The Majesty of Calmness - William George Jordan - A Short Summary & Review

The Majesty of Calmness: Individual Problems and Possibilities - William George Jordan - A Short Summary & Review

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review

How to find inner peace and radiate it outward.

A short summary:

The Majesty of Calmness by William George Jordan is a timeless meditation on inner peace, self-mastery, and the quiet power of a composed life.

Rather than treating calmness as passivity, Jordan presents it as an active discipline—one that shapes character, steadies judgment, and allows individuals to influence the world without being consumed by it. He explores how calmness strengthens resilience, tempers reaction, and creates space for clarity and moral purpose.

The book encourages readers to cultivate inner order first, trusting that outward influence flows naturally from inward steadiness. Calmness, Jordan argues, is not withdrawal from life, but a higher way of engaging with it.

My favorite quote from the book:

"Life is not something to be lived through; it is something to be lived up to."

- William George Jordan, The Majesty of Calmness

Questions to ponder while reading:

Are you happy?

Are you educated?

My review:

I loved this little book.

It’s concise, beautifully written, and filled with wisdom that feels both gentle and quietly firm. Jordan’s insights are the kind that land simply but linger. Each chapter offers a reminder that emotional control, patience, and dignity are not signs of weakness, but of strength.

There’s a sense, while reading, of wishing this book had arrived earlier in life. Much of what Jordan writes feels like earned wisdom, lessons that often come only after years of unnecessary turmoil.

This is a quick and easy read, but not a disposable one. It’s full of lines worth revisiting and ideas worth practicing. A small book with a calming, steadying presence, one that invites readers to live up to life rather than merely endure it.

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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

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