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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
74 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"We're cloudbusting Daddy!",
By A Customer
This review is from: A Book of Dreams (Hardcover)
"I still dream of Organon"...goes the song 'Cloudbusting' by Kate Bush. That is how we discovered this moving, if somewhat curious, book. The Book of Dreams tells the true story of a man (Peter Reich) recalling (through a series of flashbacks) his close and loving relationship with his father - the famous scientist Wilhelm Reich. Wilhelm Reich was at the forefront of scientific thinking on human sexuality and, in particular, the 'Cosmic Orgone Energy Theory' in the 1930s and '40s. He wrote many books on the subject, including the then enlightening 'The function of the Orgasm.' He also experimented with various forms of energy, attempting to capture 'Orgone' - energy in its purest form. Together with his young son, Peter, he went on to build a machine that could affect cloud formations, capture 'Orgone' and, to all intents and purposes, make clouds rain. Although the book touches on many interesting scientific ideas, the book concentrates mostly on Peters memories, on the love, devotion and encouragement he received from his father. On his father's insistence that he stay in touch with his feelings and not become hard like most people in the world -hardness in people, Reich senior believed, made people ill. He didn't want Peter to suffer from that illness as he grew up. Reich senior was later arrested for his beliefs and his experiments and died soon after in prison. Much of his research was destroyed by 'the authorities,' leaving a (still) young Peter with only his memories, most of which as an adult he could only recall through his dreams. Informative, gripping and eminently readable.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beautiful memoir,
This review is from: Book of Dreams (Paperback)
Even though it's a pricy out-of-print book, A Book of Dreams is worth the money. The language is beautiful and the way the story unfolds is really great. I should have bought this ten years ago--if you're on the fence, just do it. Peter Reich perfectly captures the experiences of dreams and childhood.
But I have to disagree with the comments about Patti Smith's lyrics. I just finished the book and looked up her lyrics, and they don't seem to be Peter's words at all. If they were, she would have known that Peter rode on the tractor with Tom, not Wilhelm. She just loosely bases the song on this story.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You Must Be Brave,
By
This review is from: Book of Dreams (Paperback)
A son's memories of his father, Wilhelm Reich, during his last years. At times you feel as though you are standing next to Dr. Reich as he shares his feelings, saying to his son "I may be killed. You must be brave."
Peter's memory of the FDA Agents, who came to Organon to supervise the destruction of the Orgone Accumulators, is particularly stunning and vivid--YOU ARE THERE. Kate Bush's song, Cloudbusting, is based on this book.
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