BONUS | The Novels Every Stoic Should Read

Summary

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The Daily Stoic — BONUS | The Novels Every Stoic Should Read

Date: May 31, 2026
Host: Daily Stoic (Ryan Holiday)
Featured Guests: Unnamed Conversation Partner

Episode Overview

In this bonus episode, Ryan Holiday and his guest delve into the world of novels steeped in Stoic philosophy. Rather than focusing on traditional philosophical texts, they explore fiction and drama that either directly feature Stoic influences or subtly weave in Stoic themes. Their lively discussion spotlights a range of novels, short stories, and plays—from ancient Rome to Southern American literature—offering listeners a reading list for anyone seeking to see Stoic virtues dramatized in story.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Contemporary and Classic Stoic-Themed Novels

• A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe
  Considered one of the most “Epictetus-themed” contemporary novels.

  “Obviously one of the most famous Stoic novels is Tom Wolfe’s A Man in Full, which is very Epictetus themed.” (B, 01:21)

• The Moviegoer by Walker Percy
  Recognized for its stoic characters and themes, particularly through the character Aunt Emily who introduces Stoicism to the protagonist.

  “He has this amazing passage... His uncle introduces him to stoic philosophy.” (B, 01:54)

Memoirs and Historical Fiction

• Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar
  Written as if Emperor Hadrian himself is reflecting back for Marcus Aurelius. Fictional, but deeply philosophical and vivid.

  “It's fictional, but it feels real. Like it's one of those things where you witness.” (B, 02:36)
  “It's Hadrian, as if he's writing down his memoirs for the benefit of Marcus Aurelius.” (B, 02:42)

Short Stories and Stoicism

• Ambrose Bierce
  Noted for “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” and especially “Parker Adderson, Philosopher,” which explores Stoic courage and facing death.

  “He’s about to be executed, and he's sort of being very stoic. He’s telling him death doesn’t matter… And then it turns out… it’s very easy to pose as the philosopher until it gets real.” (B, 03:34–03:55)

Roman and Historical Novels

• Augustus by John Williams
  While not as explicitly Stoic as other works, it contains Stoic undertones and features Athena Doris, Augustus Caesar’s Stoic advisor.

  “John Williams, who wrote Stoner. This is about Augustus. Extremely Stoic... He does talk about Athena Doris, who was a Stoic teacher.” (B, 04:08–04:17)

The Classics: Stoicism on Stage and in Drama

• Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
  Focus on the characters Portia and Cato as representations of Stoic philosophy. The discussion reveals new layers of Stoicism within the play, especially in Brutus’ wavering versus Portia’s unwavering conviction.

  “Portia, Cato and Cato are the two Stoic themes in that one. You kind of skip over like, oh wait, there's a female stoic character... It's Portia who's like, no, you gotta do that.” (B, 04:28–05:10)

• Thornton Wilder’s The Ides of March
  A modern novelization dramatizing Caesar’s last days, tying back to Stoic themes via Shakespeare and historical sources.

  “Thornton Wilder also wrote a novel about Julius Caesar called The Ides of March.” (B, 06:05)

Notable Literary Analysis

• Philosophize This! (Stephen West)
  Praised for exploring Shakespeare’s works and philosophical influences, highlighting how deeply Shakespeare embedded Stoic and other philosophical systems into his plays.

  “He did Julius Caesar through the lens of philosophy at the time and how… it's really an allegory for battling different philosophical systems.” (C, 05:27–05:43)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Fiction and Philosophy Blending:

  “It’s very easy to pose as the philosopher until it gets real. And then it gets real.”
  — B, on “Parker Adderson, Philosopher” (03:55)

• On Stoic Women:

  “But it's like Brutus is actually wavering and it's in real life, it's Portia who's like, no, no, you got to do that.”
  — B, on Portia as a stoic, Julius Caesar (05:01)

• On the Value of Rediscovery:

  “I just rediscovered it.”
  — C, reflecting on reading Julius Caesar as an adult vs. in high school (04:39)

• On Abundance of Stoic Reading:

  “There's an abundance of riches.”
  — C, summing up the available literature (06:10)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:12] – Introduction: Initial question about Stoic-themed novels
• [01:21] – Discussion of “A Man in Full” and “The Moviegoer”
• [02:22] – Praise for “Memoirs of Hadrian”
• [03:03] – Ambrose Bierce and “Parker Adderson, Philosopher”
• [04:08] – “Augustus” by John Williams
• [04:28] – Stoic themes in “Julius Caesar”
• [05:10] – The character of Portia and women as Stoics
• [05:27–05:45] – Stephen West’s “Philosophize This!” and philosophical readings of Shakespeare
• [06:05] – Mention of “The Ides of March” by Thornton Wilder

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Suggested Novels and Stories For Stoic Readers

• A Man in Full – Tom Wolfe
• The Moviegoer – Walker Percy
• Memoirs of Hadrian – Marguerite Yourcenar
• Short Stories (Parker Adderson, Philosopher; An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge) – Ambrose Bierce
• Augustus – John Williams
• Julius Caesar (Play) – William Shakespeare
• The Ides of March – Thornton Wilder

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Tone & Takeaways

The discussion is lively, enthusiastic, and accessible—balancing literary appreciation with thoughtful insights into how Stoic ideals are woven into narrative form. This episode is ideal for anyone looking to explore Stoic philosophy through storytelling, both ancient and modern, and for readers seeking more than just the classic meditations.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

So we were talking other stoic themed novels and you only knew about man and full.

[C]

Yes, I know.

[B]

There are many more. Okay. One of which I told Oprah about because she loves your book. Okay, so obviously one of the most famous Covenant Stoic novel is Hom Wolf's A Manifold, which is very Epictetus themed. Yeah, but have you read Walker Percy's the Moviegoer?

[C]

Oh, wait, no, but I've been meaning to. I had no idea that it had a stoic theme.

[B]

No. So his character. And the character Aunt Emily is very stoic. Stoic theme. Let me find if I can find this. He has this amazing passage that's like everybody's favorite book.

[C]

And I haven't read it yet.

[B]

Yeah, no, no, it's incredible. So his uncle introduces him to stoic philosophy. His parents both commit suicide or die in accidents. And he's adopted by his. His uncle, three boys, and he's this sort of poet in. In Mississippi. And he. And he introduces him to. To stoicism. And there's this one, she sends him this note. I wish I could find it.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

But anyway, she. Very stoic theme. So that's one.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

This is the other famous one. You haven't read Memoirs of Hadrian? This is a beautiful novel. This is the one I told Oprah about.

[C]

Oh, Shirley Hazard. That's Adora Hazard. I used the last name from Shirley Hazard.

[B]

Who?

[C]

I love Shirley Hazard.

[B]

But. Okay, this is. It's fictional, but it feels real. Like it's one of those things where you witness.

[C]

Oh, See, that's why I think I haven't read it, because it's like a

[B]

docudrama, but it's Hadrian, as if he's writing down his memoirs for the benefit of Marcus Aurelius.

[C]

Okay. That's amazing. Okay.

[B]

I don't know this book. You'll love it. Okay, so we could do. Have you ever read Ambrose Pierce? He has, like, the greatest short story of all time, An Occurrence of Owl Creek. At Owl Creek.

[C]

Oh, right. I know that one. I know that one.

[B]

So this is. This is the Ambrose Bierce thing. Ambrose Bierce's father is named Lucius Varus Bierce.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

And his uncle is named Marcus Aurelius Bierce.

[C]

Oh. They were committed.

[B]

And so he's very stoked. Themed. There's this crowd. Great. There's this great story in here. It's one of my favorites. It's called Parker Philosopher. And it's this guy who's about. You can take this.

[C]

Okay. Is this mine?

[B]

So he's about to be executed, and he's like, sort of being very stoic.

[C]

Which one? Philosopher.

[B]

Parker Adderson, philosopher. So he, you know, we're going to. Sorry. You're going to be, you know, you're captured, you're going to be put to death. And he's being very stoic about it. He's telling him death doesn't matter. He's not afraid. He's willing to die for his country, blah, blah, blah. And then sort of towards the end, he goes, and of course, we'll be hanging you as a spy. And he freaks out and he's like. And it turns out it's all. The message of the story is that it's very easy to pose as the philosopher until it gets real. And then it gets real until you start poking funny. But it's a great story.

[C]

It's like you become a Christian in the trenches.

[B]

Yes, exactly. John Williams, who wrote Stoner House, this is about Augustus.

[C]

So I own this. I love stoic.

[B]

Extremely stoic. But he does talk about Athena. Doris, who was a Stoic teacher, who's his advisor. There's a little smidges of Stoicism. Let's see if we have Julius Caesar. Just as I mentioned it. The play. The play.

[C]

I read the play recently and I don't remember that. So.

[B]

Yeah. So Portia, Cato and Cato are the two Stoic themes in that one.

[C]

You know, Julius Caesar I always thought was like the beginner's play. It's so good, though.

[B]

It's incredible.

[C]

I just I read it maybe two years ago after reading it in, in high school and thinking it was just like a Romeo. I mean Romeo and Juliet is great also, but they're all great. But I, it was, I just rediscovered it.

[B]

But you kind of skip over like, oh wait, there's a female stoic character in Portia Cato. Like she, like. Because Brutus gets all the attention because he does the deed. But it's like Brutus is actually wavering and it's in real life, it's Portia who's like, no, no, you got to do that. So there's this kind of. And she's, she's Cato, the stoic philosopher's God.

[C]

Do you ever listen to philosophize this Stephen West? Oh my God. It's like he's my philosopher king.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

He's so good. He's a full. He's a philosopher. What you do to Stoicism, he kind of philosophy generally. Yeah. And brings it into modern day situations. But now he's going through Shakespeare's works and he did Julius Caesar through the lens of philosophy at the time and how, how Shakespeare really knew his philosophy deeply and it's just about how it really is kind of an allegory for the battling different philosophical systems. Is what the play of Julius.

[B]

Well, and he's taking it from Plutarch. Shakespeare's taking it from Plutarch, which he's read and Plutarch writes a bunch about. It's sort of critical associates. But it's like Shakespeare was so good at mining source material and getting the essence of it and then fictionalizing it. Speaking of which, Thornton Wilder also wrote a novel about Julius Caesar called the Ides of March. Oh, okay.

[C]

Okay. That's good. Okay. Amazing.

[B]

I don't know if we have it. I'm trying to think of it.

[C]

Oh, please. No. There's an abundance of riches.

[A]

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