Rating: 
Summary: One of the best books you can read
Review: This book defines love, growth, spiritual growth, laziness, evil and many other insights perfectly. Get this book. It will make you redifine what you think. Is not that the point of learning?
Rating:
Summary: Before Peck Forgot His Own Advice
Review: "The Road Less Travelled" is a book about non-conformity - being brave enough to admit that your life isn't going as well as you think it is, and finding your own path towards the truth, love, and perhaps even God. Most people with even the most modest amount of self-awareness go through a stage whereby they challenge their own/parents/friends/societies beliefs and start to look for answers. Few however, truly do change; instead they resign themselves to a mediocre existence of habitual worship (to God or to money) and habitual love. This book's message is clear: do not to give up so easily, keep on searching!At the time M. Scott Peck wrote the book, a main area of interest to him was Zen Buddhism, which fundamentally deals with the fact that our desires cause suffering (see "The Four Noble Truths of the Buddha"). As a consequence of this, the book is a mixture of his own brand of psychology and psychotherapy (think along the lines of C.G. Jung), Eastern philosophy with a dash of Christianity thrown in for good measure. Peck's questions and ideas are nothing new, however, he skilfully relates his own professional experiences with patients to exemplify the importance of self-understanding, so that we might break free from our suffering. As part of this, Peck obliges us to examine the fundamental questions of our existence - what is the real nature of love? Is there any order to the universe? What is the meaning of life itself? Peck never directly gives us the answers, but does ask the questions and offers up his own theories. "The Road Less Travelled" is a good book for those searching for some truth in their life, and one that I think everyone should read at least once. After this however, Peck clearly forgot his own advice. He became a "Born Again", started up a foundation, and gave several lectures on psychology, life, and his love of Jesus (see "Further Along the Road Less Travelled"). I am not saying there's anything wrong with choosing a religion, though in my experience you develop a tunnel vision on things, which is clearly what happened of Peck. Still, "The Road Less Travelled" comes recommended to everyone, just realise that Peck doesn't have all the answers.
Rating:
Summary: Profound and Inspiring
Review: A combination of human psychology and spirituality, this book is truly profound! Dr. Peck has a unique ability to transcend the self-defense system that protects us from having to deal with the real issues behind our actions. He effectively demonstrates, using sound reasoning and examples, how we grow from our struggles, and why we cannot grow without them. One could easily view hardship as an exciting opportunity after reading this book. He also does a wonderful job of describing how love grows through the sacrifices that we make for other people. In the last section he goes beyond human logic and delves into the sub-conscious and the spiritual, yet it's easy to understand, even if one has no religious background. In fact, he argues that even atheism is a form of religion in the sense that it is a belief system that guides our behavior, and he does so very diplomatically. He makes references to religious writings, mostly Christian, but even if I were an atheist or believed in another faith, I don't think I would be offended by this. Quite to the contrary, atheist would get a good understanding of why some people believe in a higher existence. As a spiritual person who thinks it's normal for people to struggle with their imperfections, I grew a little tired of his references to psychotherapy and mental illness, but I would not categorize his philosophies as psycho-babble by any means. He does acknowledge the difference between emotional mental illness, and physical or neurological mental illness (I forget the professional terms), and his book is clearly not intended to undermine the reality of the latter. There were a few political plugs that I could do without, but it didn't bother me enough to be deterred from finishing the book, and I look forward to reading more of his work.
Rating:
Summary: Learn about Love and then get ready for a Bomb!
Review: Dr. Peck has a very easy writing style and a keen sense of his concepts. I really enjoyed this book, so much so, I was sad when I finished it - so I bought Further Along the Road... Anyway, Dr. Peck does have an interesting concept to tell you about after he establishes the concept of love. I wholeheartedly agree with his ideas, but some may be offended if they cannot accept it.
Rating:
Summary: An answer for the problems of today.
Review: Ever wonder why, when you think you are in the greatest relationship of your life, it suddenly ends? Or how about the reason you can't seem to get your work done and your falling behind in all aspects of your life. "The Road Less Traveled; A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth" by M. Scott Peck, M.D. could be the answer for you. M. Scott Peck wrote a book using the experiences of his patients and some of his own and tried to relate them to the problems of everyday people in the real world. In the first section of his book he talks about discipline, self-gratification, character disorders, responsibility, and depression. He explains that all of these are healthy and the only way to get beyond them so they do not become a problem is to admit that you have a problem. Because if we ignore them they will only cause more pain and suffering. In section number two, Peck talks about love, falling in love, and falling out of love. He teaches us how to recognize true compatibility, how to distinguish dependency from love, and how to become one's own person while in a relationship. This book is one that should be read by anyone who has questions about their life. It can show you how to take control of your life so that you can experience it to the fullest. No more sitting and wondering why things are happening to you. It is like having your own psychaitrist in the palm of your hand, just a whole lot cheaper!!
Rating:
Summary: Bible for modern living
Review: I am writing this review 15 years after reading the book, and living my way through it. This book is a gem, i would not call it self help or even psychology - it is a 'from the heart' message from the author on love, responsibility and life. I felt the message when i read it first and vowed to 'avoid' all the mistakes with regards to love and discipline that the author describes. But there is no shortcut, really. This book has to be lived through, not understood. One or two things for the author (or anyone plannign to write on these lines) - your writing reaches all over, i know people in India who have loved this book and learnt from it (despite the fact that very little psycho therapy is available there), also know therapists who have 'read' it and done nothing else. So it pays to pay attention to the global nature of the audience. Secondly, while Peck does exalt people who have dared to explore themselves in therapy he does mention a line that self esteem, if not realized in childhood is an upward journey, often 'unsuccesful'. He might have meant it in a bigger context (statistical, perhaps) but the comment is highly discouraging to those of us who take the 'upward journey' and yes, we are successful sometimes.
Rating:
Summary: A Must-Read for Anyone Willing to Change
Review: I cannot think of a better manual for life, its principles applicable to everything from the tiniest minutiae to the most important decisions you will make during your days on earth. It is a compelling, at times overwhelming, collection of experience, anecdotes, and wisdom; if read with a willing mind and heart, it will change your life.
Dr. Peck brilliantly does in this work exactly what he compels the reader to do, which is to express consciously that which is normally hidden under many layers of denial, confusion, or downright lies. He tells us the many things that we already know about life, and we immediately recognize them as true, yet somehow the ideas themselves seem novel, and at times foreign or impossible.
I recommend this book if you have ever stepped foot into an incompetent therapist's office, if you know there are things you should do that you just don't (and don't know why), or simply if you are yearning for direction in your spiritual growth. Don't try to read it cover-to-cover; take it in pieces, and its deeper meaning will reveal itself to you.
Rating: 
Summary: A good ending
Review: I could have done without the first section of this book (about the first 90 pages). The author essentially informs the reader that his/her lack of proper and appropriate parenting is the root of any and all of is/her adult troubles. The other thing that I dislike is the author's arrogance. At one point he even says that according to his definition he is practicing psychotherapy all the time and therefore feels it ok to bend and break ethical guidelines. Professionals are supposed to follow a code of ethics...that is what separates professions from other jobs. Another annoyance is the author's apparent need to show off his extensive vocabulary. Yeah, that's great that you went to school for 8 years but how gives a f*ck if you know words that are not commonly used. Having said that...The latter parts of this book are amazing!! I especially like the ending dealing with the subject of grace. The author presents practical knowledge, with examples, of how grace can work in everyday living. I also enjoyed the section on love, in which the author points to the illusion of romantic love and explains how 'falling in love' is nothing more than a fantasy that inevitably fades away. The structure of the book is perfect, an English professor would love it. Mr. Peck states and supports his opinions very clearly and for the most part, he presents opposing points of view as well. If you can get past the wordiness and the first 90 pages, then you will find some very useful and encouraging information.
Rating:
Summary: Charting a path...
Review: I first read M. Scott Peck's `The Road Less Travelled' over 20 years ago, but it is a text to which I return again and again, as Peck's insights and observations remain a constant source of inspiration and guidance in my life. It still finds a ready home in the hands of therapists, counselors, ministers, teachers, career planners, and others as part of their resources, and is not out of place in the home of anyone who cares about the directions of her or his life. Peck is a clinical psychiatrist - the material for this book came largely from his experiences with clients and others, seeing what worked and what didn't, what was missing and what was mis-understood. Often cases involved psychotherapy (talk therapy), but the processes here are not confined to therapists' offices. The same kinds of problem solving, processing and relationship building that takes place in psychotherapy can be used as life-long tools. Peck resists labels such as Freudian and Jungian; he doesn't look for, nor does he offer, quick fixes or the psychotherapeutic variety of the get-rich-quick schemes. This book is not a therapy manual, but rather a guide to spiritual growth that incorporates therapeutic and psychological principles. Peck echoes the sentiments of many spiritual directors and leaders through the millennia that spiritual and personal growth are long journeys, not short leaps. It involves dedication and intention, and a willingness to accept risk and change. Perhaps it is ironic that, given this, the first topic Peck focuses upon is Discipline. However, without discipline, change can go unchecked and uncharted, growth can become problematic, and the human soul becomes susceptible to a host of difficulties. Dedication and application to problem-solving and long-term building (whether it be of retirement funds or of one's own spirit) requires a disciplined approach that recognises that life is difficulty (the first of Buddha's Four Noble Truths, cited by Peck), gratification sometimes needs to be delayed for greater goods, and reality needs to be approached and dealt with responsibly. Peck calls here for a life to be totally dedicated to the truth. This is hard, because we as human beings are so accustomed to rationalisation and reinterpretation. This kind of dedication also requires a balance in life, and an ability to be flexible as the truths of our lives change - few of us are in possession of timeless and eternal truths governing every aspect of our lives, and often those who feel they are end up disappointed in the end. The continuing creativity of God in our lives requires flexibility, but this is best achieved in a disciplined and balanced context. Peck then turns to love, a mysterious thing even in the best of times. He identifies some of the myths of `falling in love' and romantic love that our culture through various means idealises, leading to great dissatisfaction when we do not achieve the desired feelings or situations. Peck makes the assertion that love is not really a feeling, but rather an action or activity, that involves a lot of risk-taking (Peck talks about risks of independence, of commitment, of confrontation, and of loss). True love requires discipline and recognition of the needs of the self and others. The final two sections of the text deal with aspects of religion on the spiritual and psychological development of persons. The first section looks at religion and growth processes. He does a short survey of some attitudes toward religions and denominations, as well as a look at how the modern scientific mindset colours the worldview of modern people, particularly with ideas of verification and skepticism. Some psychologists and theorists have wondered if religion were mass delusions, mass psychosis, or some other kind of sickness. Peck uses interesting extended case studies here to examine the role of various aspects of religion in the developmental lives of several people. Peck asks the question, `Is belief in God a psychopathology?' In some aspects, and for some people, the way they approach and `use' religion, the answer may well be yes. However, Peck also takes the psychotherapeutic community to task for often being too narrow or too dismissive of the value of religious sentiment and institutions in the lives of their charges. The final section looks at the role of grace in the spiritual growth process. Grace is another mysterious force, like love, that is difficult to pin down and explain. It is also something uncontrollable. Why do some with artistic talent end up being successful and celebrated, and others not? Why do some use their talent, when others don't? In cases of ultimate despair, Peck makes the observation that while it is often clear why some people commit suicide, it is not often clear why others in the same situations don't. Some of this has to do with the unconscious mind that guides us, and some of it has to do with the miracle of serendipity, as Peck describes it. Peck describes in some detail his concept of what grace is and how it works, in very general terms that relate to no denomination or religion in particular, but has wide applicability. He talks both about resistance to grace and the welcoming of grace. Grace is not easy, and often comes with responsibilities (Bonhoeffer talks about cheap grace; the requirements of grace are noted through scriptures of many religions). Welcoming grace welcomes often more than we bargained for, but also often more than we hoped. In his afterword, Peck discusses the difficulties of writing in an organised and linear fashion about something so fundamentally disorganised as spiritual growth and therapeutic processes. He also talks about the need for finding competent help when required - ability is not measured by degrees, he states (something true in many professions). This is useful for those seeking a first therapeutic relationship, or needing a change.
Rating:
Summary: The "bible" of life- more than that, a book to live by.
Review: I have read many books in my lifetime but none has had such an impact as this one. This is easily, hands-down the best book of its kind. I have read Further Along the Road... by Peck and while it had useful information, it was not as informative and enjoyable as this book. ( I would also highly recommend "People of the Lie") I enjoyed the stories of his personal life as well as the patients he helped (and that had helped him) along the way. This is a serious book that still made me laugh & cry sometimes. It touches on so many issues of responsibility and discipline that no review I could write could possibly do it justice. Despite a previous reviewer's comments that this book is inaccessable- it is not! Very easy to read & not too technical. This is a book that anyone who is willing to open themselves to the pain of change & challange, will forever be changed & enriched. And the author himself admitted that any definition of Love would be subject to criticism from others- but dealing with something as nebulous and intangible, I think Mr. Peck does a terrific job. Especially when he notes what love is NOT. It has helped me to identify when someone's motives are not out of love- which seeks to help the person it touches. I really cannot think of another book that is as important as this one. Give it to a loved one as a gift--a gift they will never forget and hopefully- if they aren't "character disordered" they will see that this book can help them perhaps more than any other.
|
