Rating: 5/5
This is a fantastic book. Not just the content and Sam’s brilliant insights but the whole composition of the book itself. Apparently it includes parts of Sam’s PhD thesis so it does get a little academic at times. But even then it is a pleasure to read. I also really like how the author weaves his own experiences throughout, often with impeccable wit!
Even the acknowledgement section moved me and I felt admiration for this man. Harris is a bold and courageous thinker who has a very strong command of the written word.
Although the book itself is a non-fiction literary masterpiece, and will continue to fulfill its goal of bridging the gap between science and spiritually (religion can be discarded), I still personally struggle with this no-self thing. Sam almost makes it an assumption by the end. I get it and at times even perhaps experience it. But fleetingly so.
What a refreshing book in the whole canon of popular science, western thought and spirituality. I wish more thought leaders would treat their ideas with the kind of careful clarity that Sam does, without the woowoo or coddling.
His app is great too! I use it on most days and have the lifetime subscription because I was there from the start. I recommend it to everyone I know who seems to be suffering from the usual plight of the human condition. Without a consistent meditation/mindfulness practise, one has no business complaining about their predicament. You can run from truth, but you cannot hide.
I truly admire this man as a writer, speaker, thinker, and human. And he also got me into all this stuff back in 2007 when I read End of Faith and found the recommended books section on his website. So for that I owe Sam my eternal gratitude.
That said, this path is not for the faint of heart. Nor for the intellectual lazy. True spirituality (like science) will expose all your biases and lies. It will also uncover the profound joy and beauty that rests within every living being.
Fuck yeah!