The Dermis Probe [Paperback]

Idries Shah (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1989

The Dermis Probe is a study of impediments in current thought that block higher forms of understanding between people. The space-age sounding title was suggested over 800 years ago by "The Blind Ones and the Elephant," a story immortalized in Rumi's Mathnavi.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"... a mind stretcher ..." -- New York Times Book Review, May 7, 1971

"... easy to read but difficult to describe ... the sublimal effect is gently fey, subtly pervasive and deeply penetrating." -- Evening News, July 22, 1970

"...draws upon the almost inexhaustible store of Sufi tradition and writings...It is deftly done, in the true Sufi tradition." -- The Times Literary Supplement, August 7, 1970

"A major psychological and cultural event of our time." -- Psychology Today

"Highly entertaining collection of anecdotes and stories from the Way of Sufism ... which has many lessons for the West." -- Manchester Evening News, July 29, 1970

"Illuminating, challenging thought and perception, deceptively entertaining stories ..." -- National Herald Magazine, July 1970

"Illuminating, challenging thought and perception, deceptively entertaining stories ..." -- National Herald Magazine, July 1970

"The most interesting books in the English language." -- Saturday Review

"The stories are beautifully told, sententious and sharp-nosed ... an example of ancient non-linear thinking ..." -- The Irish Press, August 14, 1970

About the Author

As the urgency of our global situation becomes apparent, more and more readers are turning to the books of Idries Shah (1924-1996) as a way to train new capacities and new ways of thinking.

Shah has been described as "the most significant worker adapting classical spiritual thought to the modern world." His lively, contemporary books have sold over 15 million copies in 12 languages worldwide and have been awarded many prizes. They have been reviewed by The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Times, The Tribune, The Telegraph, and numerous other international journals and newspapers.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 191 pages
• Publisher: Octagon Press, Limited (December 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0863040454
• ISBN-13: 978-0863040450
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,473,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories, and something more., July 16, 2001

By 

Bill McLaurin (Kernersville, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dermis Probe (Paperback)

Those not already familiar with the works of Idries Shah have a real treat in store, a treat that includes an entirely new way to understand the sources and uses of stories. This collection is certainly entertaining--by turns hilarious and thought provoking. In addition, it provides readers with the chance to determine for themselves if carefully crafted material like this can also develop new capacities for non-linear thinking. Enjoy!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Dermis Probe Contains a Kind of 'Magic', July 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Dermis Probe (Paperback)

The Dermis Probe offers its readers a chance to look at the way they look at things. In so doing, restrictions that hamper thought and vision become readily apparent, and an opportunity to use the mind in a way that bypasses these restrictions becomes available. So The Dermis Probe is more than just another book one dips into to derive entertainment and enjoyment. Although the stories, extracts and commentaries are certainly enjoyable and interesting, they carry within them a kind of 'magic' that works on the mind to expose itself to itself so that it can work better and more efficiently. The Dermis Probe therefore recommends itself to any reader who wishes to explore the terrain of himself or herself to arrive at a greater understanding.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Expectation alone is useless. The expector must be informed.", October 2, 2008

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Dermis Probe (Paperback)

There used to be a person I knew who recommended Idries Shah for me. This was several years ago. I wasn't terribly enthusiastic, but I picked up a copy second-hand and it's been sitting there since then on my shelves, looking at me. Our trip to Switzerland this summer seemed like the perfect time to finally get to the book, so I brought it along.

First, it begins with an extremely annoying retelling of the Blind Men and the Elephant anecdote, which is presumably retold this way both to give this book a modern feel and to get the reader to Look At the Story Differently. It is really a shame that it starts there because it sets a tone for the rest of the book that was fairly hard for me to get past as a reader.

And, actually, the rest of the book is quite a bit better. Quite a bit more-- helpful, moving, even at least a little bit inspirational? I found a lot to dig out of the stories, quotations and parables and it really did make me reconsider parts of my life that I hadn't been in the process of actively questioning.

So how did I feel about it when it was finally done? How do I feel about it now? I'm honestly not sure. Like I said, I certainly got something out of it. But on the other hand there was something about it that felt a little too easy-- perhaps even a little bit slick. I nearly feel uneasy about liking it, if that makes any sense. It didn't leave me with as good of a taste as parts of the reading experience might have indicated.

I'll probably pick up another book by Shah if I get a chance. Has anyone out there read his work who has some perspective to offer? Am I just a limited thinker? Or is the evidence of my limited thinking in the parts of the book that I actually liked?

One recommendation-- read the notes along with the stories. It helps.