death. He famously said, “Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not. The absence of life is not evil; death is no more alarming than the nothingness before birth.”

      “In every real man a child is hidden who wants to play.
      —FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE”

      “The forever young have a compelling reason for opting for hurried time: it is their primary strategy for combating time’s chronic tormentor—boredom. And next to illness and death, boredom is what we fear most in old age.”

      “Yes, accumulated experience—that is precisely what an old person has available to him in abundance. The trick is to slow down enough that this accumulated experience can be contemplated and even, hopefully, savored.”

      “To my surprise, I find the most relevant commentary on a marriage that continues into the sunset years comes from the radical German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who, in an atypically practical frame of mind, wrote, “When marrying, ask yourself this question: Do you believe that you will be able to converse well with this person into your old age? Everything else in marriage is transitory.”

      “Psychiatrists, of course, regularly weigh in with their estimates of the principal causes of this depression. Principal causes? I believe I could give these psychiatrists a helping hand on that question: it is because old old age stinks. It is horrible. The quality of life is usually zero. And if we still have any rational powers left at that point, we know that life is only going to get worse. ”

      “But one compelling idea that I do take away from Stoic philosophy is the business about letting go of matters over which I have no control. Focusing on the horrors of old old age before I get there would get me nowhere. For starters, it would be a waste of precious and very limited time.”
    • 3/5
      A quick, brief, entertaining little philosophical treatise on getting old, what it means to be old, to have led an authentic life, and to gradually, and authentically, and gracefully get old and to get 'old old'. There isn't a TON here, or lots of new philosophy, but for those who like Epicurus or like Daniel Klein this is entertaining enough.

      Daniel Klein has a good voice and I've enjoyed his other philosophical works (his collaborations with Cathcart), he has a wry writing style and almost a self-deprecating-ness that makes him enjoyable and tolerable even if you imagine the philosophy and self-examination would be intolerable to listen to.

      I imagine once I get to 'old' age this will be much more meaningful than in my thirties, but as I near my half-way mark, I find this interesting and entertaining all the same.
    • 3/5
      When I was an obnoxious spotty-faced teen who knew nothing and mistakenly thought everyone else knew nothing too, a kindly old lady once asked me if I was 'happy'. I found the question baffling, what did she mean? Now at the older end of life and knowing a little bit more than nothing (but not much) I still find the question completely baffling. Might as well ask me if I think of myself as a rotating cyan-hued pulsating packet of energy (just for the record - I do not).It's a baffler, innit? By the time we acquire enough knowledge from experience, and wish we knew then what we know now, we're too old to do anything with it.Klein is an Epicurus man. When I think about myself in relation to Greek philosophers, Socrates and Marcus Aurelius always come to mind.We are judged by arbitrary norms in all contexts. It is good to be all of the above but best keep it to oneself. Corporations always emphasize 'team play', whatever that means, and demand constant displays of loyalty (even though they offer none). The way to succeed is to look like whatever the norm for success appears to be in your organization. The organization needs to trust you as a corporate man/woman. Even then it will only allow you to achieve the level/status that serves its purpose. I have worked for many and have been repeatedly hired in several different business units in my company because I have a specific useful skill and despite been described as 'difficult' to manage'. This is not because I periodically forgot my own rule but but because I simply cannot hide my awareness. Still must not grumble. I haven’t retired yet and I still want to continue being employed in well paid and relatively senior positions for a prospective long career. Until now I never achieved what many thought I might (and people of less obvious ability did) but given my corporate defect that was inevitable. Ability helps but it is less crucial that image and conformity at least in my experience. Despite all their cute propaganda on "out-of-the-box" thinking, corporations reward "yes-men" who drink the Cool Aid and that’s not me. Even companies that have set up an ombudsman to handle dissenting views and complaints are unable to cope with alternative views from the rank and file. The only place for independent thinkers is at the helm of their own start-up.My father always warned me that I had too much 'attitude' to succeed. He was right and Socrates was made to take a very painful poison.NB: Like Klein I’ve also been to one of the Greek islands, Corfu (one of the Ionian Islands, when I went on a cruise a few years ago. Wonderful place to grow old. And the water!!! My God!)
    • 4/5
      Life used to find its fullfilment in Old Age, followed by Death, but nowadays there's Old Age, Old Old Age and Death, and come to think of it Old Age isn't considered old any more. Daniel Martin Klein (b. 1939) embarked on his second youth in his early seventies. Elaborating his story with the experience of his friends and acquaintances, presumably in the same age category, he shows readers how to find life fullfilment as propagated by Epicurus while you still can, that is before Old Old Age.Eat what you like, go on smoking if you like it, get married (again) in advanced years, and remember "that prostitutes were welcome at Epicurus's table" (p.87). Throughout the book the author throws a remarkable number of philosophers across the table, not just Greek, but also pointing out existentialism and the need to make the most of your own life, while you can.The moment "to pull the plug" (p.129) is before drifting into full-blown demetia. The final two chapters of the book are light-footed dalliances about depression and anxiety in old age and the praise for the Netherlands where "mercy killing" is now an option.With all the tongue-in-cheek jokes and humour Travels with Epicurus is a bit over the top, but if you belong to the elderly, and unlike the author you do not have the money to start a second youth on a Greek island, perhaps the reading of this little book may cheer you up a bit.
    • 5/5
      A good read for those of us moving up in years.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this more than I thought and it took longer to read than I anticipated. Longer because there were many philosophical references that deserved exploring. More enjoyable because there was something charming about an old guy spending a month on a Greek island philosophising about getting old. This is not a self help book (a good thing) it simply offers a wide range of thought provoking insights into not just getting older but friendship, marriage and boredom to name a few. These are all interspersed with observations of the quiet goings on on the Greek island of Hydra, where the author thinks the locals have to some extent been following the advice of their philosophical ancient forefathers. Those well read in philosophy wouldn't get much from this, but for me it was accessible and interesting stuff.
    • 4/5
      First this was a Goodreads "First Reads" copy.


      Very enjoyable read and a look at Epicurus philosophy.
    • 4/5
      Author Daniel Klein has written a series of pop-philosophy books, the most well known being Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar.Klein, in is seventies, was told that he needed to spend thousands of dollars for dental implants in order to avoid having 'an old man's smile'. He opts for dentures, and uses the money to go the Greek island of Hydra where he had previously lived for a short time in his youth. Hydra has no cars or motorized vehicles and residents live a more relaxed life, with time to sit at the local taverna and have a glass of ouzo while contemplating the state of the world.It provides what Klein feels is the perfect setting to explore the aging process. He believes that the American quest for youth leaves older Americans struggling after what is now past and is no longer attainable. Klein is searching for what he calls an authentic old age – a life stage, where like a ship come to harbor, one can slow down and relish both the accomplishments in life and each moment one lives. He quotes a variety of philosophers including Epicurus, of course, as well as Heidegger, Neitzsche, Seneca and the philosophers he meets at the tavernas in Greece.The book is very short and can be read in a few hours. It's by no means a deep or exhaustive look at the philosophy of aging, but since I don't have a philosophy background, I did find it an intriguing quick tour. However, even with my limited knowledge, it felt like splashing on the shallow shore of deep waters. And in his meditations, Klein totally leaves out aging women. Be warned that he makes no attempt at all to include any feminine thoughts on the subject.
    • 5/5
      There's something about the Greek island of Hydra, splendidly isolated despite its short distance from Athens by hydrofoil. Unlike its neighbour, Spetses, it has eschewed modern 'conveniences' such as the car, but its aims are similar, resisting the changes demanded by the common tourist. Klein chose this island for the sort of contemplative life that mankind is drawn to on reaching old age, and this book is a charmingly written 'philosophical memoir' which probes his feelings on a life which, though active, approaches its finality. He begins with the musings of Epicurus and wanders simply and slowly through a variety of other philosophers who, over the ages, have handed on their own thoughts. Having just reached seventy myself I found friends and kindred spirits among these distinguished authors, and the book has helped me order my thoughts, so different now from when I lived at earlier ages.I would recommend this book to one of my age who might benefit from seeing what others have made of their situation. A charming book, not over-long but seemingly comprehensive.
    • 5/5
      Nice book with a simple sense of humor.
    • 4/5
      I loved this story of one man's journey to the Greek Islands in search if the answer to "how to live to and enjoy a rich fulfilling and contented old age. A wonderful lesson, in achieving the ability to sort out what is important in life.The review below by Bakersfield Barbara says it all for me.
    • 4/5
      TRAVELS WITH EPICURUS A Journey to a Greek Island in Search of an Authentic Old AgeDaniel Klein went to the dentist, left with his teeth as they were, but with a new adventure for his late life plans. Whyshould he beautify his smile at age 73, and follow the route of so many others chasing their youth?He headed to Greece with the money saved to learn anything that one of his favorite philosophers, Epicurus, could teach him about late life pleasures. The author learned about fulfillment, about time, about worry beads, how to be solitary and like doing nothing, on existential authenticity, about stoicism , the timeliness of spirituality and a mindful old age. Along with these lessons, he learned 'being' is more important than his old approach to life,which was always 'doing' .This is a travel book to the Greek island Hydra, a guide to living well as we age and a witty journey with one seeking answers for an authentic old age.Mr. Klein's book is a delight to read and gives one a chance to decide how to enter an older age. Do you want to superficially have breast implants, use Viagra to feel young for a short few hours, have surgery to 'look' younger, or do you want to enjoy the journey through the later years with a new insight on aging? I loved the book, as it gave me much to think about, and I highly recommend it to anyone contemplating growing older wisely..
    • 3/5
      I wasn't sure what to expect when I began this book. It's a cross between a travelogue and one man's reflection on life and ageing. Klein contemplates his life and whether it is 'a life well lived' as he faces old old and the impending loss of body, mind and faculties. The fact that he does this reflecting on a Greek Island adds enjoyment to an interesting reflection on life. The author comes to the conclusion that living life to its fullest and being true to oneself is more important than youth, consumerism and societal ideals.
    • 3/5
      A thoughtful exploration of the stages of life and how the latter stages let us reflect and savor. Consistent with bis admiration for Montaigne, Klein's assessment is a journey in multiple ways. He includes elements of other Greek thinkers, especially Epictetus, as well as Eastern religion.
    • 4/5
      Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: an old man goes on vacation. There, he takes stock of his years, drinks in old philosophies, and ruminates on what growing old means and how one can live a fulfilled life. While it may the premise of many a chicken soup book, Daniel Klein is no hack. His Travels with Epicurus is a delightful volume of essays and thoughts on all he has read, experienced, and wished. I, for one, was glad to take the journey with him.Klein decides to spend a month on the Greek island of Hydra to regain some perspective. After spending years working for a living as a writer and a philosopher and watching his aging friends continually try to stave off old age, he has come to point where he decides to truly enjoy his station in life. While others undergo medical procedures, start new exercise regimens, or take pills to reinvigorate themselves, Klein is just fine with being old and wise. His ambulations around Hydra offer a view of life in the slow lane, where Epicurean values and modern sensibilities meet. While modern epicureanism is all about finding grandiose gourmet experiences, Epicurus actually advocated living a simple, happy, tranquil life. There should be peace. One should be free from fear and stress. One should be surrounded by friends. While this could be absurdly stretched to mean that you should do everything possible to feel pleasure, Epicurus was more about a peaceful happiness than an absolute hedonic state. Klein spends his days on Hydra muddling through not only Epicurus’s words, but also the many philosophers that he has brought him. He blends readings from Sartre, Kant, Russell, Heidegger, Eva Hoffman, and William James with popular figures such as Sinatra, Dylan Thomas, Shakespeare, Stephen Wright, and Federico Fellini. This blending of philosophies enhances what would have been just a simple text about Epicurus and his writing.Two things about this book: (1) this is the book that Tuesdays with Morrie should have been, and (2) you will feel bad for reading it so fast. Klein is so effortless in his thoughts that I just zipped right through it, which is precisely the opposite intention of writing about Epicurus. You need to take time with this one. You should pause after each essay and reflect a bit (but not too much). I will definitely read it time and time again—which I belive is just about the best thing you can say about a book.
    • 3/5
      Daniel Klein is getting on in years. He’s come to that time in life when you are very, very clear about what’s small stuff and what’s not. He decides to spend some time on a Greek island thinking a little and writing a little about what should matter to us in our last years. And here is this little book, full of those thoughts and speculations. Very wise.