Illusions

Rating:
Summary: Truly inspiring
Review: By far one of the best books I've ever read

Rating:
Summary: touches your soul
Review: One of the most amazing books I've ever read. A good story on it's own, but Mr. Bach forces the reader to open their mind to a new way of seeing faith and life

Rating:
Summary: Life's most perfect parable. An inspired gift to us all.
Review: Illusions is a rare and refreshing splash of perfection in an overcrowded sea of metaphysical wannabes. No reviewer's words could possibly do it justice. Read it once a year and it's a different book each time. Give a copy to everyone you love. They'll thank you. Profusely. I promise.

Rating:
Summary: One of those rare books that really could change your life.
Review: The story is short and simple, with engaging characters and funny situations, and teaches us about people, our lives, and the interactions we call friendship. In other words, it does everything a parable is supposed to do, and it does it well. Through the 1st person perspective of Richard, we meet a "messiah," Donald, who has become frustrated preaching to the masses because no one is willing to think for him/herself. He begins to instruct Richard in how thoughts and beliefs really do control our lives and that ultimately we are each responsible for ourselves. Donald's teachings are almost certain to provide insight into your life and friendships and the power you have to make them better. The truisms presented are inspirational without being pedantic or obscure. It is definitely one of those books that changed me and that I will refer back to throughout my life.

For similar stories, see Bach's _Jonathan Livingston Seagull_ and Max Ehrmann's free verse "Desiderata."

Rating:
Summary: Your life won't be the same, it will be BETTER!
Review: ILLUSIONS, by Richard Bach, was THE book that helped me live a better life for the REST of my life. Within its pages, you can find the strength to take control of your life and take it in directions you'd only dreamed of before. Through the adventure the author and the "messiah" that comes to him share, the reader is revealed the secrets of happiness, acceptance, and of not only assuming responsibility for one's life, but for taking the steps to make it a more vibrant and productive experience than you would ever have thought possible. This is a book I return to again and again for inspiration and the simplicity of enjoying life. I welcome any questions from anyone on this book and my heartfelt recommendation of it. Mike Weiner ([e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: Your life won't be the same, it will be BETTER!
Review: ILLUSIONS, by Richard Bach, was THE book that helped me live a better life for the REST of my life. Within its pages, you can find the strength to take control of your life and take it in directions you'd only dreamed of before. Through the adventure the author and the "messiah" that comes to him share, the reader is revealed the secrets of happiness, acceptance, and of not only assuming responsibility for one's life, but for taking the steps to make it a more vibrant and productive experience than you would ever have thought possible. This is a book I return to again and again for inspiration and the simplicity of enjoying life. I welcome any questions from anyone on this book and my heartfelt recommendation of it. Mike Weiner ([e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding read... with a punch!
Review: I've read Illusions easily 30 or more times. It's a book that should be on everyone's list. And, unless you are a religious zealot, you will surely find the book entertaining and stimulating.

First of all, regardless of the message, the book is very well written and enjoyable. Moreover, it was written long before the "new age" trend and "dime-a-dozen" inspirational stories, so it's not written with the intent to sell you on a new self-help plan.

In this story (as in most of his stories), Bach tries to enlighten readers that maybe life is not as complicated as is often thought. Everyday, from religion to politics, we are constantly presented with the message that life is difficult and you had better follow the highly complex set of rules that governs what you are, where you will go and how you had better get there. In Bach's story, however, the reluctant messiah learns a new perspective. Maybe, he comes to find, he already has the answers to his life, or at least the answers to how to pursue a good life... if he would just stop listening to his pre-conceived ideas of limit and complication.

I highly suggest reading the book. I also highly suggest remembering the book is fiction! Think about the message and concepts. Instead of trying to "vaporize clouds," try maybe to vaporize some of your problems. And, instead of walking the world professing a new faith or perspective on "God" after being inspired by Bach's ideas, try instead to overcome one of your own, preconceived limits, or re-examine what you've been taught about the

Having met Mr. Bach, hearing him speak and reading every one of his books multiple times, I can assure you he is a real person with real ideas. Moreover, I feel sure that he would agree, that he writes "stories" to help people expand their minds. Too often, his work is misinterpreted to be a "gospel." Instead, in my impression, he simply wants to share new ideas, or as he said, "when he get's an idea, it bothers him until he writes it an let's it go..."

We as humans evolve not from one or two ideas, but from a lifetime of learning. Mr. Bach, in my opinion, is one of those highly insightful individuals who has inspired millions to look at life through a slightly different lens. Mr. Bach's Illusions is a fantastic journey - one of many - on the lifelong road of growing as a person.

I hope you enjoy it!

Rating:
Summary: Still a classic after all these years
Review: When I read the one star review of David R. Aamodt dd Jan 27, 05, I thought to myself: "What a wonderful world"; how diverse us human creatures assess this reality.

I picked up my copy of Illusions dating back to Dec 1977 and browsed through it again, to see what I have missed. My copy is full of comments and underlined inspirational thoughts that grabbed my mind every time I read from the book.

All I can say to David is : The saddest day in a mans life is the day they kill your Fairies and Puff the Magic Dragon and Don Shimoda. For in this real World of stainless Steele and Plastic and God -Dollar we need these characters of mystical powers, albeit how "bizarre", to keep us connected to our ultimate power:: The ability to fantasize.

Having somehow survived life since the birth of Illusions I often still swim in the dirt, revive insects from the windshield and do all kind of silly things like "pushing my arm through the wall" etc. I am so happy you reminded me not to forsake the child in me.


Rating:
Summary: Truly amazing
Review: I read the book several times and suggested this to many of my friends and most of them loved it. It's a timeless book. Worth having though published more than 25 years back.

Rating:
Summary: The worst book I've ever accidentally read.
Review: Okay. So it has been a while since I've read Bach's ridiculous little story about some airplane flying Saviour. But... in an attempt to dissaude young innocents from getting seduced by its metaphysics I am compelled to make a statement. As far as I can tell, this book is about how you can do anything you want if you just try and feel good. Okay, I'll go with that. But is it really necessary to have ten page passages about how you can fly if you just 'free your mind' and get all into magical creatures? I don't think so. Even under the assumption that it is an enchanting narrative about self-esteem and enlightenment through Om, it still seems to crash and burn miserably (you know, like an airplane). It reminds me of a community college student I heard asking "how do you know you can't stick your arm through a wall? huh? Its just because *they* tell us we can't, that we can't not stick our arm through a wall, or something." I don't know about you, but as far as I can tell, that actually doesn't mean ANYTHING. I think that might be a direct quote from the book actually. You get the idea.