Rating: 
Summary: The Book is Educational, Self Revealing and Thoughtful
Review: "In Search of Stones" is a book to be enjoyed and savored on many levels. First the book is educational. We accompany Dr. Peck and his wife Lily on a three-week trip through the countryside of Wales, England and Scotland in search of the ancient megalith stones erected by prehistoric people between 4,000 and 1,500 BC. But their obsession with stones also acts as a catalyst for Dr. Pecks exploration of topics such as religion, romance, despair, addiction and peace. We learn about George Fox the 17thC Englishman who founded "The Religious Society of Friends" known today as the Quakers. Fox not only inspired thousands to "see the light of Christ" in each other but also to match his bravery in the face of imprisonment, beatings, illness and hardship. Their silent group meetings could only be broken by anyone who was "moved" to speak by their Inner Light. Secondly the book is autobiographical. We learn about Dr. Peck's fears and shortcomings. Although I was saddened to learn about his sexual infidelities, regular recreational use of marijuana, nicotine addiction and about a "strong habituation to alcohol" I also appreciated his honesty. It took courage to shatter his public image of saintly self-control. In revealing the pain and shame of his own inner space Dr. Peck gives us permission to explore our own unconscious mind. Thirdly, the book is thought provoking and inspirational. Dr. Peck discusses the three prevailing beliefs about good and evil: the denial of evil, the denial of goodness, and the acceptance of good and evil. He endorses the latter and believes that evil was defeated when Jesus died on the cross. Redemption is the simple mop-up operation of what remains. Although I believe evil is another mask of God to teach us unconditional love I appreciate his sharing his thoughts, thereby giving us an opportunity to discover where we stand. Dr. Peck believes integrity is more important than inner peace; apathy, not hate, is the opposite of love; life is full of paradox and that salvation is an ongoing process.
Rating:
Summary: Excelent book about ones thoughts of life
Review: First of all the book is very readable. I was pleased by
how Dr. Peck shows that he is not the superman as people (myself included) might think. His wife and he also have problems and try to solve them as they could.
Book gives Dr. Pecks thoughts about different subjects in life that interest people.
Rating: 
Summary: NOT WHAT I EXPECTED
Review: Having read a couple of Dr Peck's other books, I bought this one hoping to find the best of all worlds (travel, archaeology, religion, and spirituality). I was disappointed on all counts. The 'stones' part was a rapid-fire description of site after site. Because very little is known about the history behind these stones or the people who constructed them, the book becomes a somewhat thinly disguised autobiography (in spite of his denials at the beginning). One must admire Dr Peck's honesty in cataloguing his many physical (smoking, drinking, various health problems)and psychological (marital infidelities, addictions, relationships with his kids, and other) problems. It makes me feel a little more human, but it wasn't what I expected when I bought the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting but self indulgent
Review: I agree with the last reviewer. Too much ego and not enough insight. I read this book a few years ago, and while it's a good read, written in a manner that keeps you moving along, deftly mixing his ruminations on various subjects with his day to day travels, one does notice some glaring contradictions. Like, how can a man supposedly so perceptive and sensitive be oblivious to the terrible physical abuse he heaps on his body? Or the way he describes in detail his wife's struggles with depression, yet seems almost nonchalant about admitting to his decades of adultery (like, gee, maybe there's a LINK there, huh???) and he seems a lot more interested in ancient British rock formations than the fact his own children are apparently estranged from him. There is a quote from St. Augustine about men who admire the mountains and the oceans, but neglect themselves. What Scott Peck needs to do is indulge a little less in the "deep questions of the Universe" and attend to some more down to Earth concerns such as his health and his family.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly honest and insightful
Review: I first read this book some five years ago. It was my first Scott Peck book. I have since read the entire Road Less Traveled series, and others, and I found In Search of Stones to be his best. Frankly, I am quite surprised at some of the negative reviews appearing on this page. A reviewer suggested that Dr. Peck should feel shamed at his infidelity. It takes a great deal of courage to openly admit our mistakes, as Dr. Peck has done. He made willing changes in his behavior, and therefore deserves forgiveness. Perhaps other couples experiencing similar difficulties could take a lesson from him. His honesty makes the work all the more endearing. The book could easily be considered an authoritative work on the megalithic sites of Great Britain--a facinating subject. The journey through Great Britain and Dr. Peck's observations parallel beautifully with the journey of life. I recommended this book to a friend as she wanted something to read during a two week trip to Turkey--she loved it! The first 20 or so pages sing of ego--but right after he admits his infidelity, the book glides along beautifully.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly honest and insightful
Review: I first read this book some five years ago. It was my first Scott Peck book. I have since read the entire Road Less Traveled series, and others, and I found In Search of Stones to be his best. Frankly, I am quite surprised at some of the negative reviews appearing on this page. A reviewer suggested that Dr. Peck should feel shamed at his infidelity. It takes a great deal of courage to openly admit our mistakes, as Dr. Peck has done. He made willing changes in his behavior, and therefore deserves forgiveness. Perhaps other couples experiencing similar difficulties could take a lesson from him. His honesty makes the work all the more endearing. The book could easily be considered an authoritative work on the megalithic sites of Great Britain--a facinating subject. The journey through Great Britain and Dr. Peck's observations parallel beautifully with the journey of life. I recommended this book to a friend as she wanted something to read during a two week trip to Turkey--she loved it! The first 20 or so pages sing of ego--but right after he admits his infidelity, the book glides along beautifully.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointingly egotistic book.
Review: I was disappointed with this book. The concept of using an actual journey to illuminate the journey of life itself is a good one, except that in this case the author's considerable ego gets in the way of the provocative ideas he presents. I found his thoughts on aging, peace, and despair particularly perceptive, but by the time I got to them, I was so irritated with him that I had to force myself to read on. There is just way too much Soctt Peck in here. He goes beyond using himself as an example to illustrate points he is making. I don't need to know about his teeth flossing habits, for instance, and I wonder how many others are interested? I was interested in the stones he visited and the lessons he learned from them, as well as in his thoughts on the reason for their existence. I was also interested in the influences that shaped his life, but I thought much of the book was simply self-indulgent. And in the case of his adultery, smoking, and drinking, almost arrogant. He explains at length why he indulges (or indulged) in these behaviors and seems to expect the reader to understand and accept, but I was offended by the fact that he focuses only on himself and seems oblivious to the effect of his behavior on others. I expected more compassion and understanding from the author of "The Road Less Traveled." In short, I think Scott Peck writes movingly about the search for meaning that is universal, but he interferes with his message by giving in to his ego too often.
Rating:
Summary: Deep insight, travel & autobiography masterfully blended.
Review: If you're a Scott Peck fan just buy this and read it - it's great. Here Scott Peck blends the story of his and Lily Peck's three week journey through Wales, England and Scotland looking for ancient megalithic stones, with profound insights on life and living and enough stories from his life to make it semi- autobiographical. Each chapter covers a day of their journey (the outward search for meaning and mystery) interwoven with a discussion on various aspects of life (the inward search) after which each chapter is named. These include Reason, Romance, Ageing, Death, Parenthood, Money, and Peace to name but a few (20 in all). For those familiar with Sott Peck, this intimate sharing of his life should prove most rewarding. In fact, with startling honesty and humility Scotty unequivocally removes himself from any pedestal on which many may have placed him. Still he emerges as a gifted man of great insight, his sharing of which, really is a gift to us. I found these triple aspects masterfully blended - a tribute to Scott Peck's considerable talent as a writer. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly educational. Congratulations M. Scott Peck - an excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: Deep insight, travel & autobiography masterfully blended.
Review: If you're a Scott Peck fan just buy this and read it - it's great. Here Scott Peck blends the story of his and Lily Peck's three week journey through Wales, England and Scotland looking for ancient megalithic stones, with profound insights on life and living and enough stories from his life to make it semi-
autobiographical. Each chapter covers a day of their journey
(the outward search for meaning and mystery) interwoven with a discussion on various aspects of life (the inward search) after
which each chapter is named. These include Reason, Romance, Ageing,
Death, Parenthood, Money, and Peace to name but a few (20 in all).
For those familiar with Sott Peck, this intimate sharing of his life should prove most rewarding. In fact, with startling honesty and humility Scotty unequivocally removes himself from any pedestal
on which many may have placed him. Still he emerges as a gifted man of great insight, his sharing of which, really is a gift to us.
I found these triple aspects masterfully blended - a tribute to Scott Peck's considerable talent as a writer. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly educational. Congratulations M. Scott Peck - an excellent
book.
Rating:
Summary: Gentle Exploration of Life
Review: In this book M. Scott Peck explores megalithic structures in the British Isles and the structures of his own life. These pages consist of "Scotty" considering the meaning he mines from his past, triggered by events and experiences on this journey. He invites the reader to observe his inner process, his soul-work against a backdrop of mysterious stones, giant monuments from days gone buy--somehow a fitting metaphor for the monuments of his psyche, which he explores in a way that helped me to see myself in bolder relief.Not a travelogue. Not a book of archaelogy. A spiritual journal that's not explicitly religious. A sacred quest--challenged not by fiery dragons, but by draconian bits of the author's life. He has the courage to reach this Grail: A Wise Man reflecting on his experiences, making them accessible, along with his wisdom, to those who care to share this road less travelled. (If you enjoyed this review, please leave positive feedback. You can find my other reviews, or email me by following the link "about me" above. Thanks!)
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