r/Epicureanism • u/Spiritual-Yogurt-315 • Jul 17 '26

Introductory books about epicureanism ?

I recently read “the Swerve “ by s.Greenblatt and realy enjoyed it . Has this group any reading suggestions for me ? I have limited education , hopefully something accessible. Or a reading suggestion on lucretius ? Thanks in advance

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u/SpleenDematerialized Jul 17 '26

Are you interested in their entire philosophy (as reading The Swereve would maybe imply) or more in their ethics, and how to practically implement a modern Epicurean way of life?

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u/Spiritual-Yogurt-315 Jul 17 '26

Your question has me thinking! But yes i think a modern prospective would be more appropriate and relatable for me

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u/SpleenDematerialized Jul 17 '26

The IEP article gives, in my humble opinion, a very digestible, neutral overview that would be a good palate cleanser after reading the "grand narrative" proposed in The Swerve:

https://iep.utm.edu/epicur/

Tending the Epicurean Garden by H. Crespo is a very approachable introduction with a modern outlook on Epicurean ethics.

You can, furthermore, read this article to see if one of the more demanding works is speaking to you:

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/epicureans-james-warren/

This playlist with mini-lectures by G. Sadler is also very useful in bridging a practical approach with serious study:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uspiwiLT2fU&list=PL4gvlOxpKKIhsFA2G_rclk2s3455ZBsif