The number one Sunday Times and Audible best seller from 'the most influential public intellectual in the Western world right now' (New York Times) - read by the man himself.

How should we live properly in a world of chaos and uncertainty?

Jordan Peterson has helped millions of people, young and old, men and women, aim at a life of responsibility and meaning. Now he can help you.

Drawing on his own work as a clinical psychologist and on lessons from humanity's oldest myths and stories, Peterson offers 12 profound and realistic principles to live by. After all, as he reminds us, we each have a vital role to play in the unfolding destiny of the world.

Deep, rewarding and enlightening, 12 Rules for Life is a lifeboat built solidly for stormy seas: ancient wisdom applied to our contemporary problems.

Listening Length

15 hours and 56 minutes
Author

Jordan B. Peterson
Narrator

Jordan B. Peterson
Audible release date

16 January 2018
Language

English
Publisher

Penguin Books Ltd
ASIN

B078Y7V8JJ
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	15 hours and 56 minutes
Author	Jordan B. Peterson
Narrator	Jordan B. Peterson
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com.au Release Date	16 January 2018
Publisher	Penguin Books Ltd
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B078Y7V8JJ
Best Sellers Rank	18 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 3 in Self-Help for Happiness 6 in Personal Success 7 in Textbooks & Study Guides

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4 star		13%
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1 star		4%

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craig spark

A Good book but a bit over hyped.

Reviewed in Australia on 29 November 2018

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This book sprung from a list of 40 brief rules that Jordan Peterson wrote on quora. The list itself is freely available and worth a read in itself. Some rules will speak more to people than others. Some will seem a little obscure. It is against this backdrop that i bought this book pretty much immediately on kindle as soon as it was released about 10 months ago. That and i had been watching bits and pieces of his maps of meaning lectures on youtube at the time.

So what do i think of the book? Its not a classic, its just good. Peterson does meander a bit and go off and tangents. Many times when i was reading 12 rules i found myself asking what has this got to do with the actual rule at the start of the chapter. But thats just his style if you happen to watch his youtube lectures. Petersons will be talking about one thing and then go off on a tangent and all of a sudden be talking about something completely different. But the thing with his lectures is that his deliver is rather good that you are not necessarily aware that he just flipped topics on you. He can weave a slightly hypnotic spell when speaking. But with writing Jordan doesnt have the same delivery punch and it becomes a bit more obvious that he is changing topics and waffling on. To me there was a lot of filler in this book and it really could have been a lot shorter and more to the point. In fact i think it really needed to be.

There is also the issue of hype surrounding Jordan Peterson that i have become increasingly uncomfortable with. Some people will have you believe he is one of the greatest minds of our time which i just cant agree with, especially when i see him talk on topics outside his area of expertise, or politics, or in debate with someone as smart as sam harris who can pull him up quickly when he starts to obfuscate and go off on tangents. At times the atmosphere around Jordan can all feel rather cult like and this makes me uncomfortable and wary. But in the end i would say its a good book with some useful advice and anecdotes. Go read his 40 rules list first and watch some of his youtube interviews and lectures. Then buy the book. I personally got more out of the former than the latter but who knows you may be different

81 people found this helpful

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backpackinglawyer

Extremely Disappointing

Reviewed in Australia on 22 August 2021

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Made it to Rule 5 and decided to close my book to never open it again. The first chapter was interesting and promising. However, as I kept reading, the author's narrative became more hostile and aggressive. I felt that he had a very strong (almost negative) opinion towards women and lack of empathy towards people who are less "privileged". Not only that, but he went from explaining his points through evolutionary facts to immerse himself in a Biblical discourse. After Rule 2, everything is about the Bible, God and his religious beliefs. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading and comparing religious and historical facts... but this was too much. I still don't understand how this is considered a "Best selling book".

19 people found this helpful

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A self-help book with meat to chew on

Reviewed in Australia on 12 March 2019

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It's good to see a "self-help" book with some meat to chew on. Jordan B Peterson is a controversial figure so you won't necessarily agree with everything he says in this book. But it will make you think which is what a good book should do. At the heart of the 12 rules is the belief that suffering is a part of life and we need to choose to face it or run in the opposite direction. Running in the opposite direction away from suffering is, according to Peterson, a denial of life itselft. So, obviously, Peterson believes we need to choose to face it. His 12 rules are intended to help us do that.
Don't be mislead by the seemingly simple nature of the rules such as Stand up straight with your shoulders back or Tell the truth – or, at least, don't lie. These are merely pithy ways of referring to some challenging ideas on the way to live our lives. This is a book to chew on and to think critically about -- and may provide you with some significant ideas on how to live in the chaos of the modern world.

15 people found this helpful

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Salvatore Salanitro

This book spoke to me.

Reviewed in Australia on 4 May 2018

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As I was reading 12 Rules for Life I was stunned as to how many times it seemed to speak to my soul. I have had many truly horrible experiences in my life and Dr Peterson has been able to, in this book, help me understand how my life turned out the way it did.
However I have been on the road to recovery in the last few years and was pleased to read that I was already following his antidote to chaos in my own way.
To any one whose life is not turning out the way it should, read this book. It will help you take stock and give you hope that you too can navigate through life's joys and tragedies with confidence.

26 people found this helpful

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Irv Blitzer

Some great pointers on how to live a fulfilling life

Reviewed in Australia on 3 February 2019

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I was a little bit concerned about this book. I had heard that it contains large amounts of references to the Bible to back a lot of Jordan's guidance, and it does. It was a little too much with the biblical references for me but he also backs this up extremely well for his arguments as to why. This book is not merely 12 rules to life. It does contain the 12 rules with scientific research backing most if not all of them from memory, in addition to Jordan's own experience and training he is sharing. The unexpected addition to the book is the amount of deep philosophy Jordan goes into. if you enjoy his philosophical YouTube videos you will enjoy the book. He makes distinctions between males and females in the book, but again backs this up with his own philosophical explanations. An interesting read with a few tips that stuck with me.

16 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

A. Shuttleworth

Rules for life or a commentary on Genesis?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 November 2018

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I quite like Jordan Peterson. I think he has interesting things to say. I think he's unfairly criticised, often for things he hasn't said. I was curious what he had to say here so I went as far as paying money to find out, which was a mistake.

I think he should roll back on criticising other people's writing (rule 6: get your own house in order). I quickly got bogged down when rather than illustrate and explain his point he rambled off on some exegesis of the first chapters of Genesis. You can't draw timeless truths from books that are neither timeless nor true and I wish he would get over this thing he has for holy books. When he sticks to evolutionary biology he starts to say interesting and useful things. I enjoyed reading another passage about his hometown I dipped into but trawling through biblical passages waiting for him to make a point is extremely tiresome. My copy will be available soon through a 2nd hand book charity on here if you want it. As new, partially read.

509 people found this helpful

Jason Lee

The most influential book I have read this year! From a liberal.

Reviewed in the United States on 11 November 2018

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I will admit this right off the bat. I knew nothing of Jordan Peterson, or any of his ideology before reading this book. I must have existed in a vacuum, as I merely picked this book up as it was given as an "Amazon Recommends."

Curious about the title, I purchased on impulse.

I am very glad I did.

I am not Jordan Peterson's "supposed" target audience. (I used supposed because I don't think he actually claims to have one).

I am a liberal, Asian, left leaning moderate with a background in philosophy, theology and film studies. I support the women's right movement, equal pay, and I find the Republican party of today rather distasteful for the anti-science movement they espouse.

That being said, this book spoke to me. It is not an easy read. I had to re-read chapters slowly to fully condense my thoughts. I agree with the critical review that stated you have to be intellectually equipped to really get the most out of this. I had to utilize my background in philosophy and religion to go beyond the surface of what the author was trying to say. This is not a book you can listen to at 2x speed on Audible and hope to retain anything, imo. You need to digest this.

That being said...

Peterson's deft weaving of theology, mythology, and just overall cogent arguments and viewpoints made me really respect and open up my mind to things I never fully thought about. I find it laughable that a Harvard professor/psychologist has been embraced by the "alt-right" when even a moderately close reading of this text repudiates all that they stand for.

Peterson is direct. He has opinions. I don't always agree with them. But he is genuinely expressing himself, and the belief that we should all try to be better. We should all try to be more compassionate, and most of all, we all should try to understand our humanity a little more each and every there.

There's no division in this book; there's just deep anguish at the current state of humanity and its capacity for evil. There's some exasperation at the way things are currently constructed in society that is in many ways lost. And most of all, there's compassion and a belief that if we all got together in a room and truly talked, the world would be a better place.

I would shy away from the noise around Peterson in the headlines, on Youtube, and in how the idealogues use him (or even his own personal media narrative) to justify their twisted beliefs. Don't let the fact that the "Alt-Right" has co-opted this man to make him a mascot.

Just read the book independently and make your own judgments. You'll be glad you did.

4,162 people found this helpful

Dave1050

Interesting in places

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 September 2018

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I like Jordan Peterson a lot. I’ve particularly enjoyed his explanations and verbal jousting with some of his interviewers, so I was looking forward to reading this book to understand more about his opinions.

I enjoyed the anecdotes and personal stories, which mostly come in the second half of the book. Unfortunately, I found the first half of the book hard going and it seems that most of his foundational ideas are taken from Heidegger’s concept of ‘Being’ which Peterson does not try to justify or explain, he just takes it for granted even though apparently Heidegger struggled to explain it (page xxxi).

Peterson gives case after case where we should take responsibility, tell the truth, repair what’s broken, obey rules and standards and have values and moral obligations, yet without once explaining how any of these things can exist given his evolutionary, materialistic view of life.

In particular, he doesn’t seem to take proper account of the is-ought problem and appears to me at least, to commit the naturalistic fallacy in moving from describing the way the world is suffering (is) and then tells us what we should do about it (ought) without proper justification.

422 people found this helpful

J. Alexander Rutherford

Peterson promises hope but fails to deliver

Reviewed in Canada on 11 October 2018

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If you have not noticed, there is a problem in our society. True, there are many problems, but one is particularly pressing. This is nihilism, the absence of meaning in the sense of both ultimate goals and present values. Nihilism stands behind much of the purposelessness, joylessness, and moral chaos of our society. It has been particularly devastating to young males in North America, the audience for whom Jordan Peterson’s writing and videos appear to be created and by whom they are most eagerly received. Peterson offers meaning, order amidst the chaos of our society; he proffers purpose, a way forward towards fulfillment; he even offers happiness, the reward that comes at the end of the intentional pursuit of meaningful living.
Let’s be clear, what he is offering is a gospel, good news for the lost and oppressed. He is saying that hope, joy, and purpose can be found! But the gospel he offers turns out to be no gospel at all; it is a false gospel that leaves an even bigger hole than the one it was intended to fill. What is his answer? Take responsibility for being; take control of your present and choose to move forward in the future. Do not blame others for your circumstances or depend on another for rescue, but choose to walk the fine line between the chaotic unknown and the orderly known world by pressing forth to craft your own meaning.
This, he claims, is what the individual soul longs for and is how we can lead to a collective flourishing—over against the atrocities of the 20th century (e.g. xxxv). The 12 rules he outlines all unpack this charge—"take responsibility for your being”—from different angles. Instead of summarizing his rules, I think it will be more profitable to consider his agenda as a whole and why his gospel is no gospel at all.

If you have studied philosophy, you will quickly notice that Peterson is heavily influenced by the existentialist tradition mediated through Heidegger, finding himself very close to the “Christian” philosophers Paul Tillich and Rudolf Bultmann. In Peterson’s brand of existentialism, the traditional questions of philosophy are collapsed into ethics, into the question of how should and do we live. Epistemology, the questions of truth and how we know it, and metaphysics, the question of standards for truth and the reality of experience, are collapsed into the central imperative of existentialism, “take responsibility for Being.” “Being,” capitalized by Peterson (following the tradition of Heidegger) refers to the “totality of human experience,” both individual (my experience) and corporate (our experience) (xxxi). How Peterson thinks “taking responsibility for Being” should be done is unpacked through the 12 rules explained in the book. The definition employed early in the book is helpful: “We must each adopt as much responsibility as possible for individual life, society and the world” (xxxiii).

In the tradition of the old liberal theologians (namely Adolf Harnack) and the existentialist Rudolf Bultmann, Peterson presents his philosophy of life in Christians terms, redefining doctrines of depravity, atonement, original sin, and faith in terms of existentialism (e.g. 55, 59, 189-90, 226). This brings us to the first problem of the book. Many Christians I have talked to see Peterson’s concern for Scripture and its centrality for western society as a refreshing breeze in modern thought. But It becomes clear early on (e.g. 43, 359) that Peterson’s interest in Scripture is not that of a Christian nor of a sort that is compatible with Christianity. Instead, Scripture is a deposit of ancient wisdom, insights spewed forth from the depths of Being itself (think of Being in the corporate sense above) (e.g. 104).
The wisdom Peterson finds in the Bible is conveniently his own existentialist Jungian (as in the psychological system of Carl Jung) philosophy (e.g. Rule 2). It is not only that he rejects the inspiration and authority of Scripture, but he rejects its ability to communicate clearly. Instead, the Scriptures are demythologized to discover the moral teaching that is being communicated by its myths (xxvii, 34-35). This brings us to the second major issue.

Christians should be concerned with Peterson’s handling of Christian doctrine and Scripture, let alone his false Gospel. Yet not even the non-Christian will find a plausible gospel here. Instead, those who follow Peterson’s rules are bound to find themselves in deeper despair than that which drove them to Peterson in the first place.
Throughout the book he takes the stance of an old man dispensing wisdom, a scholarly authority dispensing his knowledge. Yet unlike the old person speaking from life-long experience or the authority speaking hard-earned truth, Peterson’s book does not escape the category of opinion. That is, he never offers a credible reason why we should believe the philosophy he offers.

The nihilism to which this book responds emerged from a vacuum of truth and meaning; with god dead, as 20th century thought claimed, no objective standard was left for truth and meaning. It was quickly discovered that humanity was insufficient to the task of formulating their own meaning (and formulating your own truth is a contradiction in terms). Instead of returning the reader to an objective foundation, Peterson suggests that taking responsibility for being will produce its own meaning (199-201, 283).
The problem, of course, is that meaning is not something that can emerge of its own accord. Peterson suggests that meaning will emerge as you take responsibility for being, yet this hardly seems the natural order of things. We are motivated to do something because we see it to be meaningful. We set goals and achieve them when we are assured they have meaning; we do not find meaning by setting goals. Without transcendence, without a God who orders reality, authoritatively sets out good and bad, right and wrong, there can be no meaning. Meaning is intrinsically tied with morality, pursuing what is good and true, and eschatology, pursuing the proper end. Without a purposeful plan for history, a distinct direction and a standard by which to evaluate progress in that direction, their can be no meaning.
By leaving meaning and truth (157-159, 230) in the hands of the individual, Peterson never manages to offer a reasonable or satisfactory answer to the problem he is attempting to solve. If truth is the story you tell with your life (230), what foundation is there for the hundreds of moral evaluations he makes? What reason do we have to trust his advice, listen to his opinion, when there is no foundation for the claims he makes?

Peterson offers some genuinely good advice and surely many people need to hear his call to take responsibility for life and do something with it (though I doubt those who need to hear this the most will bother reading the book). However, by giving no firm foundation for his advice, he ultimately sets the reader on the path to inevitable despair and disappointment. The advice may work for season, maybe two, but when some success is reached or when hardship comes, they will be confronted once again with meaninglessness. Like the rich and famous, they will discover at the end of their goals the same void from which they fled.

There is ultimately only one good news, and Peterson’s philosophy is not it. The good news is that Jesus Christ has acted to save us from the wrath of God not that we can save ourselves and society from hopelessness and despair. The good news is that Jesus Christ will one day return and bring an end to all pain and misery and bring justice to all the atrocities of our time and beyond; the good news is not that we will work together to forge a better future. The good news is that Jesus Christ redeems us, calls us, and commissions us to live for Him in this world, giving us meaning. He has revealed the truth, and only this truth will set us free. Believing in Jesus Christ is the only escape from Nihilism, not a vague hope in “the intrinsic goodness of being” and confidence in our own ability to craft truth and meaning.

553 people found this helpful

JEJ Winder

One Giant Leap

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 October 2018

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I want to thank Mr Peterson for writing this book.
I may have found myself re-reading certain sentences or paragraphs I struggled to take in, and used my dictionary more regularly than in a game of scrabble as he uses some words I’ve never heard spoken but it was totally worth the read.
I like him a lot (from what I’ve seen on YouTube and his words in this book) and wish him every success as he seems like he truly wants to help us all be better.
This is not a book to attempt at a fast pace. Take your time, digest what he’s trying to get across and you’ll get the most out of it.

It’s a bit like giving up smoking... you have to really want to give up to truly commit. I got to a point this year where I really wanted to make a change and this book offers a highly informed helping hand to set you on the right path.

Prior to this I’d read The Chimp Paradox which I’d also recommend for those who are trying to sort themselves out.

301 people found this helpful

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