Victor Juhasz, a renowned illustrator known for his work in Rolling Stone and Time Magazine, shares insights on his collaboration with Ryan Holiday for 'The Boy Who Would Be King.' They delve into the creative process of illustrating ancient tales, balancing historical facts with imagination. Juhasz reflects on Marcus Aurelius’ teachings and the trials of leadership, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and discipline. Personal anecdotes reveal the emotional weight of parental influence and the transformative power of honest feedback in creative endeavors.
01:05:06
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
A fortunate collaboration
Ryan Holiday was impressed by Victor Juhasz's illustrations and hired him for his book.
Juhasz, surprisingly, had already illustrated children's books on ancient Rome and Greece.
insights INSIGHT
Sadness in the Statue
Juhasz found a sadness and an "older soul" quality in young Marcus Aurelius's sculpted image.
He connected this to the burden of leadership and the era's high mortality rate.
insights INSIGHT
Short Lifespans and Extraordinary Destinies
The average Roman lifespan was around 35 years, emphasizing the presence of death in their lives.
Marcus Aurelius's story reflects a "fairy tale" aspect of an ordinary boy chosen for extraordinary things.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 'The Little Prince' tells the story of a young prince who travels from his small home planet to Earth, encountering various characters that symbolize the absurdities and narrow-mindedness of grown-ups. The prince, who deeply loves a rose on his home planet, learns valuable lessons about the importance of human connections and the uniqueness of loved ones through his interactions with a fox and other characters. The story is a poignant reflection on life, human nature, and the importance of seeing with the heart rather than the eyes.
Lives of the Stoics
The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius
Ryan Holiday
Stephen Hanselman
This book presents the fascinating lives of twenty-six ancient Stoics, from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius, organized in digestible mini-biographies. It vividly brings to life the stories of key Stoic philosophers, such as Seneca, Epictetus, and Cicero, and demonstrates how their philosophies shaped their actions and legacies. The authors intertwine historical context with philosophical insights, making the book both educational and entertaining. It shows how Stoic principles can be applied to modern life, emphasizing virtues like Courage, Justice, Temperance, and Wisdom[1][3][5].
Meditations
Marcus Aurelius
Meditations is a series of private writings composed by Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome's greatest emperors, as he struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Written between 170 and 180 CE while on military campaigns, this work combines Stoic philosophy with personal observations on leadership, duty, mortality, and human nature. Through twelve books of intimate thoughts never intended for publication, Marcus Aurelius explores themes of self-improvement, resilience in the face of adversity, and living virtuously while accepting what cannot be changed.
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse
Charlie Mackesy
This graphic novel tells the story of a boy who, on a spring day, meets three animal friends—a mole, a fox, and a horse—as he journeys through the countryside. The story is a poignant exploration of universal lessons about life, including the importance of kindness, self-worth, and unconditional love. The characters, each with their own struggles and strengths, learn valuable lessons about courage, forgiveness, and the power of asking for help. The book is celebrated for its simple yet profound messages, beautiful illustrations, and its ability to resonate with readers of all ages.
The Boy Who Would Be King
Ryan Holiday
Victor Juhasz
G is for Gladiator
G is for Gladiator
An Ancient Rome Alphabet
Victor Juhasz
Michael Shoulders
G is for Gladiator: An Ancient Rome Alphabet provides an A-to-Z introduction to ancient Rome, covering its social, political, and civil customs. The book is illustrated by Victor Juhasz and written by Michael Shoulders, offering a comprehensive and engaging look at ancient Roman culture.
Z is for Zeus
Z is for Zeus
A Greek Mythology Alphabet
Helen L. Wilbur
Victor Juhasz
This book explores Greek mythology from A to Z, featuring colorful illustrations by Victor Juhasz. It covers a range of topics, from the gods and goddesses of Olympus to famous myths like the Trojan War. The book is designed for children aged 7-12 and includes detailed text alongside engaging rhymes.
On today’s podcast, Ryan speaks to his collaborator and illustrator for his new book The Boy Who Would Be King about the process of creating the art for the book, imposing discipline on yourself, how he was impacted by Marcus Aurelius’ story, and more.
This episode is also brought to you by Box of Awesome from Bespoke Post. They have a huge number of collections no matter what you’re into: the great outdoors, style, cooking, mixology, and more. To get started, you just take a quiz at boxofawesome.com your answers help them pick the right Box of Awesome for you.Get 20% off your first monthly box when you sign up at boxofawesome.com and enter the code DAILYDAD at checkout.
***
If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps with our visibility, and the more people listen to the podcast, the more we can invest into it and make it even better.
The Daily Dad 
