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12 Rules for Life

Written by: Jordan B. Peterson, Norman Doidge MD
Narrated by: Jordan B. Peterson
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Publisher's Summary

What does everyone in the modern world need to know? Renowned psychologist Jordan B. Peterson's answer to this most difficult of questions uniquely combines the hard-won truths of ancient tradition with the stunning revelations of cutting-edge scientific research.

Humorous, surprising, and informative, Dr. Peterson tells us why skateboarding boys and girls must be left alone, what terrible fate awaits those who criticize too easily, and why you should always pet a cat when you meet one on the street.

What does the nervous system of the lowly lobster have to tell us about standing up straight (with our shoulders back) and about success in life? Why did ancient Egyptians worship the capacity to pay careful attention as the highest of gods? What dreadful paths do people tread when they become resentful, arrogant, and vengeful? Dr. Peterson journeys broadly, discussing discipline, freedom, adventure, and responsibility, distilling the world's wisdom into 12 practical and profound rules for life. 12 Rules for Life shatters the modern commonplaces of science, faith, and human nature while transforming and ennobling the mind and spirit of its listeners.

©2018 Jordan B. Peterson (P)2018 Random House Canada

What the critics say

"Jordan Peterson is the most important and influential Canadian thinker since Marshall McLuhan. His international fame and impact continue to grow exponentially. Peterson's bold interdisciplinary synthesis of psychology, anthropology, science, politics and comparative religion is forming the template for the genuinely humanistic university of the future." (Camille Paglia)

"Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life hits home - from identifying the deeply engrained hierarchical ladder that motivates our decision making to asking indispensable and sometimes politically unpopular questions about your life and suggesting ways to better it. If that's not enough, its first twenty pages give a summary of evolutionary psychology that's breathtaking." (Howard Bloom, author of The Lucifer Principle)

"Firm but caring.... Peterson speaks the way I always wished my father had.... He is the right man at the right time, someone capable of showing young men that cleaning up their room has cosmic significance, and that imposing a little order upon chaos is good for the soul, which in turn is good for the world." (National Review)

What listeners say about 12 Rules for Life

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Incredible

Will definately read this again multiple times over. Cant reccomend this enough. Incredibly inspiring and enlightening.

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13 people found this helpful

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  • 2018-02-26

Deeply Profound

I have read a lot of books in my life, encountered many theories, philosophy and well thought out books on the meaning of life and the ideal mode of being. This book by far outshines them all and has the potential to transform many lives. The author successfully and meaningfully weaves together ancient and modern wisdom with anecdotes from his own life and that of his clinical practice to create a tapestry of meaning, of being, of deep significance. Puts it all into perspective Thank you Jordan Peterson! One more thing, the forward is by Norman Doidge, another one of my personal hero’s who wrote the Brian that changes itself.

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12 people found this helpful

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geat book

Lots of great wisdom. I hope lots of people will read this book. It will be very helpfull.

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Brilliant humour at times and thought provoking...

... though I don't agree with all of his musings. His honesty and genuine nature flow through his writing. His religious ideals and references took me a little by surprise, based on what I'd read of him previously. Strong gender & gender role opinions, maybe, but not necessarily as controversial as I'd read. His controversy is relative to the extreme times we live in but overall, just a push back on the extremism of today. i think he aims for a balanced view and may just come in a tad on the right, backed by his religious Christian references.

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Exceptional

This books is hands down in the top five most beneficial books I have read. absolutely brilliant.

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Lots of food for thought

The 12 ‘rules’ are words of wisdom. I recommend this book for anyone who is ready to do serious soul searching. These are common sense guidelines for living a healthy life, he states not only the problem but also a straight forward solution based on studies of how humans think and behave as well as historic advice that’s applicable today. He gets deep into several of the topics but each chapter is independent and easy enough to skip and save for later. Totally worth the time spent!

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Life Changing

This will change your life! First it will give meaning to your life, then it will teach you how to take control of it.

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Above and beyond our expectations

12 Rules was recommended to us by our 22 year old son. He is a student of Psychology and a young man of God. As parents, we are thrilled that he found this incredibly well researched, well formulated and provocative list of life rules. As readers and academics ourselves, we are thrilled to have received the lessons of life that Jordan Peterson has thoughtfully compiled and presented. We highly recommend this read to everyone. And will be re-reading it ourselves as there is too much good stuff packed into it for one go around.

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complex but good

A good book that make you thing about yourself. The good and the bad. May need to go over multipal these to properly understand the vocabulary and thuries.

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Thank you

I’m only one rule in but I feel like I already learned enough about myself to justify the price. The last 20 or so minutes of the chapter hit me to the core. Petersons reading only amplifies the sincerity of the message. Lobster for life.

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