The Quickening: Today's Trends, Tomorrow's World [Paperback]

Art Bell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1998

With characteristic accuracy and an insight gained from years of being in tune with the public, Art Bell points out the realities of our world today, never letting us lose sight of the truth. The Quickening calls attention to the acceleration of every aspect of human existence as we head toward the future not just limited to technological advancement. $100,000 budget.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Paper Chase Pr; 1 edition (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879706717
• ISBN-13: 978-1879706712
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,103,588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars In a word: BORING!, October 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Quickening: Today's Trends, Tomorrow's World (Paperback)

It seems that in this book Art Bell has attempted to create a New Age version of Christian end-times teachings promulgated by sensationalists such as Hal Lindsey. He attempts to describe how various aspects of the world are changing in new and radical ways, and how the rate of change is accelerating, with the result being some kind of apocalyptic critical mass occurring in the near future. The chapters of this book discuss the various facets of this accelerating change in the most elementary and shallow terms. Bell seems to have written this book the same way one would have a fireside chat and casually toss around ideas and current events, and the result is writing that is painful to read. This is the kind of book one can pick up, skim through, and get the main idea while simultaneously watching a football game. If you are really interested in what Art Bell is saying in this book, then save your money, check it out from your local library like I did, and spend about one hour on it. That is about all the time it is worth.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Blaaaaa......, November 1, 1999

By 

Steve in Seattle (Washington, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Quickening: Today's Trends, Tomorrow's World (Hardcover)

Yuck. This book is "written" (I'm being generous here) for simple minds. Asked to read this book by a friend of mine I wonder how a career entertainer like Art Bell could print/approve of such simple-minded, unfocused dribble. Either he cannnot write and simply rubber stamped a 4th grade ghost writer's work, or he simply CAN'T WRITE. Don't waste your money!

32 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Horrific, March 20, 2004

By 

L. Berk "Leah Lionheart" (Praha, CR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Quickening: Today's Trends, Tomorrow's World (Hardcover)

Let's begin. I listen to Art Bell, I have listened to Art Bell, and -- when he is on the air -- I will continue to listen to Art Bell. He is unsurpassed in radio, his talk show (Coast to Coast AM) is one of the most interesting shows on the air. Unfortuately, he has "retired" and subsequently been replaced by George Noory -- but Bell himself also continues to host the weekend editions of the show, and occasionally subs in for Noory.

That said, this book is truly horrendous. I can't help but get the impression that Bell wrote this as an attempt to break into the world of current events. Except minus the current. Oh yeah - and minus the events, too. As if his radio success would deem him capable of catering to the more discrimiating readers of books - those of us who are able to string syllables together, rather than just twist a radio dial.

(No offense intended.)

Rather than coming off as an informed, thoughtful global analyst, Bell manages to sound instead like a self-serving paranoic wacko who feels compelled to spew his baseless philosophies to anyone willing to listen. He punctuates his writing with blatant half-truths and ignorant conclusions, trying to set the stage for his banter with half-assed anectdotes. Rather than coming off as intelligent, Bell sounds campy and unintelligent. Much like his radio show, it seems like his primary intent - when writing about the perils of the future, whether it be biologically, internationally or others - is to striek fear into the hearts of his viewers. While he most assuredly accomplishes this often on his radio show, when one reads it -- it sounds ridiculous.

The fact that Bell's show is so excellent exacerbates how astonishingly horrendous this book is. Don't waste your time, or your money. This book is a thinly-veiled marketing ploy to rake in a few books, using Bell's listener base as donators.