A writer mixes metaphysics and hardcore science to map out a life plan.
In a scientifically grounded look at the concept of alternate realities, debut author Scott shows readers how to leave unsatisfying elements of their lives behind and shift into an existence where they are the people they want to be. It’s not the old TV series Quantum Leap, in which the main character is zapped backward in time and literally jumps into someone else’s body. Readers retain their own identities but leap into improved versions of themselves—who, for example, have better credit ratings or are free from addiction. The book distinguishes itself from genre tomes that take a purely metaphysical view of parallel universes because it accords equal, if not more, weight to the role of physics: quantum entanglement, wormholes and black holes, folding space, and warp drive. These ideas come from Einstein, Stephen Hawking, and Richard Feynman, who developed equations about varying concepts of reality. The volume is organized in four parts, starting with the backstory that triggered Scott’s awareness of the ability to shift into alternate realities. He breaks his theory down to simple principles and starts by explaining them in a straightforward, easily understandable manner. In Part 2, he delivers practical methods to take control of one’s present reality: changing one’s name (as he did), moving to another home or city, or learning a new language. Then come the fun parts: learning his techniques to “hack reality” and move forward into a self-designed consciousness. At 400 pages, the book covers a lot of territory, with instructional chapters on how to maintain love, health, and prosperity. The author puts his own stamp on the theory of transurfing, which was developed by Russian physicist Vadim Zeland. While Zeland eschews focusing on the present moment and advocates looking ahead to compose the direction of one’s reality, Scott weaves in the tenets of mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and Zen. Rigorously researched, the book is lucid and instills confidence through the author’s calm, authoritative voice. The work should intrigue readers who don’t dismiss metaphysics out of hand or who at least refuse to paint an indelible line between New Age thought and science.
An eye-opening perspective that New Age fans and open-minded readers should value.Pub Date: March 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5445-0620-3
Page Count: 402
Publisher: Lioncrest Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 29, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Categories: BODY, MIND & SPIRIT | SELF-HELP
Did you like this book?
A conversational, pleasurable look into McConaughey’s life and thought.
21
GET IT
All right, all right, all right: The affable, laconic actor delivers a combination of memoir and self-help book.
“This is an approach book,” writes McConaughey, adding that it contains “philosophies that can be objectively understood, and if you choose, subjectively adopted, by either changing your reality, or changing how you see it. This is a playbook, based on adventures in my life.” Some of those philosophies come in the form of apothegms: “When you can design your own weather, blow in the breeze”; “Simplify, focus, conserve to liberate.” Others come in the form of sometimes rambling stories that never take the shortest route from point A to point B, as when he recounts a dream-spurred, challenging visit to the Malian musician Ali Farka Touré, who offered a significant lesson in how disagreement can be expressed politely and without rancor. Fans of McConaughey will enjoy his memories—which line up squarely with other accounts in Melissa Maerz’s recent oral history, Alright, Alright, Alright—of his debut in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused, to which he contributed not just that signature phrase, but also a kind of too-cool-for-school hipness that dissolves a bit upon realizing that he’s an older guy on the prowl for teenage girls. McConaughey’s prep to settle into the role of Wooderson involved inhabiting the mind of a dude who digs cars, rock ’n’ roll, and “chicks,” and he ran with it, reminding readers that the film originally had only three scripted scenes for his character. The lesson: “Do one thing well, then another. Once, then once more.” It’s clear that the author is a thoughtful man, even an intellectual of sorts, though without the earnestness of Ethan Hawke or James Franco. Though some of the sentiments are greeting card–ish, this book is entertaining and full of good lessons.
A conversational, pleasurable look into McConaughey’s life and thought.Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-13913-4
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
Did you like this book?
Bestselling author Haig offers a book’s worth of apothegms to serve as guides to issues ranging from disquietude to self-acceptance.
Like many collections of this sort—terse snippets of advice, from the everyday to the cosmic—some parts will hit home with surprising insight, some will feel like old hat, and others will come across as disposable or incomprehensible. Years ago, Haig experienced an extended period of suicidal depression, so he comes at many of these topics—pain, hope, self-worth, contentment—from a hard-won perspective. This makes some of the material worthy of a second look, even when it feels runic or contrary to experience. The author’s words are instigations, hopeful first steps toward illumination. Most chapters are only a few sentences long, the longest running for three pages. Much is left unsaid and left up to readers to dissect. On being lost, Haig recounts an episode with his father when they got turned around in a forest in France. His father said to him, “If we keep going in a straight line we’ll get out of here.” He was correct, a bit of wisdom Haig turned to during his depression when he focused on moving forward: “It is important to remember the bottom of the valley never has the clearest view. And that sometimes all you need to do in order to rise up again is to keep moving forward.” Many aphorisms sound right, if hardly groundbreaking—e.g., a quick route to happiness is making someone else happy; “No is a good word. It keeps you sane. In an age of overload, no is really yes. It is yes to having space you need to live”; “External events are neutral. They only gain positive or negative value the moment they enter our mind.” Haig’s fans may enjoy this one, but others should take a pass.
A handful of pearls amid a pile of empty oyster shells.Pub Date: July 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-14-313666-8
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Penguin Life
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021
Categories: BODY, MIND & SPIRIT | CURRENT EVENTS & SOCIAL ISSUES | SELF-HELP | GENERAL NONFICTION
Did you like this book?
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2022 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
