Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
I read this book as a courtesy to my uncle who often lends me things I have no interest in by saying things like "I know you'll be interested in this!"
I agreed to give it a shot to make him happy. But this so called "adventure novel" is just pure exposition and opinion with a cheap pair of quotation marks hastily slapped on to try and disguise it as dialogue. To call the characters paper thin is an insult to the strength of paper. They're nothing more than randomly chosen names plastered onto a voice box to spout out a pre-recorded summary of each of the insights one by one in predictable and detached procession.
The reviews calling it "Hippie new age crap" pretty much hit the nail on the head. While some of the ideas the author was trying to get across have marginal merit, by the 8th insight I could almost see Freud's grubby little hands trying to get a hold on the narrative, and the framing of the story as fiction does it no favours because it still reads as non fiction, painfully dispassionate, juvenile, with no interest whatsoever in the prose or the plot. And, it's hard to believe the military would care so much about these insights to the point of violence and gunfire and imprisonment, because it's like if the police decided to send your granola munching yoga teacher to jail for meditating.
The pacing is too fast, the characters are too flat, the ideas are basic, and the whole "story" is not a story at all. Plus, each event pretty much takes place in the Forest of Coincidence trying to pass itself off as clever when really it's just a poor excuse for bad writing.
I agreed to give it a shot to make him happy. But this so called "adventure novel" is just pure exposition and opinion with a cheap pair of quotation marks hastily slapped on to try and disguise it as dialogue. To call the characters paper thin is an insult to the strength of paper. They're nothing more than randomly chosen names plastered onto a voice box to spout out a pre-recorded summary of each of the insights one by one in predictable and detached procession.
The reviews calling it "Hippie new age crap" pretty much hit the nail on the head. While some of the ideas the author was trying to get across have marginal merit, by the 8th insight I could almost see Freud's grubby little hands trying to get a hold on the narrative, and the framing of the story as fiction does it no favours because it still reads as non fiction, painfully dispassionate, juvenile, with no interest whatsoever in the prose or the plot. And, it's hard to believe the military would care so much about these insights to the point of violence and gunfire and imprisonment, because it's like if the police decided to send your granola munching yoga teacher to jail for meditating.
The pacing is too fast, the characters are too flat, the ideas are basic, and the whole "story" is not a story at all. Plus, each event pretty much takes place in the Forest of Coincidence trying to pass itself off as clever when really it's just a poor excuse for bad writing.
I've read this a couple of times before, in the late 90's. At that time, I remember enjoying it - though at that time, I was also only in high school and a much less critical reader than I am now. This time, I can't say I enjoyed - or even empathised - with much of this book's 'message'. The writing is lacklustre, agreed, but more importantly, it's dated. What might have struck a chord with readers 20 years ago has aged horribly now, and reads like an idealistic version of what the 2000's might be like if one were imagining it in the 80's. There's also a number of irritating inconsistencies. Most annoying for me was the oh-so-mysteriously unnamed narrator telling us how he had spent "three decades" living without wondering about deeper significance - but then a few pages later saying how he'd been caught up in the spiritual idealism of the 60's and 70's. What, at the age of two? I somehow doubt it. Painful, idealistic "plot" might be forgiveable, if the message touches people; lazy writing is not.
I have to say at first I was so confused as to where this book was going to take me. I was thinking it was going to more of a spiritual, self-help type of book. I was surprised to see it was told as an actual story of self discovery. I found the 9 insights extremely profound yet simple.
I’m not gonna say I had a huge epiphany while reading this one, but I definitely found it insightful. I loved the way it made me think about how I could incorporate these insights into my daily life. I also need to say the writing isn’t the best, but it really spoke to me and I loved being on this “journey”.
Overall I would recommend this one to people who enjoy reading about others’ spiritual journeys. If you aren’t into spiritual reading this is probably one I would skip. If you can take it for what it’s worth, just enjoy the story.
I’m not gonna say I had a huge epiphany while reading this one, but I definitely found it insightful. I loved the way it made me think about how I could incorporate these insights into my daily life. I also need to say the writing isn’t the best, but it really spoke to me and I loved being on this “journey”.
Overall I would recommend this one to people who enjoy reading about others’ spiritual journeys. If you aren’t into spiritual reading this is probably one I would skip. If you can take it for what it’s worth, just enjoy the story.
When I was in highschool, a friend who read this and thought she was so deep and smart made me read it and then I too thought I was so deep and smart and then we were a pair of 14-year-old deep and smart pains in the ass.
So I'm giving it 2 stars just because it made me feel so speshul for a short while.
So I'm giving it 2 stars just because it made me feel so speshul for a short while.
For anyone who wants to look at life from a different point of view. Even if just for a little while.
I loved this book and definately recommend it to anyone who has any inklings surrounding spirituality. It is thought provoking and beautifully descriptive.
I loved this book and definately recommend it to anyone who has any inklings surrounding spirituality. It is thought provoking and beautifully descriptive.
It was ok. Not terrible, but not great. To be fair I didn't finish it, but I figured I had it checked out from the library a month and if I hadn't finished that short of a book in that time might as well just return it.
An awful book, poorly constructed from nonsense 'spirituality' and banal language. It is probably not the worst book I have ever read, but it would be in the 10 worst.
Some people will say that the book changed their life, and so it may have. However if you're actually interested in spirituality that has some philosophical background rather than a car crash between psych 101 and the naive ideas of someone who once read a book about easten spiritualism, look elsewhere.
Some people will say that the book changed their life, and so it may have. However if you're actually interested in spirituality that has some philosophical background rather than a car crash between psych 101 and the naive ideas of someone who once read a book about easten spiritualism, look elsewhere.
There were many interesting moments that was thoughtful and really made me think but there were also far too many moments that DRAGGED! I found myself zoning out while reading this book. The message was great but the boring moments lasted far too long.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Heerlijk boek om te lezen, erg inspirerend. Een nieuwe kijk op mn leven.
Favorite Quotes
...the basic stuff of the universe, at its core, is looking like a kind of pure energy that is malleable to human intention and expectation in a way that defies our old mechanistic model of the universe--as though our expectation itself causes our energy to flow out into the world and affect other energy systems.
...The human perception of this energy first begins with a heightened sensitivity to beauty.
...We humans have always sought to increase our personal energy in the only manner we have known, by seeking to psychologically steal it from the others--an unconscious competition that underlies all human conflict in the world.
...Dreams come to tell us something about our lives that we are missing.
We must assume every event has significance and contains a message that pertains to our questions...this especially applies to what we used to call bad things...the challenge is to find the silver lining in every event, no matter how negative.
When love first happens, the individuals are giving each other energy unconsciously and both people feel buoyant and elated. That's the incredible high we call being ‘in love.’ Unfortunately, once they expect this feeling to come from another person, they cut themselves off from the energy in the universe and begin to rely even more on the energy from each other--only now there doesn’t seem to be enough and so they stop giving each other energy and fall back into their dramas in an attempt to control each other and force the other’s energy their way.
When we dislike someone, or feel threatened by someone, the natural tendency is to focus on something we dislike about the person, something that irritates us. Unfortunately, when we do this--instead of seeing the deeper beauty of the person and giving them energy--we take energy away and actually do them harm. All they know is that they suddenly feel less beautiful and less confident, and it is because we sapped their energy.
...the basic stuff of the universe, at its core, is looking like a kind of pure energy that is malleable to human intention and expectation in a way that defies our old mechanistic model of the universe--as though our expectation itself causes our energy to flow out into the world and affect other energy systems.
...The human perception of this energy first begins with a heightened sensitivity to beauty.
...We humans have always sought to increase our personal energy in the only manner we have known, by seeking to psychologically steal it from the others--an unconscious competition that underlies all human conflict in the world.
...Dreams come to tell us something about our lives that we are missing.
We must assume every event has significance and contains a message that pertains to our questions...this especially applies to what we used to call bad things...the challenge is to find the silver lining in every event, no matter how negative.
When love first happens, the individuals are giving each other energy unconsciously and both people feel buoyant and elated. That's the incredible high we call being ‘in love.’ Unfortunately, once they expect this feeling to come from another person, they cut themselves off from the energy in the universe and begin to rely even more on the energy from each other--only now there doesn’t seem to be enough and so they stop giving each other energy and fall back into their dramas in an attempt to control each other and force the other’s energy their way.
When we dislike someone, or feel threatened by someone, the natural tendency is to focus on something we dislike about the person, something that irritates us. Unfortunately, when we do this--instead of seeing the deeper beauty of the person and giving them energy--we take energy away and actually do them harm. All they know is that they suddenly feel less beautiful and less confident, and it is because we sapped their energy.