Courage is Calling – Ryan Holiday
Hardcover | Portfolio | September 28, 2021
The Gist
That stoic guy breaks down how to deal with fear, courage, and what it takes to be a hero.
Read this if you like:
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Dare Greatly by Brené Brown’s
Books that help you grow
To learn more about stoicism and philosophy and how to apply it in real life
History
Verdict: Read It
In typical Ryan Holiday fashion, Courage is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave talks about fear, courage, and heroism by weaving together examples and wisdom that spans from the ancient Greeks to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to the COVID-19 pandemic. Courage is Calling is a call to action and a reminder that although we may live in uncertain and frightening times, we still have a choice: courage or cowardice. As with all his works, Holiday offers examples and advice to show people how they can better understand their fear, how to overcome it, and live bravely. In a way, this book is a meditation on what it’s going to take to move forward in this “new normal.” Holiday talks about the importance of practice because we don’t just become courageous overnight. It takes small acts, baby steps to build our ability to combat fear and choose to do what is right for the sake of others and to be the heroes that we so desperately need. Having read several of Holiday’s works, Courage is Calling does feel pretty formulaic in terms of its organization and narrative structure. However, this doesn’t hinder Holiday’s ability to share his message and set the stage for the next book in this series where he will explore the four cardinal virtues. In a time where everyone is looking inward, Holiday is daring us to look outward, to take a stand, to not lose hope, and to not give to fear.
