Wouldn’t it be great if there were a manual, that would tell us how to live a happy, successful and fulfilling life? Unfortunately (or fortunately?), there’s not such a book. There are hundreds of books in the world, where experts in their fields try to help readers difficult situations in their lives. 12 Rules of Life by Jordan B. Peterson is one of these books. It isn’t a step-by-step guide, and it’s entirely your choice if you’ll apply Peterson’s suggestions to your life. Are you ready to dive into the book review?
Psychologist Jordan B. Peterson once replied to a question on Quora, where he posted a list of rules of life. People loved his response so much that he decided to write a book about those rules. He picked 12 of them and wrote essays filled with examples, that will help you to put these steps into action. In the book, you can pick up tips on how to look more confident, and the chapter Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them will give you a few useful tips on parenting.
Peterson often uses biblical stories and references and then explains how these examples fit in with the specific rule. What is brilliant about this book is that from the stories and the author’s experience, you can take actionable steps that will fit your personality. With Peterson’s academic background and successful career, I actually trust him and would feel confident following his advice. I found the book to be well-researched and easy to understand at the same time. Don’t let the academic background put you off, as that would be such a shame. Even if you’re still haunted by all the academic reading you had to do during your studies, 12 Rules of Life feels pretty light-hearted, and I enjoyed reading it.
How about you? Do you enjoy reading this genre? I’ve always loved the “geeky” reading about science, the universe, psychology and so on, so I had high expectations for 12 Rules of Life. From the popular science genre, I can also recommend Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. I’ve listened to the audio narration of the book, and I loved it. I’m also currently listening to Quiet by Susan Cain, which is about introverts and how this personality trait can be our superpower.
Which book are you reading now?
Hope you’re all doing well. Stay healthy. And happy. And I’ll see you with my next article. How about a few fun tips on what to do during a lockdown?
Eva
The Literature Empire 