12 Rules for Life

By: Jordan B. Peterson

Narrated by: Jordan B. Peterson

Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

The audiobook edition of 12 Rules for Life, written and read by Jordan B. Peterson, asks what are the most valuable things that everyone should know?

Acclaimed clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson has influenced the modern understanding of personality, and now he has become one of the world's most popular public thinkers, with his lectures on topics from the Bible to romantic relationships to mythology drawing tens of millions of viewers. In an era of unprecedented change and polarising politics, his frank and refreshing message about the value of individual responsibility and ancient wisdom has resonated around the world.

In this audiobook, he provides twelve profound and practical principles for how to live a meaningful life, from setting your house in order before criticising others to comparing yourself to who you were yesterday, not someone else today. Happiness is a pointless goal, he shows us. Instead we must search for meaning, not for its own sake, but as a defence against the suffering that is intrinsic to our existence.

Drawing on vivid examples from his clinical practice and personal life, cutting edge psychology and philosophy, and lessons from humanity's oldest myths and stories, Peterson takes the reader on an intellectual journey like no other. Gripping, thought-provoking and deeply rewarding, 12 Rules for Life offers an antidote to the chaos in our lives: eternal truths applied to our modern problems.

©2018 Jordan B. Peterson (P)2018 Penguin Books Ltd

Easily accessible wisdom

Jordan Peterson presents a refreshing voice of wisdom in a crowd of shrill hysteria and politically correct drivel. I was impressed with the combination of common sense advice and surprising insights. There is lots to learn here. If you’re looking for a blueprint for a life well lived, you’ve come to the right place.

Life-changing in every sense of the word

This book has brought me joy, laughter and also tears, grief and profound sadness. Through the wisdom of ancient texts and personal anecdotes, doctor Peterson gave me courage to face my fear of responsibility, take my place in the world and improve the lives of those around me. The performance is deeply personal and precise as is the case with other Peterson's material. I hope I will return to this book for strength and inspiration whenever I need them most.

Lit

A candle has been lit in the world to keep the dark at bay.

I’m in awe of Jordan’s capacity to ignore the nonsense hurled at him, and still speak with a white hot passion to help people. It humbles and makes you want to emulate.

Twelve simple rules that get into your subconscious so quickly it feels like they were always there.

This book has been rated five lobsters.

Amazing book, very deep and thoughtful. It teaches the individual responsibility over ones actions. To speak the truth and many other wonderfully useful things.

Deep and enjoyable experience

Peterson goes all in in his effort to lay out his philosophy in a form that resonates on many levels of analysis. The book is simultaneously a compelling map of reality, guide to a balanced and meaningful life, and a deep defence of Western culture, Christian values and healthy masculinity, which are all currently under attack. I think this book is not just an insightful thought provoker, but also a healthy vaccination against dangerous ideological viruses which are unleashed in the modern world.

Pure Wisom

Any additional comments?

Jordan Peterson deliver advices, that are ready to implement into our daily life.
He turns his knowledge into wisdom by showing the principles, which we should use as a guide both in the professional and private life.

Idea of taking full responsibility for our choices makes perfect sense and give hope to all of the young people, who got deeply immersed into the nihilist world of mass consumption.

JBP narration makes the whole listening experience even better.

Lessons that you can takeaway from this book could be life-changing, especially if you want to give your life meaning and orient yourself in the world.

Spirituality for the reasonable

Would you consider the audio edition of 12 Rules for Life to be better than the print version?

I prefer the narrative power of the author speaking his own words. Hence, yes! I find it much better than the print.

What was one of the most memorable moments of 12 Rules for Life?

The coda(nice choice of words there). Like a sonata form recapitulation, it ties together the multi-themed spiritual sonata that was this book!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The story about the suffering of his daughter and the frailty of li'l children moved me particularly.

"We love not 'despite' the limitations, but 'because' of them. And of course, it more complicated than that"

Any additional comments?

This book is great, not because it's some groundbreakingly new content and idea that have not been expressed before. It is so as it brings back an important aspect in the spiritual quest that is absent from most new age spiritual teachers: FORM! Most spiritual thinkers have removed everything that even resembles any real manifestation so much so that it is almost impossible to have use of what they are saying.

Jordan Peterson brings back the fundamental(archetypal) stories of our experiences back to the social collective consciousness and for that we must thank him.

This book unlike most self-help books, this book doesn't try to explain the title in almost banal detail. It takes the idea and brings it alive through contrast, variation, and storytelling that drives home the title without having to repeat it once. Only thing I can think of that comes close is classical music.

Precise yet broad.

The book points to exact steps for improvement in your life and then goes into depths I haven't even thought about. Sometimes it was too much for me. But in the end it's a must read.

Too much bible talk

Disappointed to see this book turned into a full-on bible study from chapter 6. Dr.Peterson introduced himself as a psychologist and a scientist, but I see little reasoning with genuine scientific knowledge instead this book is mostly about Dr.Peterson’s personal interpretation of the bible. He often ran off the topic and spend hours to praise and interpret Christianity, he also consistently to refer to the bible and not actual evidences to make his case, which significantly lowered his credibility.

Deep and accessible

I'll have to listen to it again and probably again but some great practical advice based on truth and his genuine real understanding

A colossal waste of my time and money.

Pretentious and using big words and extremely long sentences whilst actually not saying anything meaningful.
Absolutely pointless.

Long-winded and

very hard to understand the almost impeccable rating this book has gathered on Audible. I have returned the book after reading the first two chapters. Especially chapter 2 was badly written in my opinion. There are a lot of anectodes (quite often religious) and musings throughout both chapters which digress enormously from the topic (the rule) of the chapter; and the tying up of everything and coming full circle at the end is done hastily and not in a well written way.The narrative performance is also limited as is the case IMHO with most self-narrated audio books.

Hours of the guy banging on about religion, basically

Not what I expected, he turns to religion time and time again, as a “non-believer” it was tiresome and unhelpful.

How have I ever lived without this book?

I've been listening to Jordan a lot on you tube over the past few months. I have watched and learnt so much. Even a simple lesson of watching him pausing and calming himself in aggressive interviews before answering back has been priceless. But through his book, it's so nice to actually listen fully to his train of thoughts. Uninterrupted by idiological arguments from others and explained with references we've all grown up with but never had fully explained in such a way whilst growing up. I feel calmer and ready to face the world and can't wait to listen to again.

Not that it matters to this review.. but I am a woman.. And based on his book.. now proud to be one. Always thought it meant to be less than man. But my role as a human.. if that be it free to choose: mother, bread winner, wife, or friend.. is as equally important to any other role around me. so much more to say but I will leave it there.

Thank you

Ok

While I like Peterson’s content on the whole I felt a bit lost in this audio book and can’t tell you what the lessons actually were come the end of the book. Come the last 2 hours I was just wanting it to end. That said there are a few useful nuggets here and there.

The Hitchhikers Guide to Heaven

You know when you hear a new song and it stops you in your tracks? I’ve spent my last 15 hours in that state.
I can’t even begin to explain how much I now owe this man for all he has done. I laughed with weakened knees and wept in public places with this complete stranger. I love him.
My fear is that the people who need him most (youngish lefties like me, for instance) will pass him with prejudice and condescension and suffer on.
Buy this book, it will polish your lens.
I will be out there, paying attention to life.
Thanks Jordan. x

Loved it, changed my life immeasurably!

This book has genuinely changed my life, I stand up tall, I look people in the eye, I'm combative when need be. I would recommend this to anyone. My anxiety is gone. And the world is respecting me which has lead to a positive feedback loop of happiness.

Great book for people who want to sort their lives

Life is suffering, so we must do what we need, not what we want. Listen, tell the truth and above all read this book.

Exceptional book... original and thought provoking

So many books of this type can be a bit light, they can be built around one or two ideas. This is not the case with this one. Peterson is on a different level, his authenticity, original insights and forthright manner elevate this book to the point of being exceptional. He is no prisoner to group think or moronic fads, his points are clear, he is very exact in the way he communicates. The aforementioned make this a book one of the best I have read in a long time and set it in a class of its own with this genre. Highly recommend, not for the closed minded.

Long-winded, boring and a waste of a credit

I don't class myself as someone who finds it difficult to grasp ideas or understand 'big words', but this book is extreme. I love audio books and can consume a good one in a couple of days but this dragged on and I found it a chore to listen to. There didn't seem much of a point to the lengthy waffle and I took nothing from it at all. I only got a couple of chapters in and found myself fast-forwarding through large chunks out of boredom and lack of understanding. The narrator's voice (the author, I think?) was very dull and monotone and had no passion for the content at all. I wish I could get a refund as it was a waste of 1 credit.