Book Description
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of
The Color Purple,
Possessing the Secret of Joy, and
The Temple of My Familiar now gives us a beautiful new novel that is at once a deeply moving personal story and a powerful spiritual journey.
In
Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart, Alice Walker has created a work that ranks among her ?nest achievements: the story of a woman’s spiritual adventure that becomes a passage through time, a quest for self, and a collision with love.
Kate has always been a wanderer. A well-published author, married many times, she has lived a life rich with explorations of the natural world and the human soul. Now, at fifty-seven, she leaves her lover, Yolo, to embark on a new excursion, one that begins on the Colorado River, proceeds through the past, and flows, inexorably, into the future. As Yolo begins his own parallel voyage, Kate encounters celibates and lovers, shamans and snakes, memories of family disaster and marital discord, and emerges at a place where nothing remains but love.
Told with the accessible style and deep feeling that are its author’s hallmarks,
Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart is Alice Walker’s most surprising achievement.
Customer Reviews:
Reponse to Mamala.......2006-08-25
Honestly, I haven't read this particular Walker work, though I just ordered it. But I had to laugh -- and respond -- to Mamala's statement that Walker "insists on seeing everything through the lens of a person of color" and that while beautiful in The Color Purple (in which the primary antagonists and oppressors are black men, themselves, of course, deeply damaged by racism) it's somehow less warm and fuzzy in this work. How dare Alice Walker insist on writing through the eyes of a black person! How dare John Updike insist on writing always through the eyes of a suburban white American well-to-do man! (Even when trying, and failing miserably, to write about a teenaged Muslim). Mamala, your words are self-evident. Stick to Ann Coulter
top three??.......2006-01-17
Despite enjoying previous works by this author, I actually stayed awake last night contemplating whether this novel was in my top three worst novels of all time. Why? It is meandering, cliched, downright offensive in terms of stereotypes and the main characters Kate and Yolo generally bear no resemblance to real people. To compound the problem, the other characters who play supporting roles are hollow shells used merely to make didactic points about oppression and abuse. Being black is depicted in terms of such simplistic stereotypes as "being more tolerant than anyone else", being native American is "being in touch with the land" and being white has nothing positive to say for it at all.
For example, the author seems unaware that if Kate actually lived in Africa as I do, her sexuality would be enough to get her thrown into jail by virtually every African government of the day and would result in her being an outcast by local communities. That's the level of tolerance here in the Motherland.
My point ultimately is that this novel is ahistorical, ill-informed and in terms of simple entertainment value - particularly tedious if you have any interest in wit, irony, insightfulness or relevance. Don't waste your money.
Very hard to get through .......2005-09-13
I'm a fan of Alice Walker (read the Color Purple too many times to count) but this book was very hard to get through. If you are not familiar with the language that she uses it will take you a long time to get trough. I usually read a book in about three days, this one took me all on August.
Way too new agey and pompous!.......2005-08-09
I love Alice Walker's philosophies, but I really found myself loathing the protagonist of this book. Kate was very self-satisfied and arrogant, I thought. I definitely preferred her lover's story/journey to Kate's. The new age aspect to it was a turnoff and though I do embrace some 'new age' practices, I just thought it was too much. Also, the book meandered too much, going from character to character without cohesion. All in all, I found myself forced to get through this since I just couldn't stand Kate. I would not suggest this book to others.
Open Your Mind to "Open Your Heart".......2005-06-09
I frequently found myself remembering how I felt years back reading Walker's "Temple of My Familiar" -- a compelling plotline that encourages the reader to learn about new places and peoples while questioning his/her own beliefs. That being said, "Open Your Heart" may be more treasured by readers who have already opened up to broad spiritual concepts (ex. the feminine divine) as opposed to traditional formalized & Western religion. For those readers, I would also highly recommend "Dance of the Dissident Daughter" by Sue Monk Kidd. As for me, I got "Open Your Heart" from the library & plan to buy my own copy to re-read again & again as I predict I will get more from it each time. I don't see Walker attempting to promote any "philosophy" except a willingness to accept those who find God outside of church or temple walls.
Book Description
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of
The Color Purple,
Possessing the Secret of Joy, and
The Temple of My Familiar now gives us a beautiful new novel that is at once a deeply moving personal story and a powerful spiritual journey.
In
Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart, Alice Walker has created a work that ranks among her ?nest achievements: the story of a woman’s spiritual adventure that becomes a passage through time, a quest for self, and a collision with love.
Kate has always been a wanderer. A well-published author, married many times, she has lived a life rich with explorations of the natural world and the human soul. Now, at fifty-seven, she leaves her lover, Yolo, to embark on a new excursion, one that begins on the Colorado River, proceeds through the past, and flows, inexorably, into the future. As Yolo begins his own parallel voyage, Kate encounters celibates and lovers, shamans and snakes, memories of family disaster and marital discord, and emerges at a place where nothing remains but love.
Told with the accessible style and deep feeling that are its author’s hallmarks,
Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart is Alice Walker’s most surprising achievement.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing.......2006-08-14
I've enjoyed other books Ms. Walker has written but I didn't care for this one much. Lovers Kate and Yolo go separately on spiritual journeys. I found her meandering style in this novel difficult to follow. I liked reading her unique perspective of the world even if I didn't agree with her opinions. I also Googled somethings that she mentioned that I found interesting. Because it's short I stuck with it to the end but can't recommend it. Read her early work instead.
Instructions.......2006-06-11
Now Is The Time To Open Your Heart works on several levels. Its a great book to take on vacation. It would be a great treasure on a cruise or retreat. It is quite digestible in a weekend, although I would encourage a somewhat slower reading so that the juiciness of Walker's prose and perspectives can seep through various levels of consciousness.
Obviously, Now Is The Time considers the personal and emotional journeys of Kate, a somewhat famous writer and her lover Yolo, a working artist. When their relationship reaches the usual inevitable point of where do we go next, both lovers, separately embark on planned and unplanned journeys of self-discovery. The two people who return from a trip to Hawaii and a vision questing experience in a tropical rainforest have interesting souvenirs. While Kate travels the farthest in terms of distance, like Yolo, what she really discovers is what she shares with others.
Notably, Kate and Yolo, are members of the civil rights generation and have survived the sexual revolution and womens' liberation and all of the other significant social and political signifiers of the past fifty years. Walker uses these and other characters to suggest that after the revolution, after the foolishness and foibles of youth, the real work of self-mastery is the one true human vocation.
I found the dual storyline a bit distracting. Still it is one of Walker's stronger and more compelling works. Its well worth reading, sharing with a friend or two and discussing at length.
Average customer rating:
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Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart: A Novel (Walker, Alice)
Alice Walker
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
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ASIN: 0739309625
Release Date: 2004-04-20 |
Book Description
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of
The Color Purple,
Possessing the Secret of Joy, and
The Temple of My Familiar now gives us a beautiful new novel that is at once a deeply moving personal story and a powerful spiritual journey.
In
Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart, Alice Walker has created a work that ranks among her ?nest achievements: the story of a woman’s spiritual adventure that becomes a passage through time, a quest for self, and a collision with love.
Kate has always been a wanderer. A well-published author, married many times, she has lived a life rich with explorations of the natural world and the human soul. Now, at fifty-seven, she leaves her lover, Yolo, to embark on a new excursion, one that begins on the Colorado River, proceeds through the past, and flows, inexorably, into the future. As Yolo begins his own parallel voyage, Kate encounters celibates and lovers, shamans and snakes, memories of family disaster and marital discord, and emerges at a place where nothing remains but love.
Told with the accessible style and deep feeling that are its author’s hallmarks,
Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart is Alice Walker’s most surprising achievement.
From the Hardcover edition.
Book Description
With the dazzling blend of romance, humor, and poignant storytelling that has made her one of the world's best-loved authors, Johanna Lindsey presents the passionate Regency-era tale of an earl's daughter who dares to pose as the wife of a deadly mercenary in order to save her former guardian.
Lady Margaret Landor first met Sebastian Townshend as a child, when he caught her peeking into her older sister's engagement ball. Tall, dashing, and charming, Sebastian was one of the most sought-after bachelors in Kent and cut a romantic figure she would not soon forget. Never did she dream that one day she would be living at his family's magnificent estate with Sebastian's father, the eighth Earl of Edgewood, as her guardian--while Sebastian is banished from his family due to the tragic results of a duel.
When life at Edgewood takes a sinister turn with the earl suffering a suspicious number of life-threatening accidents, Margaret wonders if Sebastian's younger brother and his wife have grown impatient to inherit the earldom. Setting out to find the one man she believes can set the situation to rights, she discovers that Sebastian Townshend has forged a new identity for himself on the continent.
Now known as The Raven, a deadly mercenary, notorious for accomplishing any mission no matter how seemingly impossible, he has vowed never to return to England. Not until Margaret meets his outrageous monetary demands does Sebastian agree to return home, reluctantly posing as her husband in order to facilitate his return to society. When he learns she cannot afford to pay his fee, he suggests a scandalous trade.
As Margaret and Sebastian work to uncover the intrigue at his father's estate, a fierce passion blooms that neither of them anticipated and neither can resist. But can Margaret persuade Sebastian to abandon the dark path he believes is his fate and claim the life--and love--he deserves? Breathtaking in scope and wondrously passionate, Marriage Most Scandalous is Johanna Lindsey at her finest.
Download Description
"With the dazzling blend of romance, humor, and poignant storytelling that has made her one of the world's best-loved authors, Johanna Lindsey presents the passionate Regency-era tale of an earl's daughter who dares to pose as the wife of a deadly mercenary in order to save her former guardian. Lady Margaret Landor first met Sebastian Townshend as a child, when he caught her peeking into her older sister's engagement ball. Tall, dashing, and charming, Sebastian was one of the most sought-after bachelors in Kent and cut a romantic figure she would not soon forget. Never did she dream that one day she would be living at his family's magnificent estate with Sebastian's father, the eighth Earl of Edgewood, as her guardian--while Sebastian is banished from his family due to the tragic results of a duel. When life at Edgewood takes a sinister turn with the earl suffering a suspicious number of life-threatening accidents, Margaret wonders if Sebastian's younger brother and his wife have grown impatient to inherit the earldom. Setting out to find the one man she believes can set the situation to rights, she discovers that Sebastian Townshend has forged a new identity for himself on the continent. Now known as The Raven, a deadly mercenary, notorious for accomplishing any mission no matter how seemingly impossible, he has vowed never to return to England. Not until Margaret meets his outrageous monetary demands does Sebastian agree to return home, reluctantly posing as her husband in order to facilitate his return to society. When he learns she cannot afford to pay his fee, he suggests a scandalous trade. As Margaret and Sebastian work to uncover the intrigue at his father's estate, a fierce passion blooms that neither of them anticipated and neither can resist. But can Margaret persuade Sebastian to abandon the dark path he believes is his fate and claim the life--and love--he deserves? Breathtaking in scope and wondrously passionate, Marriage Most Scandalous is Johanna Lindsey at her finest. "
Customer Reviews:
A B+ Lindsey novel (A--).......2007-03-18
I really enjoyed Sebastian. He's the best thing about the book, though I enjoyed Margaret as well. Margaret seemed contemporary, which was probably why I could relate to her. I loved her innocence, her courage, nurturing components of her personality, and her compassion for not only the Townshends, but every other character in the story. But Sebastian is the character that makes this story a compelling read. That being said, the story's premise is incredibly lame. But the convoluted mystery - a real stretch - does not detract from the human dignity of the secondary characters Douglas and Abbie, and the magnitude of the shattered family that is the Townshends. Anyone who has experienced dysfunction within family will be able to relate to the tragedy of this story.
I also loved the way Lindsey wove the easy wealth of the upper class families into the setting. I fell into the fascinating world. I felt like Margaret both had a circle of friends, a comfortable social circle, and yet still had a certain distance from the social expectations of her class - a loner who didn't cultivate easy friendships.
For some reason, I found the idea that Margaret is willing to have pre-marital sex very believable, whereas, in another Lindsey Recency romance, The Heir, I didn't buy it at all. I think it is because Margaret is believably independently wealthy, and believably naive about societies tolerance of scandal. Whereas in The Heir, Duncan takes Sabrina's virginity in a way that majorly detracts from the story. It didn't seem in character for either one of them to go so far, given the times depicted in the story. Duncan seemed too gentlemanly to compromise Sabrina in such a way, while in this book, -Sebastian seems agonizingly torn between two personalities, and willing to throw his reputation overboard in compromising Margaret's integrity.
Did I say I loved Sebastian? The scenes with his father are riveting. The idea that The Raven wouldn't be able to lie to his father; the fact that his father can get his attention just by saying his name - these scenes 'showed' Sebastian to be a nobleman who was twisted, hurt, and hardened by the circumstances that drove him from his home and family, but at bottom a nobleman nonetheless. You root for his reconciliation more than you root for him to hook up with Margaret (because that seems like such a fore-gone conclusion).
One note about Lindsey's style of writing. It makes me crazy that Lindsey does so much 'telling' in her books. She tells you what you're supposed to think about the characters, instead of letting you figure it out for yourself. But that is the genre. So if you can accept that, then you have an enjoyable story here.
Zero stars -- don't waste your money.......2007-01-06
I enjoy romance novels, and understand that their plots can be somewhat farfetched at times, but this was ridiculous. The final climax and revelations of her idiotically convoluted plot were as unrewarding as they were cynical in their ridicule of the gullibility of the reader. This plot was not Swiss cheese -- it was so full of holes it could double as a fish net. Certainly not sufficient reward for plowing through almost 400 pages, only a few enjoyable moments to the good. And the Publisher's Weekly review above was right that "the protagonists are really modern characters in Regency guise." The tone went beyond 'tongue-in-cheek' to cynical. This was my first Lindsey novel, and it will certainly be my last.
Really Enjoyed this Book.......2006-12-31
This is my third Johanna Lindsey book and after being disappointed by "The Heir" I have to say I couldn't put this one down. I really liked our heroine Meg, and will be having lovely dreams about our hero, Sebastian. I actually found myself laughing out loud, smiling widely to myself, and at the end I gasped and cried. Although the mystery was great, I found parts of it a little unbelievable. I did enjoy the romantic parts so much I found myself rereading them when I was finished. My only complaint would be that I find Ms. Lindsey's stories, while very entertaining, don't have enough romance/love scenes for me. I want more dirt!
Where was the romance????.......2006-10-01
This was a good and well written story. The plot was intricate yet not overly complicated. But where was the romance????????????????
I really wanted to like Sebastian and Margaret, and I did. However there really wasn't any romance, chemistry, or tenderness in this story at all.
And the love scenes were so bland and lacking. I was shocked and very disappointed. What has happened to Johanna Lindsey????
I gave the story three stars because it was very well written mystery....
Intriguing and "sigh" worthy. .......2006-09-30
This was the JL book I had ever read and I was not dissapointed. Needless to say, I picked it up and started reading it and then could not put it down until I was at the last page. I admit, I was a bit unsure at first at reading the summary and opening to a few random pages that didn't seem to catch my interest, but I'm a firm believer that you are never to judge a book by its cover (nor a bad review!) because if its been printed and in your hand, you owe it justice to read it to find out for yourself. I love books, its a passion of mine so its no surprise that I thought the book was delicious, as I honestly can say I have never read a 'bad' book.
Now, it does take a few chapters to get into an interesting bit, the beginning is a bit bland to use a word. But once the romance starts to kindle, you won't be able to put it down until you know what happens next.
Let's be honest, we don't read these books because of how they end, we KNOW how they are going to end. The guy always gets his girl and there is always some struggle before that, but its the HOW that makes the books worth reading, we all want that romance for ourselves and we want diversity in how romance can be.
Book Description
Heart of a Warrior:
Brittany Callaghan thinks she's dreaming when a blond, nearly seven-feet-tall Nordic god shows up on her doorstep in her tiny California town. She is taken aback when Dalden, a spectacular Viking who is a long way from home, needs her help - and is willing to pay for it. Dalden is a warrior to the depths of his soul - a man who will fight fearlessly and relentlessly for what he wants. And now, what he wants most of all is Brittany . . .
The Pursuit:
What was to be a grand adventure for Melissa MacGregor - an escape from the wilds of her Scottish home into the whirl of the London social scene - seems to pale before the promise in the passionate gaze of Lincoln Ross Burnett. But Melissa's stifling, disapproving uncles are now determined to rob the Viscount Cambury of his newfound happiness. Yet he is equally resolved to confront the peril . . .
Marriage Most Scandalous:
Lady Margaret Landor pays a visit to a ruined castle in the north of France, intent on hiring the Raven to investigate suspicious occurrences back in England. But she can barely conceal her shock upon meeting the handsome killer face to face - for the Raven is none other than her former neighbor, Sebastian Townshend. As they uncover the intrigue, a love begins to blossom that neither Sebastian nor Margaret anticipated - and that neither of them can resist.
Book Description
Known in his lifetime primarily to readers of science fiction, Philip K. Dick (1928-82) is now seen as a uniquely visionary figure, a writer who, in editor Jonathan Lethem's words, "wielded a sardonic yet heartbroken acuity about the plight of being alive in the twentieth century, one that makes him a lonely hero to the readers who cherish him." Posing the questions "What is human?" and "What is real?" in a multitude of fascinating ways, Dick produced works-fantastic and weird yet developed with precise logic, marked by wild humor and soaring flights of religious speculation-that are startlingly prescient imaginative responses to 21st-century quandaries.
This Library of America volume brings together four of Dick's most original novels. The Man in the High Castle (1962), which won the Hugo Award, describes an alternate world in which Japan and Germany have won World War II and America is divided into separate occupation zones. The dizzying The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (1965) posits a future in which competing hallucinogens proffer different brands of virtual reality. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968), about a bounty hunter in search of escaped androids in a postapocalyptic future, was the basis for the movie Blade Runner. Ubik (1969), with its future world of psychic espionage agents and cryogenically frozen patients inhabiting an illusory "half-life," pursues Dick's theme of simulated realities and false perceptions to ever more disturbing conclusions. As with most of Dick's novels, no plot summary can suggest the mesmerizing and constantly surprising texture of these astonishing books.
Average customer rating:
- Difficult but interesting once you grok it
- What is real and what is the construct?
- Profoundly Interesting Novel
- Too Much Christianity! Not Enough Philosophy.
- PKD goes to AA
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The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Philip K. Dick
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Binding: Paperback
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Valis
ASIN: 0679736662
Release Date: 1991-12-03 |
Book Description
In this wildly disorienting funhouse of a novel, populated by God-like--or perhaps Satanic--takeover artists and corporate psychics, Philip K. Dick explores mysteries that were once the property of St. Paul and Aquinas. His wit, compassion, and knife-edged irony make
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch moving as well as genuinely visionary.
Customer Reviews:
Difficult but interesting once you grok it.......2007-09-11
Working through the nature of reality and illusion, this story is set in a future that is anything but Utopian. Earth is going through a "fire" age and a human can not survive more than a few seconds outside during daylight; this has forced humanity to spend all daylight hours in a warren of buildings and tunnels. Additionally, a draft is set up to send humans out to the colonies on Mars and various asteroids. These colonies are living at subsistence level and the colonists there are invariably hooked on a drug called Can-D, that allows them to live in an illusory world populated by Perky Pat and her boyfriend Walt. They use miniature items to create these worlds; these "mins" are provided by the same company that supplies the illegal Can-D, which is run by Leo Bulero.
However when the famous explorer Palmer Eldritch returns from his trip to Proxa, he brings with him some lichen, with which he creates a product called Chew-Z - a legal alternative to Can-D. This is a more potent drug that allows people to create their own universes, without needing the mins. However, what most do not know is that all these universes are controlled by Eldritch. Is Palmer still human, or did something else come back in his place?
Playing onto our worst nightmares - namely those in which we continually think we've awakened, only to find we're still inside the nightmare - this story keeps you guessing as to what is real and what is hallucination. It is difficult to explain too much of the plot without giving away key elements that will spoil the story, which is why I've stuck mainly to what is given in the editorial review or on the book cover. However, I found the story to be very much in the lines of a typical Philip K. Dick story - twisted and convoluted. Well worth the read, however. My copy of the story is part of am omnibus, Counterfeit Unrealities (contains Ubik, A Scanner Darkly, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep [aka Blade Runner], The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch), which title describes the overall topic of this story, at least, very well. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
What is real and what is the construct?.......2007-09-11
Earth is quickly moving toward inhabitability, the temperatures are reaching 180 degrees plus and the UN is hastily conscripting people so that humankind can colonize every habitable plant in our solar system.
Colonists are so utterly bored in the Martian landscape that they must resort to playing with dolls and miniature play sets. Fortunately for them a hallucinogenic drug, Can-D, allows these colonists to translate their consciousness into the dolls and live their lives in Perky Pat's miniature landscape. They can share these experiences with other Can-D users.
Enter Palmer Eldritch an rich industrialist back from visiting the Proxima Centauri star system bringing a lichen that is far more powerful than Can-D, now being marketed as Chew-Z. Chew-Z allows users to transfer their consciousness to an infinite sort of constructs and can last an infinite amount of time without any time passing in the Chew-Z trance. What is real and what is the construct can be easily confused, very similar to the Wachowski brothers Matrix trilogy with Agent Smith playing the roll of Eldritch. This is easily PKDs finest book I have read; I must however confess that I am not sure where he was going in the end with the Palmer Eldritch character, reality seemed to be infiltrated with a malevolent side of the industrialist and all of the main characters in the book slowly reveal the three stigmata of Palmer Eldtritch: artificial right hands, Jensen visors, and steel teeth. Are they still in the construct of The Matrix?
Profoundly Interesting Novel.......2007-09-06
Set in the future, "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" deals with a humanity which is colonising the universe; forcing its own people to be colonists for a lifetime and providing them, illegally and secretly, with a drug that helps them endure this life.
Palmer Eldritch was a man who went to the limits of the known universe, and disappeared for 10 years. Then, he was back. Or was he?
Eldritch didn't come back empty-handed. He found a new drug meant to be an official substitute to the drug used hitherto.
The novel is too complicated for me to try to sum up any more than this, but basically you'll be dealing with themes such as "what is reality?" and "God". All of this set in a world over-heated where being outside without a refreshing suit can be lethal.
I really enjoyed the overall world presented in the book, and found many passages quite fascinating. It's sometimes a serious mind-trip, and you get to doubt everything you're reading; trying to figure out what's real and what's not. It's extreme solipsism and it's scary.
Theology, drugs, reality; the novel is woven between those topics in most fascinating ways. Recommended for those who enjoy SF with substance.
Too Much Christianity! Not Enough Philosophy........2007-07-19
A great novel is kind of like a knockout cocktail - it takes just the right mix to make it work out. Unfortunately, for all it's grand ideas, Philip K. Dick's "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" just doesn't have the recipe down. There's far too much Christian theology and not enough philosophy for my taste.
The book contains an embarassment of riches in terms of ideas floating around in this heady brew. However, especially in the last quarter of the book, all of these ideas are seen through an overtly Christian prism. For example, the identity of Palmer Eldritch: is he a god, The God or some kind of God viz. Christianity. Only the latter is really explored. Nothing about what it might mean to be a god, the responsability of a god to mankind, etc.
Moreover, characters, some of whom are not overtly followers of Church dotrine, debate the bizarre events as if they were Cardinals with a lifetime of diocese experiance. In particular, Anne Hathaway is a self-professed missionary why tries to convert Barney, yet he's drawn to her? Why? She seems like a smarmy schoolgirl. She may be sexy, but who could deal with her self-righteousness? This just doesn't ring true to me, nor does it make much sense.
When faced with the inneffable, why would we revert to ideas that were worn out 1,000 years ago? Transsubstantiation!? Please! No one's taken that seriously since Martin Luther! Why would one turn to ideas the Church fathers argued over in order to justify their wholey man-made religion in order to make sense of psychadelic experiance? The end result just seems to be an intellectual game of twister in order to justify some kind of Christian belief. Well, if it takes such contortions to make it work, you'd better find a spiritual chiropractor because this is just silly.
Still, the book retains value for the simple fact that Dick is juggling so many interesting ideas. If only he'd let us see them through a multitude of view points instead of just the Christian one.
PKD goes to AA.......2007-05-16
This is purported to be PK Dick's first novel after he gave up drugs. Now for anyone who has read any of his earlier books, you know that they some- times get lost in his dreamstates. This one seems to get lost in his new reality of sobriety.
Like all his major works, PKD asks, "What is reality? Who is Gd? What does he/she want of us?" Once again our characters are living in a dystopia where drugs are used to keep the citizens happy. Only this time the dystopia is on Mars, Venus and six of the moons of the other planets. Because the lives the colonists lead are so dreadful, they are allowed to use an illegal drug "Can-D" to 'translate' to another plain of existence.
Now an entrepreneur named Palmer Eldritch has returned from a ten year trip to Proxima Centuri, with a new drug that's called "Chew-Z". I won't go through any of the plot, because like all of PKDs novels, they tend to get preachy and muddled, especially in the middle. Though this is one of his more 'linear' stories, he can't help but do some timeline jumping around just to make it less concrete.
At least from my reading, it seems like the theory of the story is that drugs cannot bring you closer to Gd, they can only make you feel like you are in a better world. But, like all drugs, it's only good to begin with and then you need to take more and more just to be 'normal'. Drugs are not the answer, in most cases its' the question.
The one thing that Dick never explains, and again this isn't unusual of him, is why is the earth heating up? Has the ozone layer broken down completely and therefore, people go to the arctic and antarctic to vacation at 'cool' resorts. It's sad when he throws out ideas and problem answers, without ever explaining the problems himself.
Customer Reviews:
What is reality; Who is truly human? .......2007-09-24
In this omnibus, some of the Philip K. Dick stories that explore the borders of reality are brought together:
In "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch," Dick works through the nature of reality and illusion. Set in a dystopian future, Earth is going through a "fire" age and humans cannot survive more than a few seconds outside during daylight; this has forced humanity to spend daylight hours in a warren of buildings and tunnels. Additionally, a draft is set up to send humans out to the colonies on Mars and various asteroids - whether they want to or not. These colonies are living at subsistence level and the colonists there invariably end up hooked on a drug called Can-D, that allows them to live in an illusory world populated by Perky Pat and her boyfriend Walt, thereby escaping their miserable existence. They use miniature items to create these worlds; these "mins" are provided by the same company that supplies the illegal Can-D, which is run by Leo Bulero.
When the famous explorer Palmer Eldritch returns from his trip to Proxa, he brings with him some lichen, with which he creates a product called Chew-Z - a legal alternative to Can-D. This is a more potent drug that allows people to create their own universes, without needing the mins. However, what most do not know is that all these universes are controlled by Eldritch. Is Palmer still human, or did something else come back in his place?
Playing onto our worst nightmares - namely those in which we continually think we've awakened, only to find we're still inside the nightmare - this story keeps you guessing as to what is real and what is hallucination. It is difficult to explain too much of the plot without giving away key elements that will spoil the story, which is why I've stuck mainly to what is given in the editorial review or on the book cover. However, I found the story to be very much in the lines of a typical Philip K. Dick story - twisted and convoluted. Well worth the read, however.
In "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?," we find ourselves alternating between two intertwining plot lines. One involves Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter who "retires" escaped androids. The latest model - the Nexus-6 - can only be differentiated from humans through use of a sophisticated psychological testing mechanism that measures empathy levels; empathy being the one thing that androids quite simply lack. The other plot line revolves around J. R. Isadore, a "chickenhead" (that is to say, a man who has mutated enough that he is starting to lose his cognitive abilities, but not so much that he cannot still manage to take care of himself and serve the public in some small way). He works for the Van Ness Pet Hospital, which serves people who own electric animals. However, his day gets off to an uneven start when first he discovers another tenant in his previously empty building, and then he is given a real cat - which subsequently dies on the way in to the hospital before he even realizes it is actually alive.
Similar in theme to "Stigmata," this book explores the differences between reality and fantasy by probing the differences between man and machine(sometimes that line is very blurred), electric animal and real animal, and so forth. Always in the background is the constant back and forth of Mercerism vs. Buster Friendly, who always gently (and sometimes not so gently) accuses Mercer as a fraud and fake.
I found the story enjoyable; dense and difficult at times, but the interchange and interplays are always deft and intriguing. This classic bit of surreal sci-fi is not to be missed.
When reading "Ubik," the first comparison that came to mind was Don DeLilo's White Noise (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century)" Not due to any special thematic comparison, but because of the advertisements for great new products named Ubik at the beginning of each paragraph in the story; this reminded me of the constant low-level onslaught of information that came at you while reading "White Noise."
As far as the story itself - what can one say without spoiling it? The main character is Joe Chip, a tester for the Runciter Group, which is a group of "Anti-psis" - they null out psionic power to help protect people's privacy. I was by stages amused and appalled by the vision of 1992 painted in this novel - apparently we were supposed to have made our way to Mars and the Moon by now, with colonies on each, and we're supposed to be dressing even more outlandishly than we do now. However, it seems odd to me to note the things that are kept in the style of the 50s and 60s. Women are either young and in the service industry or they are matrons and stay at home. If they are other than that, then they are shown as . . . strange, even dangerous, such as Pat Conroy in this story. It is this that makes her such an appropriate foil for Joe Chip, as he stumbles through his attempts to keep the group together after a major fiasco occurs when the Glen Runciter - the owner of the company - takes a group of his most highly skilled workers to the Lunar colony for a job and is there attacked.
The rest of the story shakes down while the surviving characters notice a strange combination of entropy and growth - recession and coming into being. The world seems to be regressing to an older era, but at the same time, they keep getting messages from "beyond" instructing them on what to do. Then the question arises - who is really dead? Who is really alive? What is reality? Who is creating it?
Not for a light evening's read, that's for sure! But well worth the slodge if you have the time. Most intriguing and something to keep the ol' cerebellum stretched. Give it a try.
"A Scanner Darkly" was the most difficult of the stories for me, personally - I'm not quite certain why, but it just didn't hold my interest as much as the others in the omnibus. Telling the story (on the surface) of the deterioration of the undercover narcotics officer "Fred," living as Bob Arctor - due to substance abuse - into paranoia and split personalities when he is told to begin investigating himself intensely (undercover agents wear a "blur" suit and none of them know each other, nor are they aware of whom is who in the field). Additionally, the federal government is seeking the source of Substance D, a deadly and highly addictive drug that invariably leads to burn-out in the case of users. Darkly comical in the earlier parts of the story - and in general any time when Arctor and his friends and roommates are sitting around and shooting the breeze - it is also in its way terribly depressing.
Overall, however, I give a big thumbs up to this omnibus. If you're a fan of Philip K. Dick, obviously you don't want to miss it. If you enjoy fiction that challenges your perceptions of reality, you definitely don't want to miss it!
The best PKD novel collection.......2005-06-17
Counterfeit Unrealities, a hardcover omnibus published by the Science Fiction Book Club, contains four of Dick's best novels:
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Ubik
A Scanner Darkly
While it lacks an introduction, notes, or any other exclusive content, the convenience of a single volume makes this recommended for any reader looking for all four novels.
Average customer rating:
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The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Philip K. Dick
Manufacturer: Triad Grafton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Dick, Philip K.
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| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000UCSN34 |
Book Description
In this dynamic book, theologian, futurist, and communications expert M. Rex Miller presents the innovative millennium matrix, that explains the way we store and distribute information changes our worldviews. Based on the author’s extensive research, The Millennium Matix explores the major paradigm and worldview shifts over the past two thousand years and maps them into an easily accessible chart summarizing the entire history of culture and church. From the oral culture of Jesus’ time to the print world of Gutenberg’s Bible to the broadcast era of television to the emerging digital culture, readers will see the impact of communication on worship and spirituality. Even more, the book then provides practical suggestions on how Christians can successfully navigate the rapid cultural changes that are occurring and that will continue to occur over the decades to come.
Customer Reviews:
Should be required reading for all leaders.......2006-04-04
Without over-generalizing Rex Miller explains many trends we see around us and helps us consider where they will lead. He helps us understand how we got where we are today in a way that makes me thankful to be alive at this turning point in human history. While it was written with church leaders in mind, thinkers and leaders of all organizations will benefit from this timely work.
A Communication Chart for all Offices.......2005-08-19
What a helpful book on understanding our past, present, and future in communication. M. Rex Miller is clear and precise as to the breakdown of how we have learned from ancient times and how we will learn in the future. If you are worried about postmodern thought then this is the book to read because Miller shows how a new way of thinking and processing information can be very spiritually productive in a rapidly changing society and church.
relevant magazine reveiw.......2005-03-08
Not just another book about postmodernism, "The Millenium Matrix" is an innovative look at human technology and how it influences culture, psychology, and ulimately faith. By exploring the major worldview shifts of the last 2,000 years, Rex Miller looks ahead to the future of Christianity and 21st century culture. Written in an engaging and simple style, "The Millenium Matrix" is quite the enlightening read.
-Eric Hurtgen, Relevant Magazine
Connections, connections, connections..............2005-02-01
Read it! It will do both your mind and soul good.
It isn't often I run across something like this. This is a book I wish I had written. That's the highest compliment a writer can pay to another author. Rex, my hat's off to you.
Seriously, Rex has done an absolutely marvelous job of bringing together a whole lot of complexity and laying it out in an understandable form. While his major focus is on how technology will impact how churches organizae themeselves, the lessons are equally applicable to just about any large formal organization in Western society.
It is certainly a must read for anyone trying to understand the diverse cultural mix we find oursleves living in today.
Thriving on change.......2004-10-09
Rex Miller's excellent work reminds us that we are living in an age of extra-ordinary change. His work points to the challenges we face: what will we salvage from the past (in order to stay grounded in those things which are timeless) and what changes will we embrace (so that the church does not become irrelevant).
Every pastor who is willing to re-assess the effectiveness of his or her church should spend a few days with this book, and then spend a few years working out its implications. Miller asks us to forego programs and methods and think for ourselves--how refreshing!
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