Chopra Books

If there is ever one word to describe this book, its powerful. What a concept...that suffering is never meaningless, but a vehicle of purposeful intent and that we, as eternal souls, planned to use certain challenges to foster growth not only for our own souls but for the sake of our soul group and the universe at large. Putting it into a context like this, suffering has a whole different meaning.

According to the book, those around us also plan our lives intertwined with ours and all decisions are made out of love, no exception. I now think about my own challenges and those who have played a key role in my own personal growth and look upon them with gratitude and not judgment, including the "villains" in my story, because they fostered the most growth out of me. I am only now beginning to see the perfection of life. Aside from clarity, this book will bring healing and infinite comfort to those going through extreme suffering in their lives by learning there are no victims in this world.

Part of me picked up this book to find comfort for my own inner wounds. I cried when I read the words "Only the courageous plan fear" for I knew, that was what I intended to heal and have been working on it for years, having them dissipate one by one.

It has been a long time since I closed a book and felt warm, comforted and knowledgeable. The author takes you by the hand and guides you through this information with compassion, grace and great wisdom. I just cannot fully express how wonderful this book is. It is absolute perfection and if I could, I'd give it more stars. If there is ever a book I'd recommend, it would be this one!

I absolutely love this book! I knew that we had pre-planned our lives before reading it, but it explains it so well with people's stories to show you examples. I really hope I can get my friend to read it as I think it will help her to understand the reasons for some of her challenges in her childhood and now. EXCELLENT BOOK!

Wonderful reference book for anyone researching reincarnation. Answers many question as well as raising them.

Courageous Souls: Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth?Best book I have ever read on the subject of Pre Birth Planning. So well written and easy to relate to. It has brought great healing to my life and I continue to explore all possibilities. It has certainly given me a better understanding to life and knowing that everyone is on a journey to better their soul. A must read for anyone on a spiritual path to healing.

Everything always makes sense when you can see the big picture. This book provides a glimpse into why events we perceive as "bad" happen, through a varied collection of individual cases.

Our lives in this "reality" are just learning experiences, to expand our awareness of ourselves, we agreed to before we arrived on the planet.

Breaks free of the conventional bonds of indoctrinated, cookie cutter, christianity. A refreshing view of spiritually and the relationship of God with humanity.

This book dissents from and defends religion in very different ways than most. It is a masterful treatise on the religion of love, the religion of inclusion, the religion of the goddess, and the religion many of us have lost to patriarchy and intellectual dominance. There is little pious prattle here, rather a statement of the value of all religions, human talents, and dispositions. All are needed to truly solve our problems.

The following summary was used in a discussion with Bob Thompson at Northwestern University's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, in Evanston, Illinois, on November 30, 2007. This was one session in a semester-long study group titled, "Why Religion Matters." These notes highlight many passages and concepts but are only a small reflection of the richness of the material and the personal vignettes which illuminate Bob's ideas. We hope that this summary whets readers' appetites to experience the entire book. (Note: references, e.g."p15," are to page numbers in from which passages are quoted)

The Introduction distinguishes religion of the head from religion of the heart. "Religion of the head involves thinking about life's questions in order to come up with answers. Religion of the heart is about seeing our innate and unalterable connection to all others as both the question and the answer" p15. "Religious orthodoxy is the inevitable result of thinking exclusively from the head. The heart is always a heretic, however, and its natural inclination is to upend the status quo...and see the human race as one" p16.

Chapter 1, "For a Good Time, Call God" Asked if he believes in God, Thompson usually responds that it depends on what is meant by God. He cannot agree that God is a separate being with an extreme ego who controls the world. Rather God is a voluptuous ultimate reality which "calls us to laughter, love and joy" p23. "It matters whether we worship a God of distance or a God of intimacy. An intimate God is at once transcendent and imminent , beyond and within. We live in the Divine and the Divine lives in us" p27.

Chapter 2, "What is the Soul?" Thompson also disagrees with the conventional Christian belief that the human soul is separate from God and corrupted by original sin. Rather, "The soul is a drop of consciousness in the ocean of God" p31.

Chapter 3, "Soul Liberty." A preliminary title for this book was "Soul liberty - Meditations of a Christian Heretic." "Soul liberty is the freedom to seek the truth in one's own way, according to one's own conscience" p41. In this Baptist belief, a person may choose any religion or none and is only responsible to God for the decision. The chapter ends with several paragraphs on the importance of meditation, i.e. "opening to the inner teacher" p43. "placing our attention within ourselves," and "recollecting the soul." This work of a lifetime takes "our attention from life's broken surface to an inner truth" p44.

Chapter 4, "Finding God by Subtraction" God is always present but lives in silence. God can be most easily found in meditation, prayer, or even in the awkward silences in conversations. Bob quotes Meister Eckhart who said that "God is not attained by a process of addition to anything in the soul, but by a process of subtraction" p 54.

Chapter 5, "Do you Believe in Divine Intervention?" Does God answer prayers? Is God an activist? Thompson does not believe in a personal God. Rather, "The God I've met is impersonal or transpersonal. A transpersonal God does not seek out individuals by bestowing favor on some while turning away from others" p58. "We need the experience of an enduring presence that lasts an eternity far more than an intervention that lasts a few moments" p59. This enduring, compassionate presence helps us to realize that we are never alone.

Chapter 6, "The Greening of God." The prevailing Western view has been one of patriarchy or the right to dominate the natural world. Now "we are beginning to wake up and see the earth as indigenous peoples have always seen it, as a living organism....Mother Earth, the Great Mother, the Goddess" p68. And God connects everything and is in everything that lives. "Water and air pollution, deforestation, and global warming are all symptoms of a deep brokenness...we must address" p72.

Chapters 7-13 are an invitation to "Be a Christ," but not some distant savior dressed as a king, rather as one who lives a compassionate life. "We live in an eternal now. This is it... Spiritual truth is about fully living the moment we are in" p89. "Ego is the illusion that we are ...separate from each other, and separate from God" p99. "It is more useful to see sin as a condition or state of being in which we see ourselves as literally separated from ourselves, others and the Divine" p103.
Thompson, as a heretic, says we should live beyond the belief system we've been handed. "Real spiritual strength comes...from our own inner authority, the authority of our own experience, the teacher within" p120. ."Christ is the Christian word for the divine energy that connects everything" p122. It is called by different names in Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and other faiths. It is intoxicating, so "it's not unusual for great spiritual teachers to appear to be a little too happy, giggly or simply `lit up'...Other people seem to light up when in their presence" p 126. "All will be well, no matter what...In our inner-most heart, in the soul, we know there is nothing to fear. And what we all want is nothing to fear" p128.

Chapters 14, "God and Caesar - Religion and Politics." Introduces the concept of the politics of conscience, or the politics of the heart. It will take a massive act of conscience to bring peace to the Middle East or to mitigate the suffering in Africa. However, "conscience is always speaking, but often we turn a deaf ear" p139.

Chapter 15, "A Greater Patriotism" states that we are surrounded by violence. "When we swim in it all the time, we just don't notice it" p146. But we notice terrorism and wonder where it comes from. Following Ury, Thompson says it's like a virus "that lies sleeping, then wakens and spreads throughout the body and attacks, as if out of nowhere....Violence prevention requires creatively addressing conflicts in their earliest stages" p147.

Chapter 16, "The Hospitality of Heaven is a Queer Thing" addresses the issue of same sex relationships suggesting that LGBT people "need to be healed back into the larger community' p154. This is done thru agape love which, following M. L. King, is "an understanding, redemptive, creative good will toward all human beings...it is what Jesus meant when he said `love your enemies'" p155. This is not the same as to" like" your enemies. "Like," in any case, is a fairly superficial engagement.

Chapter 17, "Surrender Your Life to Something Greater" Dealing with the ego is not easy. "We can be important one day, and a mere drop in a very big bucket the next. And when we realize this, we can let go of the need to be important" p163. True greatness, however, comes from our connection to others. Gandhi, M.L. King, and Mother Theresa all surrendered self will and said yes "to serving the human race, no matter what" p165. "The greatness of the servant comes from helping others to discover their greatness" p 166.

Chapter 18, "The Devil is Not What You Think." Whether you believe in a devil or not, the most serious temptations are from those you believe to be allies. They appeal to altruism, ego, and power; persuade us that " life is a puzzle to be solved;"....and "reduce the meaning of life to a formula" p171...or "to getting life to go our own way" p173. Rather, "Life is amazing and astonishing....Every moment of life is remarkable. Every moment brings astonishment. Every moment is a mystery." P173

Chapter 19, "The Things We Carry Around." "...to get over our narcissism, our self absorption, our preoccupation with ourselves. This is the very heart of all spiritual practice and it takes a lifetime" p179. "We reduce our our own suffering by letting go of the poison we carry around" p 180.

Chapter 20, "The Spiritual Purpose of Our Relationships." "When I'm experiencing tension or discomfort in a relationship, I inevitably realize that I am struggling, not with the other person, but with myself" p187. A person is only fully developed through others. "We can't grow in isolation and exclusion" p188.

Chapter 21, "Life is But a Dream." We need to be aware that life is neither permanent nor predictable, just "a succession of images and experiences" p 198 . "We are awake when we know that life is nothing more than a passing show." P201.

Chapter 22, "Every Tomb is a Womb." "When we say goodbye to a person or a place we love, a part of us dies. We are then reborn to another way of life. When we go thru a divorce, lose a friendship, or fail to get the job we want, something in us dies while something else rises up." P 204.

Chapter 23, "From Religious Tribalism to the City of God." Thompson talks about the need to cultivate interfaith relationships. This "encourages us to explore our own tradition and assumptions more deeply" p211. We become more welcoming to strangers, more willing to help them with whatever burdens they have, and more understanding of "what it means to be religious" p215.

I was born and raised Jewish, attending an Orthodox synagogue as a child and a Conservative synagogue as an adult. I now live in the mostly Conservative Christian community of Colorado Springs, CO. I never really felt drawn to organized religion and for years I found myself unaffiliated and searching for a spiritual home. For six years, I found that home at Lake Street Church. Bob Thompson's words have shown me the difference between religion and spirituality. They have also helped me to accept Jesus Christ - not as a messiah or savior, but as a rabbi, teacher, and mystic. I have learned to experience God on a personal level rather than as an omnipotent, wrathful, punishing presence.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Voluptuous God, connecting with the essence of Bob Thompson's spirituality, and learning to relate to the concept of being a heretic. I have purchased extra copies to share with friends of like mind living here in Colorado Springs. I highly recommend this book to any and all spiritual seekers.

Many years ago I abandoned the Christian faith believing it was obsolete. However, I always said if some new philosopher comes along who can articulate the faith in a way that reconciles it with reason and makes it relevant in the 21st Century, I will reconsider Christianity. Thompson does that in this excellent book.

Being raised a Catholic was a spiritually alienating experience. I tried to live the Word but seeing others in my church being pious in the sanctuary and then being less than Christian in the outer world made no sense to me. So, for many, many years I veered away from Christianity. I never thought a spiritual book written by a Christian minister would help me change my attitude about religion. The chapter 'The Resurrection of Judas Iscariot' literally moved me to tears. I confess I have been in situations where I did not speak out or act upon a situation that required my attention. Several days after reading this particular chapter I came upon a homeless man. He was looking for shelter and food. While I could not give him shelter, I did take him to a restaurant for a meal. I don't think I would have done this had I not read this chapter on Judas. I am now trying to live the Word. Thank you for writing such a meaningful book.

The foundational principals of the Ten Commandments have shaped societies for thousands of years. The Ten Commitments reinforces theses enduring tenets and provides a new perspective that inspires one to make better choices about every day living. This is a must read.

Much needed in our changing views of the old Biblical Laws. It points out how we have choices. We can grow up and take responsibility for our own healing and the healing of each other.

I would give grade ten for this product for the following reasons:
a) The speed the book got to me (I live in Brazil!);
b) The excellent price;
c) The excellent content of the book.
Congratulations to Amazon and to David Simon!

very insightful...the idea of changing "thou shalt not..." into "you can (and should)..." is a real eye-opener...i am already familiar w/Dr. Simon's work with the Chopra Center & this is another valuable tool in what is, obviously a work in progress...

This is a "must have" book for anyone who has the desire to cultivate awareness and take full responsibility for their own growth and transformation.

Ten Commitments offers a path to freedom from the control and limitations (whether conscious or subconscious) of an external authority as presented in the text of the biblical Ten Commandments. Dr Simon invites us to explore, contemplate, and then translate each commandment into a personal commitment. Personal commitments then become the vehicles for the exploration and expression of our deepest desires, intentions, and actions as they emerge from the core of our being into the world of our creation.

This book is very clearly written, easy to understand, and smoothly accessible for the personal integration of the subject matter. Its message is inspiring, spacious, and very timely as a gift of healing in this era of spiritual and religious diversity and tension.

This great book was like the glue the brought together all the tidbits of information that were floating inside my head.
Superbly written & simply explained, J.Rosenthal presents various nutrition approaches & theories, & encourages everyone to find their individual balance in order live a healthy, nourishing life.

Joshua Rosenthal's book "Integrative Nutrition" is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to explore and discover the truth about giant food corporations and pharmaceutical companies and how they affect the American diet; the strengths and weaknesses of the popular diets in the market; the reasons why we should listen to our body when we crave for certain foods, the Mind Body Spirit connection, healthy recipes and much, much more. Great pictures,layout etc. A must have Nutrition Resource Book :-)

I believe anyone interested in the mind body connection would benefit
from this book! Highly informative! I couldn't put it down!

This book has great information, I do know a bit mjore than the average person about nutrition, and have been eating organic, non dairy, homepathics, more natural lifestyle since the 1980's but this book is a great help loaded with information I did not know. This is a great read for everyone. Once you pick it up you dont want to put it down.

Integrative nutrition was recommended to me by my nutritionist who attended the integrative nutrition schooling up in NY. The book compares all diet trends - shows you the good and bad in all...as well as supports the reader lovingly in their journey for overall good health of mind/body and spirit. This is no quick fix diet book. This is for those who want it all!

Poignant, powerful stories. Beautifully written with a distinctive and important design. This book's not to be missed--by you, your friends, your business colleagues. Bravo!

Within his book A Leader Becomes A Leader, Kevin Sheehan delightfully illustrates the essence of true leadership. He poignantly definies a diverse group of past and present leaders; while exploring their life events and characteristics of greatness. Encourage your friends, family and coworkers to read this motivational book!

The author does a phenomenal job of breaking the topic down into small manageable and inspiring readings; also covers a great cross-section of leaders and the characteristics that made them successful. I ordered a dozen copies as executive and motivational gifts.

J. Kevin Sheehan presents a celebration of what's possible in his biographical snapshots of great leaders. By focusing on the unique character traits of outstanding leaders the author transforms the mysteries of leadership into something very real. He answers the question "what made them great?" in an extremely concise and inspirational style. Great as a corporate gift or graduation present. My children have used it for school projects and I have found inspiration for my own business. No home or school library should be without this most valuable tool.

What I love most about "A Leader Becomes A Leader" is it's timeless simplicity. I can take this book (turn off the television) and spend quality time with a young child, parent, teacher, grandparent or peer and connect on a visual, thoughtful and emotional level. These inspiring stories remain simple, true and steadfast in their messages of perseverance (and are told with grace). A thoughtful journey through and towards what is really important in life. A great exploration on human potential. This must be shared!

Once I started this book,I simply couldn't put it down. It unfolds so many hidden layers of self. In turn allowing us a different view of approaching others. Chopra has a gift of making the very deep and personal an easy fun adventure

This bringme to me the lover that i have today. My love in all forms, how beautiful is love expansion from pratices exercicies of this big gift to the world.

This book was an eye-opener. After reading it for the first time, I picked it right back up immediately and read it for a second time.

I found it to be a didactic approach to matters of the heart and soul which were pre-conceived to me an un-explainable.

Read it before you fall in love again. Recommend it to your loved ones. Thanks Dave for "lending" it to me.

-Richie Etwaru

I have a lot of books on love, maybe fifty! And this book is one of my favorites. Why? Because it outlines very clearly what love really is and stages love takes as you cultivate real love in your life.

The stages include:

Romance (including attraction and infatuation), which we all know wheres off over time unless you work to keep it vital in a relationship. Attachment, which can become destructive if you do not know how to be attached in a healthy way.
Passion, which is different from romance in that Deepak feels passion is related to bringing out vitality in a relationship.
And, best of all ecstasy, which includes the ability to feel at-one not only with your partner, but all of life.

Lots of practical exercises also exist. If you want to know what love really looks and feels like, consider buying this book. - Dr. Lisa Love, Beyond the Secret

"Loving another person is not separate from loving God. One is a single wave, the other is the ocean." ~ Deepak Chopra

In "The Path to Love," Deepak Chopra blends modern day wisdom with ancient insight and myths. This is a reflective study of love's many stages (from romantic love to spiritual love) and as Deepak reveals the many nuances he also explains the spiritual goal of life. This book uncovers the reasons love is healing while anger and hate can be fatal.

There are quite a few case studies and the book is structured around stories of people struggling with everything from marital issues to questions about reality itself. Deepak acts as a psychologist who is solving issues one after the other. His clients have breakthroughs and each conversation reveals something new.

"Love and spirit are forming a connection every time you meditate on the heart, starting with the first time." ~ Deepak Chopra

For the most part this book reads like a comforting conversation with a trusted friend. There are instructions for a heart meditation. Then, a few questionnaires are included for your enlightenment. While this is not technically a workbook, it could be said that the contents of the book will change you as you answer the questions and discover hidden secrets about yourself.

~The Rebecca Review

What a beautiful, sacred and incredible collection of artwork. The book is absolutely stunning!

incredible stories and amazing pics...bigger than any 'coffee table' book we've ever owned!...a bargain at 1/2 the price

I've owned this book for 7 years. I admit that I love the art --the mandalas are beautiful. Romio Shrestha is a good MANAGER of good artists (I've never seen him actually PAINT a mandala HIMSELF, and even he admits that the mandalas are painted by monks he has "commissioned.")

And Ian Baker's text to this book is extraordinary.

BUT -- and these are some BIG concerns:

INACCURACY: The mandalas contain numerous inaccuracies in them, and do not reflect deity or yogic practices as accurately, precisely or in as much detail as do the works of many others who actually PRACTICE the Dharma (which Romio does not) -- day in and day out -- see, for example, thangkas painted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama's personal thangka artist in Dharamsala, or even more Western-accessible Andy Weber.

AS IMPORTANTLY: I've met Romio Shrestha. He is a player, a wanna-be playboy, and a charlatan -- a cheap imitation of what non-discerning and gullible Westerners will believe a tantric master to be, or a self-appointed swamiji or yogi. When I met Romio the first time, he was at an international WOMEN's peace conference, lurking about, pretending to be a yogi or swami, chanting mantras and "casting spells" on sacred pendants -- all a pretext for the fact that he was stoned out of his gourd.

All he was doing (I saw this, first-hand) was smoking pot in a hotel room designated for the media production team -- trying to pick up women!!!

Romio tried to come on to me by chanting the Ganesha mantra while holding and offering to me a cheap fake silver Ganesh pendant. I recognized the pendant instantly as identical to the handfuls of pendants I had picked up on my many trips to India, dozens of years previously. The main problem for Romio was twofold: (1) I am intimately familiar with the Ganesh mantra -- Ganesh is one of my protector deities!; and (2) as a longtime practitioner of a Kriya Pranayam meditation practice, a longtime Tibetan Tantric practitioner (I keep my samaya), and with live-wire activated Kundalini, I am INTIMATELY familiar with energy player PRETENDERS.

As soon as I chanted the Ganesha mantra back to him, Heart wide-open, staring him directly in the eyes the whole time -- he scurried away, like a cockroach does when the light is turned on.

I bear Romio no ill will. Romio is, ultimately, pretty harmless to most people (except pretty young things, whom he will try to pick up by his pretense of being a "tantric master.") He's got trickster energy -- which can actually be quite fun, when it's recognized and acknowledged as such by the person who is the container for it (rather than some kind of "high teacher" egoic pretense). The bottom line is that he has NO genuine spiritual juice, NO genuine foundation in Tibetan tantric practices, and he is FAR from being a genuine spiritual master, of any kind.

The art he helps bring into the world is beautiful. But his schtick? Kindly stated, it's mundane at best.

Things are never as they seem . . . especially where spiritual materialism is concerned.

Thanks for listening -- to my humble opinion, of course! :)

I have a modest collection of new, good-quality Thangka ($150 to $400, up to 25"), but the quality of the Thangka displayed in this collection are beyond my price and size range. If you are considering buying a Thangka, get this book first to see how high the bar can go. No faded antiques here. For the most part the book's format is one page text, one page painting, but some intricate Thangka such as the "Wheel of Life" are broken down and explained in more detail.

The near poster sized book of mandalas is truly perfect for the subject. Traditionally done in sand to mirror the transcient nature of life and beauty, this book is wonderful to behold. One can easily frame the individual plates but it's not merely a bound poster book. The text is nicely written and informative. The mandalas are really first rate, so intricate and detailed, that they transcend even beauty. It's surprisingly heavy (nice glossy paper) for a book that is the thickness of a children's book. Best displayed open to your favorite page.

One of the treasures that any library MUST have, I bought the book last summer and read it at different occasions, each time I read the book, I start to have different senses and feelings about the stories of the book.

No matter how you start reading this book, one would learn valuable insights. I started reading the book from the beginning and jumped to the end and moved to the middle of the book and found myself getting more hooked up withing the story lines.

The characters of this book are fabulous and out-spoken, even though the author of the book is trying to introduce the lessons and experiences via some imaginary people, one may realize that those characters are responding back to him/her.

Although I am from Saudi Arabia where I was raised in a unique culture, values and backgrounds, I found my self very compatible with the values and ethics that this books introduces.

I recall one occasion when I had a long waiting hours at an air port, I could not get my eyes out of the book and was about to miss my flight:).

With this book, I assure you that your life and expectations of it will be more meaningful and purposeful.

Abdullah Almintashry
Riyadh City
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

I started reading this book when I was flying to Europe and the first part "Ashes" had really profound impact on me and I was not able to control my tears.

"The Brook represents the Universal Flow of actions. The flow of thoughts constitutes the mind and the flow of actions constitutes the life."

There are so many lessons that can be earned from this book. It makes you think and understand what the purpose of life is. It sets you free to find out who you really are, what you really want, where your passions are, and how you can get there. This is a kind of book that I will turn to again and again whenever I need some inspiration.

Regardless of where you are in your life, I suggest that you read this book, with a pen in hand to write down what you are feeling and thinking.

Thank you Dr. Prem Chopra for this wonderful book!

Neslihan Alp, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
College of Engineering
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

This book summarizes life as the author wrote:

"Life ends--even as we live assuming it will go on forever. Everything flows and changes--all the time!"

In my opinion, this is the theme of the book, which was written in a simple yet so rich of wisdom manner.

To understand this book, the author gives us his and other people experience throughout time based on common believe of all good people of all relegions and believes.

This book can be read as a story with many meanings, as wisdom text book, or as guidance to life book. Every time I read this book I found new great meanings, new wonderful ideas, and a good way to relax ...

When reading this book you feel you know the author as a close friend, as great teacher, or an excellent leader.

As a reader and a writer, this book has already helped me a lot in many ways, especially enriching my knowledge and philosophy of life and wisdom.

One can also read here about all good people having similar believes of the great powerful Creator behind all creations!

This book summarizes life as the author wrote:

"Life ends--even as we live assuming it will go on forever. Everything flows and changes--all the time!"

In my opinion, this is the theme of the book, which was written in a simple yet so rich of wisdom manner.

To understand this book, the author gives us his and other people experience throughout time based on common believe of all good people of all relegions and believes.

This book can be read as a story with many meanings, as wisdom text book, or as guidance to life book.

Every time I read this book I found new great meanings, new wonderful ideas, and a good way to relax ...

When you read this book you feel you know the author as a close friend, as great teacher, or an excellent leader.

As a reader and a writer, this book has already helped me a lot in many ways, especially enriching my knowledge and philosophy of life and wisdom.

One can also read here about all good people having similar believes of the great powerful Creator behind all creations!

In a simple and straight-forward style, this book offers universal truths found in eastern philosophy which will resonate with people of all faiths providing clear evidence of the oneness of God. One can find layers of meaning in the wisdom imparted in this book which includes practical guidance about life, love, detachment and contentment.

Without preaching, Chopra conveys lessons in spirituality, morality and psychology cleverly woven together with the story of one young man's journey which provides examples of practical applications of the insights offered. Chopra's book shows how one can learn to live purposely and achieve success and fulfillment in their business and personal lives by making choices and decisions thoughtfully rather than reacting on emotions.

In following the guidance for understatnding the "flow" of life's journey, one can gain confidence, achieve freedom from fear, and embark on a self-discovery mission.

This is a great read for people interested in Bollywood. It not only tells the tale of one of the most popular actors in the film industry, ShahRukh Khan, but it also puts his history in the context of Bollywood's history. It is a great combination of in-depth information and socio-cultural analysis of Bollywood and ShahRukh Khan's life. It is extremely well written-interesting, poignant, and funny. For those who already know a lot about Bollywood or for those who are completely new to it, this is a great book for both kinds of people. I loved it and I highly recommend it. :)

If you are starting to get interested in Bollywood cinema and/or Shah Rukh Khan then this book will not dissapoint you.

I fell in love with the Bollywood cinema in August 2005. After watching hundreds of movies I felt a hunger to know more, to understand what makes it tick, what lies behind the colour, drama, music and obsession with Indian movie stars. I was looking forward to "King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema"-it sounded most promising. When I got hold of the book (thanks to Amazon)I couldn't put it down. I devoured every page, every bit of information-loved everything about it. I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in Indian Cinema, you will find it to be a fascinating insight into what makes the industry so alluring and powerful.

Bollywoodmania is an addiction. For Westners that will discover and appreciate it in the next years (and be sure they will!) it is the disclosure of a fairytale world of moviemaking that was there all the time but that we simply didn't know. Well, when this will happen the first and probably most important gateway will be the actor and the movies interpreted by Shahrukh Khan. And after having seen some of these, no one will be able to resist curiosity on this great actor.

Anuparma Chopra is a member of the Chopra family that makes up the establisment of Bollywood and is also an estimated journalist. From her priviledged point of view she has written this biography of the still young King Khan integrating his personality with the history of Bollywood cinema in the last 20-30 years. Naturally, the biography is authorized and as such may not contain episodes that are not consistent with the image modern Bollywood and Shahrukh Khan want to convey. All the less, there is a sincerity that transpires throughout the book and allows the reader to connect with the actor and his environment.

The first part on the youth of the actor is full of episodes and sometimes takes on a mythical aspect, but that is a common feature of all biographies. The chapters on the later years are a little sketchy and skip many well known facts. But we must not forget that this book has and will have a different impact on Indians or the Indian-culture public and "Westner's". The Author wanted to write about something new or at least not well known to her main public, that practically reads at least two or three articles a day on Shahrukh Khan. Reading the Indian reviews of the book that criticize the small amount of new information this aspect is very evident.

The book's point of force is the analysis of the reasons for Shahrukh Khan's success, that trascend the actor's talent and are deeply rooted in the transformation of Indian society and how modern Indians envision themselves in these years. An important weight is correctly given to the directors (Chopra and Johar) that have created Shahrukh's winning image and cinema personality, while some movies and directors he also worked with are only mentioned.

The bibliography is quite extensive for a short biography such as this and cites many interesting books on Bollywood cinema. A filmography of the actor is missing and I would have appreciated a brief comment on his less well known movies.

I suggest to read this book even if you are not a Shahrukh fan just to be updated on modern entertainment and on the reasons and pulsions that contribute to create our "collective imagination".

Title: King of Bollywood
Author: Anupama Chopra
ISBN: 978-0-446-57858-5
Publisher: Warner Books
Review By: Diana Rohini LaVigne, Indian Life & Style Magazine

Packed with scrumptious lesser known facts of one of, if not the top Bollywood actor of modern day, Shah Rukh Khan, King of Bollywood is a fun book to read and fun book to share. Being one of the most talked about personalities in the world today, SRK is a legend already but King of Bollywood feeds the hunger of his fans globally on what is the man like behind the mask of superstar.

Although it shies away from some of the less flattering aspects of the actor's life and lifestyle, it does deliver some notions of challenges faced, failures along the way and allows readers to travel from his days as a penniless boy traveling to Bombay on a whim to the grand master of marketing and box office smashes. His story is so extraordinary and almost bigger than life, but Anupama Chopra tells the story in a way that allows fans to follow along and relate their own personal struggles to those of the actor's. Expertly written, King of Bollywood puts SRK's life into chronological order while recalling old memories into current day stories for insight into his physiological make up. Chopra really works on getting the actor's words into the book and calls on friends and family to help build the story from outside his prospective.

There is no doubt that Shah Rukh Khan is a master at the game of Bollywood and the art of persistence. King of Bollywood tells the tale of a boy, turned into a husband, who becomes the actor he always dreamed of being and then remaining the man he always was at heart. This wonderfully written book will provide entertainment to Bollywood lovers around the world and for ages to come.

Dr. Simon's has written a book that everybody must read that is having issues with cancer. This book helped me and my family through a terribly hard time and turned the experience into a great learning experience that left me and my family healthy and happy. Dr. Simon's wise words will provide much needed comfort and assurance on many levels to those who's life has errupted into un-immaginable chaos. It is a well-written treasure not only for advice but for those trying to lead a more integrated life. This book is a must read for anybody that has spiritual or medical questions concerning cancer or life in general.

Dr. Simon has shared insights into healing that take into account the coventional and integrative approaches to healthcare. He reminds us that we have entered into a phase of medicine that needs to consider a person's conscious awareness of health, so the appropriate modalities of care can be administered. David Simon utilizes eastern and western knowledge to make his work thorough and comprehensive. He takes into account the need for practicioners to be sensetive to the direction(s) a patient finds meaningful in their movement toward wholeness. This emphasis on consciousness incorporated in healthcare is a movement toward modern medicine paralleling the evolution of our time. I also recommend: What the Dying Teach Us: Lessons on Living by Samuel Oliver

This phenomenal book is a must have in a library of self-care literature. It reads easily and resonates with truth, leaving a profound impact. I recently returned from a week seminar with Dr. David Simon at the Deepak Chopra Wellness Institute in La Jolla,CA. My personal experience was transformational. I not only walked away with concrete, tangible tools to work with my cancer, I also deepened my relationship with myself and was taught many loving ways to embrace and empower myself through this difficult time in my life.

The nurturing environment was so safe and invitational to self-discovery of each individuals particular experience with cancer. I strongly recommend anyone facing cancer to invest in themselves with this wonderful program.

Dr. Simon's book addresses many of the issues that are so often not dealt with by modern conventional cancer treatment centers. Too often cancer patient feel as if their real needs are not being met by doctors and hospitals. Dr. Simon focuses on treating the person, not just the diseasse. His books creates an entirely new perspective for the cancer patient by simply remembering that they are a person. He addresses the emotional issues cancer patients face as well as treatments for common side effects caused by conventional treatment. His advice on nutrition, sensory tools for healing, and assessing alternative treatment modalities is easily succint, but very insightful. Futthermore, his five day seminar lets you explore these issues much deeper. Realizing that I am much more than the sum of my phsyical parts is an important gift that Dr. Simon has helped to give me.

The book is easy to follow and interpret even if you are new to this type of thinking. After reading the book I was so motivated to find a way to heal my own spirit while facing cancer treatment that I decided to attend the one week program called Return to Wholeness at the Chopra Center for Well Being in LaJolla CA. I highly recomend the book and program outlined in the book to anyone who is facing the challanges of cancer treatment.