Scott Peck combines years of psychotherapy with a natural writing style that attracts the reader and challenges his/her mind. It is not the writing style that makes the book difficult reading, but the continuous challenge to you mind and to your preconceived ideas. Peck demands that you examine your mind, your feelings and your heart deeply and objectively. Most of us find that difficult.
Peck comes across his book as a warm and sensitive person and he makes you feel at ease instantly... What else would you expect from whose opening sentence is "Life is difficult." !
By looking at the table of contents, you would think that the content of the book would be a self-help mish-mosh of random truths that are meant to uplift the mind and soul with no apparent connection or relation to one another. However, this book flows beautifully and logically.
This book, as catch phrase as this sounds, changed my life. It made me think and live differenly. It helped me improve my own character, love others more, and get a more balanced view of life.
I wish everyone had a chance - no, the opportunity - to read this book. It is, without a doubt, the most helpful book I have ever read, next to the Holy Bible.
Of course I now realize-after having gone through some very painful experiences since I first read those lines-that this is an over-simplification. Life can and does throw some serious curve balls that really knock the wind right out of you! Realizing and understanding that life is difficult, is not enough of a tool to get you through loosing someone to death... Because there are all kinds of disturbing and hellish emotions that go along with loosing someone that you love so very much.
For anyone who was raised with any kind of a religious background, this book does not provide enough reasons as to why we feel the way we do about life's circumstances and our own roles here on earth. The messages that many-if not most of us have been given as children-from our parents and mentors can be quite confusing and contradictory. These messages stay with us, and as twisted as some of them may be, influence many of our decisions and keep us spinning within that vicious sphere.
If you have bought this book or are thinking of reading it, I say, go ahead and read it. It probably will give you some insight and some good tips on coping with life. But if you are seriously searching and trying to change your life, I would strongly recommend The New Dance of Christ by Anthony T Massimini.
The New Dance of Christ is a wonderfully, insightful book which will really blow your mind! I do wish that the title were different though. I consider myself a Recovering Catholic and no longer even consider myself a Christian. If it weren't for a friend of mine recommending this book to me, I would not have picked it up because of the title.
But don't be swayed by the title! Because even if you don't agree with all of the theories of Massimini, you can't help but be intrigued, fascinated and even altered by his words and facts... Whether you are a Christian, Buddhist, or even an atheist, this book will unlock something inside of you that was there all along but blocked and un-nurtured.