The Stoic Capitalist

Advice for the Exceptionally Ambitious

By: Robert Rosenkranz

Narrated by: Ian Porter

Bloomsbury presents The Stoic Capitalist by Robert Rosenkranz, read by Ian Porter.

The Stoic ideal of a well-lived life has been around since 300BC, but what can we learn from it 2,300 years later?

In The Stoic Capitalist, Robert Rosenkranz shows how its teachings can lead to a life of accomplishment, fulfillment, and impact. Stoic principles are applied not just to help you cope but to achieve your most ambitious goals. He offers an astute combination of philosophical, psychological, and business observations, along with practical advice spanning topics as diverse as finance, investments, negotiation, hiring, time management, art collecting, philanthropy, and longevity. He explains how ancient philosophy and its psychological insights can be used to create extraordinary outcomes in your personal and professional life.

Each of the short chapters offers ideas you can use to thrive. Along the way, you meet a lively global cast of RAND nuclear strategists, pioneering artists, scientist-entrepreneurs racing to extend the human lifespan, and iconic figures in the Wall Street boom years. The book offers an insider’s perspective on the creation of such major developments as private equity, hedge funds, and junk bonds.

Rosenkranz writes as he speaks, with the engaging voice of a Renaissance man who is insatiably curious, eager to learn, open to all viewpoints, but embracing none without critical thought. Reading this book may help you realize your childhood dreams.

©2025 Robert Rosenkranz (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Critic reviews

The Stoic Capitalist is as much about life as career, as much about personal growth as professional development, and as much about giving back as getting ahead. It’s an inspiring story of a life well lived. (Michael R. Bloomberg)

A truly fascinating story of one of the most powerful titans on Wall Street that you probably haven’t heard of. In this engaging memoir Robert Rosenkranz tells the story of how he spotted opportunities that no one else saw and acted on them to rise from a modest middle-class family in New York to one of the most successful private equity investors of our time. In the process he also candidly shares his philosophy on how to navigate the world in ways many of us haven’t thought about. A very worthwhile read and thoroughly enjoyable. (Bill Browder)

An extraordinary mixture of philosophical, psychological and business insights, The Stoic Capitalist is the culmination of a lifetime’s thought and experience by one of America’s most successful men. Part memoir, part how-to book for anyone who wants to make it really big, part warning of life’s potential pitfalls, it cogently and wittily explains how to live a good, fulfilling life that is both enjoyable for oneself and valuable to society at large. Robert Rosenkranz has many remarkable legacies to bequeath, and this book is definitely one of them. (Lord Andrew Roberts)

The remarkable story of Robert Rosenkranz’s life, and the principles that helped shape its course, are explained in this unique book. The Stoic Capitalist, a blend of biography and self-improvement philosophy, draws on the ancient wisdom of Stoic philosophers, such as Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. The book makes a new contribution by showing how Stoic philosophy can be applied to living a life both virtuous and highly ambitious. (Donald Robertson)

This book is a fascinating account of a startling life, which not only epitomizes the American dream, but also highlights the little-known power of Stoic ideas and the way that they can guide a career. Anyone interested in finance, philosophy or the ability to forge a career in a mindful manner should read this – not just to understand how to achieve your goals, but how to do so with focus and consistency. The wisdom from the ancient Greek stoic thinkers does not often get taught in business schools – but it clearly should, and deserves far wider attention and recognition, since it is so relevant in our hyper-emotional world of non-stop distractions. (Gillian Tett)