12 Rules for Life

By: Jordan B. Peterson

Narrated by: Jordan B. Peterson

Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's Summary

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of 12 Rules for Life, written and read by Jordan B. Peterson.

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 book, he provides 12 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 listener 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.

22 of 24 people found this review helpful

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.

11 of 12 people found this review helpful

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.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

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.

11 of 13 people found this review helpful

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.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

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.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Eventually; Reason, Enlightenment Returned.

a good dollop of ethical understanding shared in a real and down to earth way. Jordan who is a clinical psychologist brings and humanely articulates an important message as western society struggles with its many psycho-social problems and virus-like shallow group identity politics and conveniently manipulative political correctness. He is well versed in English and Russian literature and explains the archtypical aspects contained therein and in Western culture. I laughed at many of his personal accounts and almost cried at others.
So many men in western society don't know how to be men anymore and there is a high rate of suicide in this group. He teaches how to be a man, and to be aware of the oedipical parent.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

A book filled with meaning.

I loved the book from beginning to end. 100 percent recommended for these convoluted times. Great read, narrated by Dr. Peterson.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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

139 of 160 people found this review helpful

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.

149 of 180 people found this review helpful

Should come with warning - Contains Religion

I have nothing against religion and Christianity - I infrequently attend church.

However, I expect logical reasoning in books such as these to be predicated on science and rational argument.

In large parts of this book Peterson reads from long sections of the Bible and theologises for longer still.

It is in these sections that his delivery resembles a lay preacher not a professor of science.

A shame because the moral lessons do not require this religiosity- they are logical without faith.

194 of 243 people found this review helpful

A fantastic book by a extremely insightful man.

I have recently been through the death of a parent, a divorce and loss of employment. Any one of these events will put your world into chaos. All 3 at once can bush you to your limits. This book puts it all into perspective. Chaos in life will come to us all. Maybe this book can make the journey back to order that little bit easier. Jordan Peterson I commend you for your insight into the complexity of being.

85 of 107 people found this review helpful

Disappointing

I was disappointed in this book as I didn't get any sense of genuine insight. Some interesting things but a lot of truisms. Finishing it, I felt i had wasted my time, though i suspect that I did get something out of it. Overall, however, I couldn't recommend it. At nearly 16 hours way too long to communicate its various messages, with the result that I was left with the feeling that whatever was worthwhile in the book had become lost in the telling.

41 of 53 people found this review helpful

Terrible. Couldn't finish

Really thought I would enjoy this book especially after seeing so many good reviews but I only got 6 chapters in and couldn't bring myself to struggle through it anymore. The author just rambles on and I felt like I was just listening to stories about the Bible or parenting skills. Not for me.

23 of 30 people found this review helpful

It was great until...

I was really looking forward to a meaty ‘question yourself and your life’ type of book, the author started the first chapter with wonderful and insightful psychological arguments...then he mentioned Jesus?
I thought this strange, but carried on the the next chapter, again, with some fantastic insights into humanism ...then it happened again...the bible??
I started seeing a pattern, by chapter 7 it was a full on bible lesson...which is when I called it a day.
A real shame as I thought his initial rules and thoughts were great, it just turned into a sermon.

57 of 76 people found this review helpful

Pointless babble

1 hour 22 minutes in and I have learnt precisely nothing except for a few facts about lobsters. This book so far is flat out boring, with no interesting insights or coherent structure. The author sounds rather arrogant and states the obvious as if it's something profound.

16 of 21 people found this review helpful

Very religious

Although I get that is not the point of reciting religious stories entirely, a bit much.

33 of 44 people found this review helpful

Great book....pay attention especially in its initial sections

This is a rare book from a rare intellect. Those who think there is "too much religion" in this book have totally misunderstood what those sections are about in relationship to our society and historical development and have not really listened carefully enough when those initial sections are introduced. It is not a religious book by any stretch of the imagination and I found it very useful.

24 of 32 people found this review helpful