A practical guide to applying Epicurean principles to your 21st-century life. I was very impressed at the simplicity that Author Crespo brought to his clear advocacy of Epicureanism. It takes experience and a tendentious mindset to make this effort work as intended. Often an apologist or advocate can tip over the edge of effectively making the case for their subject and become chest-pokey.

I feel a little sorry that the title chosen was just slightly misleading. This is about the metaphorical garden of one's soul, not the plant-heavy one outside. A very good metaphor but permaybehaps not as plain to the uninitiated as it might be. ( )

I would love to have had a classical education, but alas no. Therefore, I've been teaching myself philosophy at a mature age with limited success. Tending the Epicurean Garden is a take on that ancient thought applied to modern life. How to think, live, enjoy and cope are all parts of conscious living. I'm still thinking about it, with plenty to consider, apply and reconsider. Well worth while for those with a contemplative turn of mind. ( )

Interesting to find a book about an ancient set of ideas on how to live that can be applied to contemporary life and actually give insight into why we should approach our lives in a certain way. The book gives a good history of the movement,and provides the basic tenants of the belief system (although in a bit long-winded and wordy way). But epicureanism as a contextual framework for self improvement is a very thoughtful idea. Indeed, the section of the book most applicable to most of us, V. Epicurean therapy, details ways to use the principles and teachings to heal ourselves from moral, psychological and physical distresses. The prescriptions it offers may not be that revolutionary in themselves (mediation, healthy foods, journaling, therapy, etc.) but in giving reasons for why they are helpful within the context of epicurean balance, the reader has a new way to look at why we should adopt healthy habits into our lives, and how those healthy habits can coexist alongside the more traditionally pleasurable things we long for. The discussion of using and treating anger in our lives seems particularly needed in our time, where we have become so afraid of anger that we tend to let it grow within ourselves unchecked until it does a great deal of harm. All in all, I think this book deserves a look from anyone, of any background or prior belief system, that would like to find greater balance in his or her life.

My full review of this book can be found at: http://www.brianbeholds.com/epicureanism/ ( )

This book is a Godsend for existentialists, thus validating an historical connection to an approach that is just now becoming a standard. ( )

This book was not quite what I expected but that's not always a bad thing. I think when I picked it up I was expecting something a little more in the classical philosophy vein. This is a combination of a book about Epicurean philosophy crossed with a self-help book. The chapters pick out some basic points of the philosophy and discusses them in plain language, as well as bringing in so points about other philosophies (mostly Buddhism) and then at the end of the chapter it gives some suggested tasks to put into practice the readings, and references to some of the things discussed in the chapter. It was worth a read but like I said not quite what I had expected.