Rating: 
Summary: Inner peace and ethical living
Review: This is a truly great book, and I've read it three times now. This is inspite of the fact that the style is a bit dense for the modern reader.
Personally, I have always been attracted to the Stoic emphasis on inner peace and ethical living according to the example of nature and the cosmos.
It is not surprising that Aurelius was also a great influence on Henry David Thoreau. I understand that President Clinton cited this as his favorite book, though for the life of me I cannot concieve of him as a Stoic- Epicurian perhaps, but not Stoic....
I was struck by Aurelius's repeated admonition that it makes no difference whether one lives 40 years or 10,000- you will still have experienced everything, for nothing is new and everything repeats in endless cycles. He is right, once you get past 40, these repeating cycles become more and more apparent....
Rating:
Summary: Best translation of this classic
Review: This is my favorite translation of the meditations, an opinion further solidified yesterday when I went to the book store to get a last-minute graduation gift for a young man, and all they had was "The Emperor's Handbook" by the Hicks brothers. It was good, but I think it lacked the manliness and concise clarity of the Hays translation. I have not read the original Greek, (trying to learn some now!), so I'm no authority, but I imagine this is how a man like Marcus Aurelius might write to himself in this circumstance.As for the greatness of the original work itself, all I can add to the other fine reviews here are two quotes I have always loved from Clifton Fadiman's "The Lifetime Reading Plan": ". . . during the last ten years of his life, by the light of a campfire, resting by the remote Danube after a wearisome day of marching or battle, he set down in Greek his Meditations, addressed only to himself but by good fortune now the property of us all," and, "Through the years The Golden Book of Marcus Aurelius, as it has been called, has been read by vast numbers of men and women. They have thought of it not as a classic but as a well spring of consolation and inspiration. It is one of the few books that seem to have helped men directly and immediately to live better, to bear with greater dignity and fortitude the burden of being merely human. Aristotle one studies. Marcus Aurelius men take to their hearts."
Rating:
Summary: Best translation of this classic
Review: This is my favorite translation of the meditations, an opinion further solidified yesterday when I went to the book store to get a last-minute graduation gift for a young man, and all they had was "The Emperor's Handbook" by the Hicks brothers. It was good, but I think it lacked the manliness and concise clarity of the Hays translation. I have not read the original Greek, (trying to learn some now!), so I'm no authority, but I imagine this is how a man like Marcus Aurelius might write to himself in this circumstance. As for the greatness of the original work itself, all I can add to the other fine reviews here are two quotes I have always loved from Clifton Fadiman's "The Lifetime Reading Plan": ". . . during the last ten years of his life, by the light of a campfire, resting by the remote Danube after a wearisome day of marching or battle, he set down in Greek his Meditations, addressed only to himself but by good fortune now the property of us all," and, "Through the years The Golden Book of Marcus Aurelius, as it has been called, has been read by vast numbers of men and women. They have thought of it not as a classic but as a well spring of consolation and inspiration. It is one of the few books that seem to have helped men directly and immediately to live better, to bear with greater dignity and fortitude the burden of being merely human. Aristotle one studies. Marcus Aurelius men take to their hearts."
Rating:
Summary: If I could meet just one person in history.......
Review: This is one of my favorite books of all time, and will always hold a place on my bookshelf. Of few things I am quite certain; this is one.
I have read a number of versions of this book, and to date, this is the best translation in my opinion. Gregory Hays does a fantastic job and deserves kudos for this translation. The writings are clear, almost as if Marcus was talking to you. In some translations you have to read the passages several times before the meaning is clear. Marcus had a profound understanding of human behavior, and this is quite evident from his passages. Reading this is a soothing balm for the soul like nothing else I can think of. I have a version I keep on my bookshelf and one I carry around with me because it gets beaten up.
What a remarkable person Marcus must have been, made moreso in my estimation by the fact that he was a ruler. He had everything at his disposal, including wealth, and yet he saw through all of it to what was truly important in life. And the fact that The Meditations was never even written to be turned into a book makes it all the more impressive. Who among us has such insightful random thoughts on such a consistent basis?
When you have a headache, take an aspirin; when you want to understand our place in the universe a little better, pick up The Meditations to read.
Rating: 
Summary: I love M. A. Antonio 's Spiritual Exercises
Review: This translation may not be perfect, but it is a good resource for wise choice making. Although, Marcus Aurelius persecuted Christians (a sect in his time) his virtues and stoic philosophy grant him the ability to be a distinct spiritual artist. I prefer to replace his "gods" with God and his force against Christians as a force against sects or being part of bad crowds or better yet ignored. There is no substitute for the bible, but his spiritual exercises should be recognized as good.
Rating: 
Summary: chicken soup for something
Review: This translation was a bit too dumbed down for me. Maybe I'm showing my age but the idea of a Roman emperor speaking like a New Age Guru didn't do it. That being said it is still soothing to read these thoughts.
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