Ronald Pies, M.D. is a professor of psychiatry and lecturer on bioethics and humanities at SUNY Upstate Medical University and professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine. Pies is author of Everything Has Two Handles: The Stoic's Guide to the Art of Living (Hamilton Books), The Ethics of the Sages (Rowman & Littlefield), several psychiatry textbooks, a collection of short stories, Zimmerman's Tefillin, and a collection of poems, Creeping Thyme. He lives outside Boston and pursues independent studies in Judaic ethics.

…Wonderfully uplifting and practical guide to the cultivation of universal virtues such as kindness, generosity, and self-discipline…[Pies] adapts the ancient wisdom of the Talmudic rabbis [and]…shows himself a master teacher in interpreting the written and lived lessons of the great spiritual and ethical figures of the Jewish tradition in meaningful ways for readers of any or no religious background or commitment.

• Chapter 1 Introduction: What it Means to Be A MenschChapter 2 Chapter 1: A Brief Tour of the Talmudic TerritoryChapter 3 Chapter 2: Kindness and CompassionChapter 4 Chapter 3: Generosity and CharityChapter 5 Chapter 4: Self-Mastery and Self-DisciplineChapter 6 Chapter 5: Moderation and "The Middle Way"Chapter 7 Chapter 6: Humility and FlexibilityChapter 8 Chapter 7: Forgiveness and ApologyChapter 9 Chapter 8: Justice and RetributionChapter 10 Chapter 9: Respect for Self and OthersChapter 11 Chapter 10: Attentive Listening and UnderstandingChapter 12 Chapter 11: Acquiring Knowledge and WisdomChapter 13 Chapter 12: Caution and PrudenceChapter 14 Chapter 13: Discussing and Criticizing Others FairlyChapter 15 Chapter 14: Honesty and IntegrityChapter 16 Chapter 15: Trustworthiness and FidelityChapter 17 Chapter 16: Gratitude and ContentednessChapter 18 Chapter 17: Politeness and TactChapter 19 Chapter 18: Honoring and Revering Parents and TeachersChapter 20 Appendix 1: Selective Chronology of Sages and Principal Evens in Land of IsraelChapter 21 Appendix 2: Glossary of TermsChapter 22 AfterwordChapter 23 References