Ask Aristotle

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the premise at first: *Aristotle as a crisis counselor?* But Sharma pulls it off by treating ancient philosophy like a toolbox, not a museum exhibit. The book’s structure—a series of escalating modern crises (from personal meltdowns to societal collapse) met with Aristotelian solutions—keeps the pacing tight and the stakes high. Duncan’s performance is key here; he avoids the trap of sounding like a stuffy lecturer, instead delivering Aristotle’s advice with the calm urgency of someone who’s *been there*. His timing on the book’s darker moments (like the chapter on fear and courage) is especially effective—you’ll find yourself leaning in. That said, the audiobook isn’t without flaws. The transitions between scenarios can feel abrupt, like channel-surfing between emergencies, and Sharma’s modern analogies occasionally stretch too far (do we *really* need Aristotle weighing in on social media outrage?). The production is clean but minimal—no ambient sound or multi-voice cast—which might leave some listeners craving more immersion. Still, for anyone who’s ever wished philosophy could be less *‘hmm, interesting’* and more *‘oh thank god, someone tell me what to do,’* this is a standout. Just don’t expect a cozy listen; it’s more of a mental stress test with training wheels.