Amazon Customer

Actionable collection of time tested ideas

Revisado: 12-11-19

Quintus Curtius' "Thirty Seven" is a great value. Not only is the content excellent, but the narrator and production value are top-notch as well. I started out as a listener to his podcast, but quickly began reading his website and articles as well; as a deeper introduction to the ideas he engages with, I purchased "Thirty Seven" and listened to it during my long drives on a business trip.
There is plenty of noise by folks today who make their beliefs known on what a man should be, and what masculinity is. Additionally, there are plenty of people who have their own ideas about education, philosophy and self-development. The major value in "Thirty Seven" is that Quintus Curtius does not re-package classical ideas with a modern twist, or market classical, traditional living as the solution to our modern ills; instead he engages with time tested ideals, principles and classic wisdom. The author shows why they are still relevant for modern living, and how we can benefit from them, but also through different vignettes, how they are useful in everyday life through the ages, to include modern time.
One particular passage that stands out is Chapter 11 "The Reality of Progress". Going through the ages, from Ancient Rome, the Enlightenment, and ending at our current time, the question of progress is posed to the reader and we are faced with some harsh realities of our current state as individuals and as a society. Showing contrasting examples of modern, mechanized, reasoned progress and the modern state of character and spiritual development, Quintus Curtius demonstrates a clear gap in the spiritual, ethical and character development of modern man. Never ending on a down note, this chapter also ends with a few key points to show how we can measure ourselves as developed, passionate men.
As a critique, a table of contents that breaks down the essays by broad, topical overview would help readers. A brief introduction dealing with the content and how it is useful for the readers may help those unfamiliar with Quintus Curtius' works.
In summary, there is something in this book for everyone. Quintus Curtius casts a wide net and engages with folks from the classical world, enlightenment era, renaissance world, Islamic school of thought and the eastern traditions. His essays are thought provoking and will help serve as a reference point for a deeper dive into any covered subject, but also have enough substance to stand alone

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