Lyonesse

by Jack Vance
Lyonesse cover
Good Books rating 3.75
Technical
  • ID: 4644
  • Added: 2025-10-21
  • Updated: 2025-10-21
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-21
frustrating 2.50

The reviewer finds Jordan B. Peterson's '12 Rules for Life' a mix of sensible advice and peculiar, tendentious interpretations of intellectual history. While Peterson's clinical experience lends credibility to some of his rules, his combative tone and failure to follow his own advice make the book irritating and oppressive.

Jordan B. Peterson's '12 Rules for Life' combines practical advice from his clinical practice with inspirational anecdotes and intellectual history. The book offers sensible guidance on personal responsibility and making life choices, but it is marred by Peterson's combative tone and his tendency to interpret intellectual history in highly tendentious ways. His rules are often sensible, emphasizing personal responsibility and respect for tradition, but his delivery is hectoring and oppressive. The reviewer finds Peterson's failure to follow his own advice particularly irritating, making the book a frustrating read despite its occasional insights.

Quick quotes

    He is an enthusiastic and prolific culture warrior, who has no truck with “white privilege”, “cultural appropriation” and a range of other ideas associated with social justice movements.

    His baroque style combines pull-your-socks-up scolding with footnoted references to academic papers and Blavatskyesque metaphysical flights.

    Unfortunately, he is not a man who will be content with a heuristic when he thinks there’s a fundamental truth to be had.

sffchronicles.com · Unknown · 2020-05-18
insightful 4.00

Jordan Peterson's '12 Rules for Life' is a deeply evidence-based plea for the re-establishment of classic virtues and faith in human well-being. The book is written in a relaxed idiom and designed to provide self-help to those struggling with mental health issues or life's crossroads. Peterson's rules are simple on the surface but rooted in a wealth of research and clinical experience, aiming to tame the chaos of life and combat nihilism.

Jordan Peterson's '12 Rules for Life' is a book that stands out for its deeply evidence-based approach to re-establishing classic virtues and faith in human well-being. Written in a strikingly relaxed idiom, the book is designed to provide self-help to those who are lost in today's cross-currents, suffering from mental health issues, or hesitating at life's crossroads. Peterson's rules, such as 'Stand up straight,' 'Make friends,' and 'Tell the truth,' are simple on the surface but are underpinned by a professorial wealth of reading, research, and decades of clinical experience. The book is not controversial for the sake of it but rather reads as a plea for the re-establishment of moral values that have been undermined in modern society. Peterson's approach is unashamedly moralistic, aiming to combat the chaos and nihilism that threaten to engulf individuals and nations. He draws on a diverse range of sources, from contemporary researchers to Nietzsche, Dostoevsky, and the Bible, to shed light on the human predicament of guaranteed suffering. Peterson's unashamed view is that the world needs taming, and his rules are designed to help individuals navigate life's challenges and find meaning in a world that often seems chaotic.

Quick quotes

    Peterson is a controversial figure, highlighted in March 2019 when the University of Cambridge withdrew its invitation for him to become a visiting fellow

    Peterson’s book is written in a strikingly relaxed idiom and designed to provide self-help to those who have lost their way in today’s cross-currents, are suffering mental health issues or are hesitating at a traffic-laden crossroads in life.

    Peterson’s unashamed view is that the world needs taming

rpg.net · Unknown · 2020-04-20
profound 4.50

The reviewer finds Jordan B. Peterson's '12 Rules for Life' to be a profound and meaningful book that addresses the struggles of young men in today's society. Peterson's use of Western civilization stories and personal experiences provides a moral vision that resonates with readers, offering practical advice and deep insights into life's challenges.

The reviewer highlights that '12 Rules for Life' by Jordan B. Peterson is a book that has struck a chord with many, particularly young men who feel adrift in today's world. Peterson, a clinical psychologist and professor, uses stories from Western civilization to provide stepping stones for making life meaningful. The book is not a typical self-help guide but rather a tongue-in-cheek exploration of life's sufferings and how to deal with them. Peterson's personal experiences, including his existential crisis and the suffering of his daughter, add depth to his insights. The reviewer appreciates Peterson's ability to address hard truths and his use of science, personal stories, and historical examples to support his points. The book's chapters, each focusing on a different rule, offer a mix of practical advice and profound reflections on life's challenges.

Quick quotes

    No one had answered those questions, as far as I could tell. Like Descartes, I was plagued with doubt. I searched for one thing — anything — I could regard as indisputable. I wanted a rock upon which to build my house. It was doubt that led me to it.

    What can I not doubt? The reality of suffering. It brooks no arguments. Nihilists cannot undermine it with skepticism. Totalitarians cannot banish it. Cynics cannot escape from its reality. Suffering is real, and the artful infliction of suffering on another, for its own sake, is wrong. That became the cornerstone of my belief.

    If you pay attention to what you do and say, you can learn to feel a state of internal division and weakness when you are misbehaving and misspeaking.

christinarosendahl.wordpress.com · Unknown · 2011-07-04
positive 4.00

The reviewer finds Jordan Peterson's books, '12 Rules For Life' and 'Beyond Order', to be accessible and practical, drawing from Jungian psychology and ancient wisdom. They appreciate the rules as common-sensical and relevant to general practice, offering insights into balancing order and chaos in life.

The reviewer appreciates Jordan Peterson's books, '12 Rules For Life' and 'Beyond Order', for their accessible and practical advice. These books are seen as a continuation of Peterson's work, which is inspired by Jungian psychology and ancient myths. The reviewer finds the rules to be common-sensical and relevant to their practice as a GP. They highlight how the rules address the balance between order and chaos, which is a central theme in Peterson's work. The reviewer also notes that the books offer practical advice for improving one's life, which can be applied in various contexts, including general practice. They find the rules to be helpful in addressing common issues such as self-care, comparison, and finding meaning in life. Overall, the reviewer finds the books to be insightful and useful, offering practical advice for improving one's life.

Quick quotes

    The individual rules as espoused by Dr Peterson are each accessibly germane and disarmingly common-sensical.

    For me, the individual rules as espoused by Dr Peterson are each accessibly germane and disarmingly common-sensical.

    I see a large number of university students in my clinical practice, many of whom present with anxiety and depression.

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