On the shortness of life cover

On the shortness of life

by Seneca the Younger

On the Shortness of Life (Latin: De Brevitate Vitae) by Seneca the Younger, a Roman Stoic philosopher, was written to Seneca’s father-in-law, Paulinus, around 49 AD. The moral essay touches on the nature of time and how people waste their lives in meaningless pursuits. Seneca argues that time is best spent living in the moment and pursuing the intentional, purposeful life.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?