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The Cynics were ancient Greek philosophers who stood athwart the flood of society鈥檚 material excess, unexamined conventions, and even norms of politeness and thundered 鈥淣o!鈥� Diogenes, the most famous Cynic, wasn鈥檛 shy about literally extending his middle finger to the world, expressing mock surprise that 鈥渕ost people go crazy over a finger.鈥� When asked why he was called Diogenes the Dog, he replied 鈥渂ecause I fawn on those who give, I bark at those who don鈥檛, and I bite scoundrels.鈥� How to Say No is a delightful collection of brief ancient writings about Cynicism that captures all the outrageousness, wit, and wisdom of its remarkable cast of characters鈥攆rom Diogenes in the fourth century BCE to the column-stander Symeon Stylites in late antiquity.

With their 鈥渓ess is more鈥� approach to life, the Cynics speak urgently to our world of climate change, economic uncertainty, and psychic malaise. Although the Cynics weren鈥檛 writers, their memorable utterances and behavior were recorded by their admirers and detractors, and M. D. Usher offers fresh new translations of appealing selections from this body of writing鈥攔anging from street sermons and repartee to biography and snapshots of Cynics in action.

Complete with introductions to the volume and each selection as well as the original Greek and Latin on facing pages, this lively book demonstrates why the Cynics still retain their power to surprise us and make us laugh鈥攁nd to make us think and question how we live.