Customer Reviews

NON-STATISTICAL MAN

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I was both intrigued as well as a little disappointed in this book, mainly because I was expecting a lot more. I will say that I had the advantage of not knowing a single thing about it until I started reading it. It will be different for you, of course, if you read this review.

Some say that this book (more like a short story, really) is all about intuition. I have heard it said that it is all about intuition. But I'm not sure that was the point Raymond F. Jones was trying to make. Perhaps more was the author's desire to encourage all readers to think outside the box.

It is thought provoking, I'll give it that. The main character is a statistician who zealously embraces his techniques and practice as an employee of a big insurance company. But then, with the help of another main character we are introduced to, he discovers that he has a greater power than just a talent for numbers. He is dragged, painfully at times, into the world of intuition. But really, in my opinion, it was more like discovering one has the ability to foretell the future, almost the way a palm or crystal ball reader would. I'm exaggerating, but so did Jones.

The other main point that Raymond Jones was perhaps making was what sort of impact this would have on society should individuals start tapping into it. With our main character's "former powers" as a statistician, he was deliberately doing wrong to people for the sake of making money for his employer. But as his newly discovered abilities in intuition evolve, he becomes more, well, moral. This is the part that confused me a bit. The story does go into evolution a bit, and it is discussed as to why humans gave up certain physical abilities that animals have over us on our way up the evolutionary chain. Well, the explanation is simple of course, to replace with powers of the mind. But would that make people "good" to employ intuition?

Well that's where the reader is left. The story goes quickly. Do I recommend it? Yes, for the sake of getting a different perspective on things. But be prepared to have more questions than answers at the end of it.

Kelly Libatique, author of "Divine Knowledge Transfer" and "A Toast to the Holy Ghost?"
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