James Redfield (1) (1950–)

I think I got through three paragraphs before wanting to hurl this thing across the room. I did not in fact hurl it, because it had been loaned to me.

It is so patently obvious that this was intended to be a novel, but was so poorly done that it was jerry-rigged (or lightly edited, or just re-packaged) into some kind of kosmik self-help loaf. Hooray for Capitalism!

This book connected with me in many areas. I have always believed in the energy that is us being the true power. We are made of all these living cells, each vibrating and living together to make us. Okay we all learned that in science class but what connection do we have with the world, everything. I really am not explaining this well. We pull energy from other living things, we can give energy to other living things, this books shows you how to do this in a mindful way. I see meditation and show more even prayer as pathways to share energies. Some of it was a little woo-woo out there for me to totally agree with but most of the book was an "ah ha" Many of the steps stuck with me. I catch myself draining and pull back, I feel more at peace. So there is that :D
The one this that made me knock one star off was the long stories. I get how it worked in to show the works in action but man, they were too long. IMHO show less

Actually works pretty well as an adventure/mystery novel when he's not laying on the new age horseshit too heavy.

I was generous with my rating. I hated to give this even one star, let alone three, because it's one of the hokiest, most ridiculous stories I've ever read.But the main ideas... elusive, mystical "insights" that the main character spends the entire book searching for (which, considering these "insights" are actually the author's, sounds a little arrogant on the author's part if you ask me)... are worthy of some real consideration. I sincerely wish James Redfield had cut to the chase and show more simply written some essays about his ideas, rather than concocting this inane backwash of a tale, but I will let it go, because seriously... many of the ideas found in this story are worth mulling over, and if this story gets you thinking about them, then this pretty short read won't be a waste after all.Besides, as you follow the main character through his flimsy, two-dimensional exploits, it will probably remind you of bad television, and if a writer can make you follow his story long enough to be reminded of bad television, then I guess he can still say that at least he got you to follow him. And by the end of this book, you might curse him for doing so, but chances are you'll thank him as well. show less