The Road Less Travelled and Beyond : Spiritual Growth in an Age of Uncertainty - Softcover

M Scott Peck

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0712670769 ISBN 13: 9780712670760

Publisher: Random House, 1999

Synopsis

The culmination of a lifetime of counselling, lecturing and writing, M. Scott Peck's major new work leads us to a deeper awareness of how to live rich, fulfilling lives in a world fraught with stress and anxiety. Writing with a depth of understanding that comes with the seasoned perspective of age, Dr Peck continues the journey of spiritual growth that began with The Road Less Travelled, one of the most influential books of modern times. To the famous opening line of that book - 'Life is difficult' he now adds 'Life is complex'. But the greatest challenge, he reminds us, is to learn to deal with life's conflicts, problems and paradoxes to find the true simplicity that lies on the other side of complexity. The journey to serenity and peace, Dr Peck writes, can only be made with increasing self-awareness and social awareness. There are no easy answers for complex problems. The work of learning and growth is hard. And yet he shows us that there is a way to think with integrity, to know the difference between good and evil, to overcome narcissism, to love and be loved, to live with paradox, to accept the consequences of our actions all through life, and to come to terms with dying and death.

About this title

Review:

The potential danger in this book's title is the assumption that Peck is rehashing the same material he wrote in The Road Less Traveled. Thankfully, this isn't so. Although he touches upon the same themes that appear in most everything he writes--narcissism vs. self-love and good vs. evil--Peck is clearly speaking to the crucial dilemmas of the 1990s, such as overly simplistic thinking, institutionalized racism and sexism, as well as the media's despairing vision. Now that Peck has reached the maturity of 60, his narrative is less know-it-all than in the days of yore. Yet, ironically, his decades of research, writing, and human service give him more authority than ever.

From the Publisher:

The Road Less Traveled and Beyond is the culmination of a lifetime of Dr. M. Scott Peck's counseling, lecturing, and writing, and the conclusion of the "Road" trilogy. In it, we are led to a deeper awareness of how to live rich, fulfilling lives in a world fraught with stress and anxiety.

With the rare combination of profound psychological insight and deep spirituality that has already spoken to millions of readers, Dr. Peck talks about decision making and the choices we make every day in business and at home, and the ethical choices that may affect the very survival of humankind. We learn the difference between good and evil, to overcome narcissism, to love and be loved, to live with paradox, to accept the consequences of our actions all through life, and to come to terms with dying and death.

Dr. Peck is a guide on the adventure that is life, learning, and spiritual growth—life's greatest adventure. Building in depth and power from the very first chapter to its lyrical and poetic conclusion, The Road Less Traveled and Beyond is an adventure in itself.

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0712670769
• ISBN 13: 9780712670760
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320