The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth

M. Scott Peck

Mar 2012 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

Now featuring a new introduction by Dr. M. Scott Peck, the twenty-fifth anniversary edition of the classic bestseller The Road Less Traveled, celebrated by The Washington Post as “not just a book but a spontaneous act of generosity.”

Perhaps no book in this generation has had a more profound impact on our intellectual and spiritual lives than The Road Less Traveled. With sales of more than seven million copies in the United States and Canada, and translations into more than twenty-three languages, it has made publishing history, with more than ten years on the New York Times bestseller list.

Written in a voice that is timeless in its message of understanding, The Road Less Traveled continues to help us explore the very nature of loving relationships and leads us toward a new serenity and fullness of life. It helps us learn how to distinguish dependency from love; how to become a more sensitive parent; and ultimately how to become one’s own true self.

Recognizing that, as in the famous opening line of his book, “Life is difficult” and that the journey to spiritual growth is a long one, Dr. Peck never bullies his readers, but rather guides them gently through the hard and often painful process of change toward a higher level of self-understanding.

Ratings and reviews

It's somewhat good, oftentimes unnecessarily convoluted and-over complicated for the sake of proving the author's mastery and command of the English language. It's a pretty decent example of an ego-driven work. Filled with extensive industry jargon and complex terminology, T.R.L.T. is a great work yet burdened by its difficulty to read. The author knows his subject matter, but that does not mean that the reader wants to train for his or her PhD in psychology by studying this book. Rather, the reader came for clarity and actionable steps to relinquish attitudes and behaviours that have barred them from progressing their lives thus far and yet are inundated with a level of complexity that adds considerable friction to this process. Plain, simple English would be appropriate for such a book. I've enjoyed it a lot though, and like a lot of the personal stories it touches on. Overall, 3/5 stars. The excessive complexity kills it for me a bit.

I have learnt and grown with the first section of this book alot. At times, it's really difficult to read because it really makes me look deep into myself and examine what's going on. None of the things are easy to do, and they shouldn't be. The other sections of this book was harder for me to read because it talks alot about God and spirituality. Although I do agree with his description of God, there are many things that I have a different point of view on.

...that relationships benefit from understanding what is written ...on page 141 that "couples cannot resolve in any healthy way the universal issues of marriage, dependency and independency; freedom and fidelity; dominance and submission, for example, without the assurance of knowing that the act of struggling over these issues will not in themselves destroy the relationship" Wow. I believe that with all my heart. For I believe that statement gives us all Hope.

About the author

M. Scott Peck, M.D. is the author of the New York Times best-seller The Road Less Traveled, with six million copies in print. His other books include Further Along the Road Less Traveled, The Road Less Traveled and Beyond, Meditations from the Road and Golf and the Spirit.