Rating: 
Summary: Pure stoicism
Review: If you like stoicism, this is the book for you; there is no better exemplar of the paradigm than the present example. If you dislike stoicism, then this is most assuredly not the book for you. That is, unless you have such an overwhelming interest for either Roman history or of Marcus Aurelius that it would offset your distaste for stoicism.The great Marcus Aurelius was the closest the world has ever come to realizing Socrates' dream of the infamous "philosopher king." Aurelius was a highly educated, sagacious and kindly man whose reign formed the very apex of the Antonine emperors. Following in the lineage of Hadrian and Antonius Pious, his rule was one of the most magnanimous the world has ever seen. Aurelius was a deeply troubled man; what follows in these pages are his intensely personal thoughts on the tribulations of the human condition. Why are people so prone to screwing up? Why are cruelty and ignorance the norms of human existence, instead of the exceptions? Like all of the best Roman emperors, Aurelius held contempt for the human race, but he was also humble enough to realize that he was a part of it. To read these private musings of a long-suffering, sensitive mind is riveting. It is a book well worth reading for the philosopher and historian alike. I will leave you with one of Aurelius' meditations; one which strikes to the very heart of his stoicism: "Have I done an unselfish thing? Well then, I have my reward. Keep this thought ever present, and persevere." [p.166]
Rating:
Summary: The invention of the "will"
Review: This book is definitely the greatest philosophy book I have ever read so far. The case cannot be made that Marcus was a scholar. If you are looking for metaphysical or epistemological subtleties, this is not the book for you. But if you want to have an idea of what a true philosopher may be, then read it over and over. It is said that Plato called Diogenes, "Socrates gone mad". If he were to name Marcus, he would probably call him "Socrates writing". Marcus was probably the third thinker (after Epictetus and Seneca) to use the word "will" as we today use it. For him, you are invulnerable, no evil can befall you except if you give assent to the proposition: "this is an evil, and therefore will harm me." This is, it is true, "free will" carried to extreme. Not everyone would agree with it. Anyhow, this book, along with other Stoic works, marks a crucial turning-point in Western civilization, for, from then on, the human person is not human because he is the product of a civilized city-state (polis). Rather the human animal deserves respect because he possesses an inner realm in which resides a fundamental property by which we can make choices, beyond social determinations. This realm is impregnable from without. Indeeed, it is a very fortress. As Pierre Hadot, the French historian of philosophy and expert on ancient thought puts it: with Marcus, the human soul becomes a "citadelle interieure" (litterally: a inner citadel).
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book, but Boring at Some Points
Review: Any body that has a desire to learn should read this book. It has a lot of wisdom that can be gained from reading it, although if you really want to gain wisdom, you should read Proverbs from the Bible. The book is very well organized and there are a lot of seperate sections that contain different thoughts Marcus had. Even though a great deal of knowledge can be gained through reading this book, there are some boring parts. However, these are easy to skip over. Over all, I would definately recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Comfort When The World Turns Its Back On You
Review: I only gave the book four stars because it is so exclusively, so impermeably Stoic.-There are other viewpoints.-But, as a Stoic handbook it rates a 5+. It is a comfort to be reminded that, "..life is a warfare and a stranger's sojourn" when existence, as so often, seems unbearable. Marcus Aurelius reminds us that things have always been such, that at least we are not alone.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent translation, excellent notes
Review: This is an amazing book, a window into the mind of a 1st Century Roman. It's a day book of thoughts of a Roman emperor written in Greek nearly 2000 years ago. Marcus grapples with spiritual issues, philosphical and some immediate conerns. There are many references to Greek philosophers and Greek literature. The Oxford World's Classics edition, translated by A.S.L. Farquharson is immensely englightened by R.B Rutherford's notes. The notes, never intrusive, provide much needed philosphical and historical context.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring
Review: Marcus Aurelius's Meditations is truly a great work of philosophy. Marcus was a Roman Emperor in the late second century. He wrote this gem not to be published but as a dairy to help pass the time when he was campaigning against the Germans on the northern border. Raised as nobility he had many famous teachers among them were the stoic philosophers of his time. The stoic philosophy was very popular with the higher classes of Roman society. It had some parallels to the writings of Mencius. Both preach a very rigid social structure and that everyone should be content with his/her station in life, whether slave or emperor or poet or garbage collector, a trait that we in America have problems relating to. But it also preached that the individual should always do his best in any job that he does and to face all problems with courage and fortitude. I find reading Marcus's Meditations very inspiring. I am amazed at how some of his ideas I take to heart while others I find their concept hard to accept. No matter what religion you are or what philosophy you follow you will find that some if not all of Marcus's words have wisdom in them. After all wisdom is where you find it. A sign of a great book is that it is as inspiring thousands of years later as it was the day it was written and Marcus Aurelius's Meditations definitely fulfils this requirement. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Falls short
Review: I have owned this title for a number of years and enjoyed it when I first read it. The emperor sought to be a living model of the philosopher-ruler typified by Plato in "The Republic". Had Marcus Aurelius lived the totality of what he wrote in his "Meditations",he would have been great indeed! History tells of him being a fierce persecutor of the Christians. Many innocent people died by his orders since they would not renounce their faith. A leader-philosopher can also be judged on his treatment of the most defenseless of the citizenry (or subjects). He fancied to be a Stoic at heart but certainly was not a genuine humanitarian.
Rating:
Summary: A Bottomless Fount of Wisdom
Review: I do not know of any philosopher who had more to say about the human condition than Marcus Aurelius. I re-read The Meditations during a personal crisis last year and once again found his words comfort and reassurance--not to mention inspiration.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: I have been reading this book now off and on for over a year and have finally finnished it. Marcus' thoughts on "the whole" and nature are fascinating. One of my favorite passages was when he said that Caesar's brilliant oratory used simple words which were straight to the point "like the blast of a trumpet, not the trill of a flute."
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Summary: Timeless wisdom for a weary world
Review: "Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill will, and selfishness-all of them due to the offenders' ignorance of what is good or evil. But for my part I have long perceived the nature of good and its nobility, the nature of evil and its meanness, and also the nature of the culprit himself, who is my brother; therefore none of those things can injure me, for nobody can implicate me in what is degrading" (To Himself, II.1). This selection from "Meditations" ("To Himself" was the original Greek title)captures so much of the essence of this incredibly powerful book. Marcus Aurelius at times sounds more like the Buddha, Lao Tzu, Hesiod, or James Allen than he does his Stoic forerunners: proof once again that true wisdom resides in every man's heart and mind and transcends the boundaries of time, place, ethnicity,and doctrine. The job of the philosopher is to reintroduce his pupils to THEMSELVES, and once the self is realized, the reality of the universe becomes much clearer ("evil" derives from delusions)and the temptations of excess and the fears of deprivation become less powerful. These are true words to live by, more so now than they have ever been before. Happiness can be found in simplicity; hard work DOES pay off; the cooler head always prevails; immoderate pleasures can kill and fear is often unfounded. Marcus, like Buddha, was born in the lap of luxury, but he was destined to hold a position in society for which he was not well suited by virtue of his sensitive and studious nature: the ruler of an ancient and corrupt civilization that dominated most of the known world. "Meditations" is Marcus's attempt to cope with a life and a job that he never really wanted. Thankfully, we can apply Marcus's self conversation to the trials and tribulations of everyday life (the same can not be said for most other volumes of Greco-Roman philosophy, and this is especially the case with the over dogmatic Plato). I urge you to read this. Once you do, I guarantee you will read it over and over again and it will take its place on your list of personal, life changing favorites. One last thought: keep in mind that Marcus was a pagan and don't let the fact that Bill Clinton enjoyed the book sway you from buying it... For those interested in the life of Marcus Aurelius the man, also read his biography in Volume 1 of the Loeb edition of the Scriptores Historiae Augustae.
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