Rating: 
Summary: A Very Inspiring Book - If the Reader is Ready
Review: The real difficulty is not in understanding the popularity this book has achieved. This simply-presented book speaks of the desirability of love, self-understanding, compassion, spiritual evolution, and a multitude of other worthwhile and mature ideals. That so many are interested in these things enough to purchase the book is good. Upon reading all of the previous reviews, the difficulty I perceive is in the intractible cynicism of those who most strongly lambast the book. Alas, there is an unmistakeable lack of profound meaning and joy in most of their caustic writings, only the frantic agitation of spiritual atrophy hiding behind aggressive quasi-logic. Cynicism is the spiritual rot of the modern age. Redfield's book presents a delightful vision of hope. Perhaps the many negative reviews in these reactionarily negative times speak highly of his message, and thus serve to reinforce it. The best books of hundreds I've read in all areas of knowledge nearly always are given many 1's on this site's reviews. Nowdays I read the review for subtle signs of wisdom and maturity from the reviewer as an indicator of whom to be guided by. By nature, the crude seldom understand the fine, only the crude. This book did put more happiness into my life, and helped me to improve myself in several significant ways. I would recommend it to those who really feel a sense of profound awe while walking in the forest. It may be of less benefit to those who haven't yet reached a point of finding some deeper peace in their souls to begin with. (We see the release of frustration by those individuals in their reviews. The need to steal energy from others, perhaps, as the book talks about?) On the other hand, we see many glimmerings of peacefulness in the words of those who most strongly praised the book. That is good. "Ye shall know them by the fruits they bear", as another mixed-review book I read on one occasion said.
Rating:
Summary: You will only see what you are looking for.
Review: After reading this book, recommended to me by a friend, I found it to very closely reflect my ideas, beliefs and philosophies on life. This in turn allowed me to validate what I have thought for many years. Although I was slightly disappointed to find out that my insights and beliefs I have developed completely on my own were not original, I was relieved to find that there is at least enough of an interest in it to make me not feel like I was the only one feeling this way. After reading many other reviews of this book I can understand why some people would look at this book like a massive failure of literature. If you were looking at The Celestine Prophesies as a fun adventure book or a geat work of fiction then you will be sorely disappointed. This is however a good parable that effectively explains how this particular prophesies belief system is structured and uses the stories, situations and analogies in such a way as to more readily create epiphinies in readers that choose to find the answers. This book is not for everyone, only those interested in seeking something higher and better for themselves, and only if they are willing to be open minded enough to find it.
Rating: 
Summary: Like wading through a swamp of bricks
Review: I only read the first 30 pages of this book before putting it down. To get to this mans so called "Inspiring Ideas" you had to beat yourself over the head. Sorry, it just wasn't any good.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book or Bad Book?
Review: hello. i just wish to *share* my views on this book and i don't represent anybody or beliefs. i read a lot (in fact i have hundreds of books), from books on self-development or motivational by carnegie, hill, stone, ziglar, etc to the silva mind control by silva, to eastern philosophies, to metaphysics, to new age, to religions ....etc as far as i am concerned, there is no good or bad book and there is no good or bad writer......a book serves the purpose of sharing someone's idea or discoveries, or to convey a message or to prove something of a scientific nature or discoveries.... but what is most important is what a reader gets out of a book.......yes, there are many many established writers with great works published ..... but unfortunatley they might be *too deep* for a lot of people....... it does not really matter whether CP is a real account or whether Redfield is a new age advocate.....what is most important is that he has put in very simple, easy to comprehend ways and terms, many subjects of interest that are prevalent today. many of the things he has mentioned, i have studied and researched comprehensively into.......and i have noticed that Redfield succeeded to inspire one to look at them in more detail from other books and references. on top of it all, he has put across the points in very *human* terms .... that we can *feel* as we read along ...... people can be aroused to love our life, nature and the world more.....and yes, God too. a cup that is full can no longer fill any water .... so it is the same with our mind ..... we should read a book with a humble mind and a desire to seek *new* knowledge & insights ..... not as a challenge or an effort to tear others down. well, that's all i have to say ..... i have read many books and i will continue to read till the day i die .... as i have been enriched by all the books i have read and i have become one with the writers .... they are my master, teacher & me. love, bhk
Rating:
Summary: if only there were negative ratings!
Review: This book wonderfully comines the following:
-Poor character development
-Forced dialog, to the point of laughter at times
-Weak plot
While it did contain some mildly interesting ideas, a two page essay could do them more justice than R.'s poor authoring ability. Since I am in denial as to such a poor book becoming so popular among what I thought were enlightened crowds, I look elseware to find a rationale for its genisis.
Rating:
Summary: Caveat Emptor
Review: I found most of the reviews of this book far more entertaining than the book itself. Yes, it is a truly awful piece of work, but if only I had been able to read these reviews BEFORE I made this ludicrous purchase! Reviewers bemoan the fact that this book is a best seller, yet did my book seller warn me that I was embarking upon the antithesis of literature? No, they were all too happy to send this snake oil my way (and I thought it was such a cool place). They made it sound like a fun mystery - not like Dick and Jane's insipid search for the meaning of life. What people will do to make a buck... There may be something here for some readers but it is very hard (impossible in this case) to forgive the poor writing.
Rating: 
Summary: The Celestine Prophecy
Review: The only thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the writing was awful. But really, that is irrelevant. The important thing here is the message. From what I have read of the reviews people either ate it up or could hardly stand to finish the book in the first place. The concepts that are mentioned in the nine insights are sound, but hardly origional. I find myself wanting to believe much of what the author has written, but I doubt that any of us would live long enough to experience the culmination of Redfield's 9th insight. It's worth reading, but I still can't say with any certainty if it's for real. Certainly the psudo-story is not.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent, once in a lifetime !
Review: When an artist (or a human being) takes a really meaningful standpoint, you always find lovers and haters. So, according to all the ratings, there is only one conclusion possible: this book is very valuable. Furthermore, you can only criticize this book, after you have practiced the insights. I can promise you, that will be the most valuable experience in your life. Besides, most people who rated this book with '1', have a very lenghty comment. Do you now understand why? Make your own judgement. Good luck!
Rating:
Summary: James Redfield must be stopped!
Review: I hope they make a time machine before I die so I can go back in time and PREVENT Redfield from writing this book. Come on, Redfield! ANY high school English teacher would have MADE you rewrite this book with characters that have DEPTH and a PLOT. This was supposed to be a story, RIGHT? Granted the "insights" have some interest I suppose. Although you (Redfield) could have wrote the insights down on ONE PIECE OF PAPER and stood on the corner handing them out. Wouldn't make any money would you, Redfield. If your "insights" are so damn important why didn't you write them down in some fancy brochure and mail them out? And who are the editors who "okayed" this book? Their writing must be just as bad. And on top of all this there is a tenth insight?!?! HERE'S AN INSIGHT TO ALL POTENTIAL BUYERS OF THIS BOOK >>> DO NOT! <<. I REPEAT, DO NOT! Do not WASTE your MONEY! Every reviewer who ripped on this book are exactly right!!
Rating:
Summary: Toilet paper
Review: It's been a pleasure to skim over other peoples' reviews and see that the majority felt, as I did, that this book was incredibly poorly written and shallow. I kept wondering, even halfway through the book, when I was finally going to see some meat to this story. Instead I was led by the hand through this character's so-called "journey," told that he experienced great enlightenment, although not encouraged to experience that with him, and generally cheated of any meaningful experience whatsoever. I think that "A reader in Seattle, WA," who posted on 9/4/97, described the shortcomings of this book really well, check out his review, too!
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