Customer Reviews

Mutant Message from Forever : A Novel of Aboriginal Wisdom

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Marlo Morgan's second volume is captivating by its sheer, simple beauty right from the first page. I thought her first book was entertaining,educational and haunting. I enjoyed this one even more; it is quite different, though the lessons similar. I am happy to note that the "civilised" world is finally coming around to those ancient truths. I found the scene of the twin's birth absolutely breathtaking and glorious - what a way to begin a book! Throughout the book it seems clear that the two are destined to meet again and I almost dreaded the "cliche ending" I felt was bound to come. I was wrong. I could not have imagined a better and less expected ending. Brilliant! BRAVO! I plan to read this book again some day and have just obtained the first book so I may re-read it. Whether you read this as fiction (as some claim) or truth (as most believe) - it matters not. The spiritual messages are clear, true, universal, sound, loving and beautiful. Is that not what matters most?

because I think it is badly written fiction which I cannot believe is based on any kind of fact based research. Yet the author is seemingly representing the "teaching" herein as "aboriginal". She does the Indigenous people of Australia and the reading public a grave disservice by continuing to represent herself as someone who is a "messenger" for this culture. There is nothing wrong with the lessons themselves, and no doubt they are appealing to the New Age fan, but it is arrogant to continue making money by tapping into a Western love of the "other" and exploiting a people who have asked her to stop it. She publicly apologized to eight Aboriginal elders in January of 1996 but she continues to capitalize on the midleading impression that her first book was reality based. In this book she prints a picture of herself with Burnum Burnum who publicly severed ties with her and the first book in March of 1996 in a statement wherein he made it clear that he is was a non-initiated, non-traditional, urbanised Aboriginal from the East Coast of Australia. Since he passed away in 1997 he cannot protest her exploiting his image. Anyone who is interested in what actual Aboriginals have to say about this woman and her "message" should check out the Dumbartung Aboriginal site and read about the investigation they have done into this woman, her background and her supposed experience with "the tribal people". When this pseudo-anthro fantasy is accepted by the mainstream reading community as the truth a great disservice is being done to Australian Aboriginals who are real people trying to make a place for themselves in a world in which they have been denied equal access. It is deeply disturbing that this exploitation of Indigenous culture continues in the 21st century. My book club selected this book and against my better judgement I purchased it - for that I am truly sorry.

I find this book to be prophetic, for it touches on much of the unnamed 'dis-ease'in our own culture, religions, and time in history. Don't know that I've ever read anything so compelling. Our estrangement from nature has caused its own illness, but we've not yet recognized that to be true. I find this book hopeful, and it's a point of no return, I trust, once it has been read. Integrating its' message personally and communally lies before me. I am a Sister of Mercy, so the poor portrayal of my own community hurts. I acknowledge the weakness and brokenness in me and in all of us, and would like to know from Marlo why she chose us to be the callous people we appeared to be in the book. It was difficult to read lots of it because of my love for my community, and at the same time, I am very aware it is time for humility among all of us as a people that we've not prior lived. The portrayal of Caucasian European influence was so painful yet not unknown. In our own becoming, we do need to acknowledge the effects on others and ourselves of past/present attitudes and behaviors, so we can reclaim, as for the first time, our own dearness. It feels like a long road ahead of us, but I'm grateful for the part this novel plays in helping us to see anew. Would like an opportunity to speak with the author. She has a major assignment in our times. Thanks. Bernadette Kinniry, RSM

After reading Ms. Morgans first of her Real People tales, I was left with a sort of warm glow from the lessons contained within the pages, but a little rattled by the heavy handedness. Then I came across the controversy surrounding the actuality of her stated experiences. Still I had liked what she had said in her first book, so I picked up her second. Sadly, I found it to be both a plodding reworking of her first effort that became over burdened with it's own pedantic preachiness. Yes, yes, European man bad, indigenous Australian good. We *got* it the first time. We learn of some of the specific atrocities committed by the acts of the not Real People, but presented in a style that I can only feel was exploitive to Ms. Morgan's own purpose. Cultural jingoism is still jingoismif it purports to be The Answer. I am wholeheartedly against killing puppies, giving hysterectomies to nine year old little girls and ripping babies from their mothers arms. I'm also against high-handed superior lording over others like almost every single European-Australian does in these books. I am all for gratitude and gentle co-habitation with all beings on this planet - but having said that, I got tired of the high handedness of the tones of this book.

I also don't appreciate fiction being passed off as fact. Someone seems to be fooling herself. Either that or we're the chumps. Yann Martel had the decency to present his "Life of Pi" as the fiction it is. I think this makes it even more true. Ms. Morgan may want to consider her own lessons. Always Truth.

(See the Dumbartung Aboriginal site for feedback from Aboriginal Australians to these books)

I started out loving this book; I had read the first book and it was great, but I thought this one would be even better, because she is a really great storyteller. I found the story of the twins intriguing, heartbreaking touching. I was thrilled at the way the story wove between the two separated children. It was quite Dickensian, actually, with good peripheral characters and great descriptive paragraphs and interesting conversations. However, it suddenly changed simply to the girl twin, or rather, it was mostly her story, and though I learned a lot about the aborigine's oppression and want to know more in that vein, I was disappointed that the story became more and more didactic and mostly about the one character. In other words, the second part of the book didn't hold up like the first did. It was as if the author couldn't sustain a truly dramatic story of lost children. I wanted a juicier "tale," if you will.

There are so many truths in the book it is more than a one time read. The spirituality and logic of the Aboriginal teachings are profound in their simplicity. It is a shame our past cultures could not learn from one another rather than destroying the Aboriginal and the Native American ways of life. Very soul searching and rewarding. Riveting story, perhaps a bit didactic in places, but I was ready for the lessons when they were delivered.

This book along with MM's first work is a fake. Listed below is a time-line indicating this authors recent admission. Please do not buy this book and support anyone that would exploit indigenous people. MM is a disgusting human being.
Just "google" the topic if you have any doubts.

1996 Morgan apologises to the Aboriginals - book support retracted
January 26: A delegation of 8 Aboriginal Elders leave for the United States to defend their religion and culture and to block the move by Hollywood executives at United Artists to turn Marlo Morgan's claims into a major motion picture [9, 26]. Morgan sold the film rights for U$1.8 million [11].
January 31: The elders receive an apology. "Morgan admitted for the first time to the eight elders that her work was fiction and a fabrication" [5, 26]. She said: "I would like to say that I'm terribly sorry and my sincere, my sincere apologies to any Australian Aboriginal person if I have offended them in any way." [10]
Dr. John Stanton (Berndt Museum of Anthropology, WA) "said the book contained misleading and damaging information about Aboriginal people" [5]. He was not sure, he said, "whether the damage the book had done to the overseas image of Aboriginal culture, which was complex, diverse and vibrant, could be ever undone." Morgan promised a written apology, which she actually never produced [6].
March 4: Burnum Burnum retracts support for Marlo Morgan [7] in a letter to the Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation [8].


1997 Aboriginals protest during lectures in Japan
March 25: Eggington calls for "Mutant Message" and the books of two other authors to be taken from all Australian bookshelves and destroyed [14].
April 7: Dumbartung coordinates protest against Morgan's lectures in Japan. Eggington and a Bardi Elder travel there, give press conferences and appear painted and with didgeridoo and boomerangs at two venues. Morgan comments that "they represent all that is bad, and I represent all that is good". Eggington and the elders leave Japan on April 21st [26].
August 18: Burnum Burnum dies [8].
In this year another interview is published in the Golden Age (New Age magazine). Lorraine Mafi Williams, "a traditional teacher and custodian of Aboriginal culture and wisdom" talks about whether the journey was authentic and how the Aboriginal community reacted: "I honestly don't think this woman ever took a walk with anyone except perhaps as a tourist on a tour into the outback." [20]


1998 Morgan publishes a second book
June 1: Harper Collins publish "Message From Forever, A Novel of Aboriginal Wisdom", by Morgan, which she claims "is really written by Aboriginal friends telling me to please do this".
October: phenomeNEWS conducts an interview with Marlo Morgan [16] in which she claims to "have gone back periodically" to the tribe she claimed to have travelled with in the first book. Despite all the uproar there has already been up to that time, phenomeNEWS claim they "were unaware of the controversy surrounding Ms. Morgan and her book" when they did the interview...


1999 Aboriginals outraged again
January: Morgan seems not to have learned from the experiences with "Mutant Message". Her new book again outrages the Aboriginals in Australia. Morgan describes a woman giving birth, but "that is private women's business. For someone to (describe a birth) is insulting and offending to people and their cultural beliefs," says Ms Jo Willmot, chairwoman of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta board of management [13].
May: Film producer Michael Taylor is said to have "entered into agreements for the production of 'Messenger', based on the best seller Mutant Message Down Under" [15].

I have just read Message From Forever as with Ms. Morgan's first book, Mutant Message Down Under when it first came out. I found them to have a strong message we can learn from and live by, but at the same time, none of the writing regarding aboriginal wisdom or traditions or it's people can be believed. It is all made-up. For this reason, I would not recommend this book.

This is a GREAT book! I learned so much about a group of people that were looked down upon & shunned from society. It's a great STORY with great ideas and reminders of how important music & laughter is to our lives. It's a story of a brother and a sister and how their lives take on different paths. It reminds us to be creative, accountable, helpful, aware of your own inner-energy and MORE. I especially liked the importance of OBSERVING versus JUDGING. So many people are 'judged' these days by what they say, what they wear or how they look. I strongly recommend this one...it's better than a lot of books out there!

Well it angers and saddens me that MM has produced another bout of cultural exploitation. When will she ever learn? After the last fiasco. As an Australian Aboriginal woman I can tell you don't waste your money on this book - it is an insult to Aboriginal people and many Aboriginal have protested against this woman's blatent lies. Obviously the author and her publishers aren't listening to Aboriginal people.She doesn't know anything about Aboriginal culture and the book is nothing but ego parading as literature. Please don't insult Aboriginal people any further by buying or promoting this book.