Customer Reviews

The Red Book: A Deliciously Unorthodox Approach to Igniting Your Divine Spark

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm not going to spend a lot of time reviewing this book because I want to get back to reading it! As many other reviewers, I don't fit the age range the author targets. I'm 45. I wish I had this book years ago as a resource, although I guess it was meant to be at this point in my life. Even if you're not religious, which I am not, this book is fabulous. Witty, insightful, encouraging and a fantastic resource. I looked into just one of her many recommendations (I plan to do much more) and wow. What a difference it's made. I actually think this book is better suited for a slightly more mature audience because maybe we are a bit more open minded than a younger generation. The author is clearly quite precocious which is why she speaks to women her age. Don't let that stop you from reading and rereading her wonderful book. Now, back to The Red Book!

Thanks, Sera, for writing this perfect book! Like one of the other reviewers I am a...bit...older than the target market, but I still loved it! At 50 I keep waiting to be grown-up and actually, I hope I DON'T! Yes, I firmly believe that our spirituality should be a FUN, VIBRANT, and ALIVE part of our lives and we should all laugh really, really hard every single day. LOVED the Dalai Lama story, I wish more people on this Earth could have a lighter approach to life. Hey, it should not be so hard and serious. If everyone just laughed a bit more and were kinder to each other...weell, problems solved.

Thanks again and for anyone debating over whether or not to buy this book...quit reading reviews and just buy it!

I want to like this book very much. The author sounds like someone I'd love to hang out with, grab a cup of tea, and swap spiritual battle stories. I'll bet that, in-person, this Harvard-educated mystic scholar does NOT talk like a valley girl or address people as though they've NEVER heard ANYTHING about spirituality, ever. This book should have been called "Spirituality for women who like chick-lit and have never ever heard of Eastern philosophy." A quote from the chapter about prayer that truly says it all: "The Universe is not your bitch." Wow.

The thing is, I don't know if these women would even be able to grasp the book, given that it touches on so many topics. The recommended reading section in the back says it all - she recommends The Da Vinci Code, the Tao of Pooh and the Upanishads within a few short pages... seriously. These books have nothing in common, and nor do the chapters of the book. Spanning from silent meditation, to cultivating intuition, to Tantric sex, she does a quick job of introducing each topic and before you know it, the chapter's over, long before someone who knows nothing about spirituality can possibly grasp what's going on, or even know enough to be able to look into it further.

For someone like myself, who is somewhat familiar with all of the popular spiritual books, seminars, speakers and current icons, the book is a total rehash, offering very few fresh insights while being incredibly difficult to read, as it feels as though she is speaking in the vernacular of the lowest common denominator in order to appeal to "everywoman".

Furthermore, the book relies on various assumptions, which it does not address at all, such as those underlying the information in the section about how prayer works. How does she know how the Universe responds to prayers? Has she read a lot of Abraham-Hicks or did her ideas originate somewhere else? It seems that she was easily able to cast off the dogma of Catholicism, but picked up new, unexamined beliefs along the way. Either that, or she didn't take the time to explain how she came to all of these conclusions herself. I, for one, would like to know this before I soak up her teachings.

I would love to see her do a deep dive into her favorite spiritual topic and share in a tone that is authentic and not contrived. Perhaps even a memoir of her incredible journey through all things spiritual. Clearly she has a lot of brilliant, insightful things to share. But in my humble opinion, they weren't in this book.

I'm glad so many people enjoyed it, and I certainly don't want to discourage people from checking it out if I'm way off base and it does indeed appeal to such a broad audience, but I do wonder how a book like this could have garnered 100% 5-star ratings across nearly 50 reviews. Let's keep asking better questions about spiritual books!

Not since Our Bodies, Ourselves, have I read a book that I want to put into the hands of every woman-fellow traveler in this life. Sera Beak draws from history, literature, cross-cultural study and travel, writes in hip, fun-to-read zine-speak while packing a whallop... every bit of wisdom my women friends and I have managed to accumulate in our multiple decades on this earth AND then some. She has given us a spiritual guide for the 21st century woman, no matter what one's beliefs. The Red Book is at the top of my gift list. I have given it to my daughter, my step-daughter, my step-daughter's roommate, friends, colleagues and family. The Red Book will have a huge ripple effect for it is an absolute pass-along book, pillow book, beach book, travel companion. A thousand thanks, Ms. Beak for this work. The world will be a better place with each woman who reads it. May it be a way to enlivenment and wellness for many.

Even though I am older than the target audience this book was written for, I found it to be wonderful. Never hurts to go back to the basics. I also learned a ton from this book. The information on ancient religions treatment of their goddess', and the history of Christianity was informative. It was fun to read how various religions, especially Christianity, evolved. I recently had to give a 45 minute lecture on meditation, and actually used parts from this book. As the author said herself, sometimes while trying to describe spirituality and things like meditation, the wording gets too woo-woo, and you can lose your reader and/or audience. This book was straight forward, fun to read, makes you laugh and teaches, all without condescending to the reader.

I am buying more copies to give to all the wonderful young women in my life. Additionally my older girl friends are also reading it with real interest.

Sara Beak has articulated for millions what most of us have felt when plodding through mainstream religion(s) (in the U.S., I think that it is still primarily Jewish or Christian). Before Ms. Beak, we felt somewhat "guilty" because we were going through the motions of worshiping something that we have been taught by our culture but not feeling completely comfortable about it. This wonderful lady has blown "tradition" out of the water---looked at the different concepts----said OK to whatever we're into--but suggests that there is so much more, that our "tradition" merely scratches the surface, and MOST IMPORTANT that we can have FUN in the process.

What is especially "fun" for me is that now I have a "cover" for my "eccentric" ideas---my friends think that I'm just a harmless old coot---now I have proof positive that I'm not alone. Furthermore, I'm so excited about this book, that I am buying several copies for my friends who don't know or understand about this spiritual FUN that is available to all who are interested--if the entire idea of "FUN" and "religion" in the same sentence is totally inconceivable, you wouldn't have read this far into my review.

I do have one criticism---Ms. Beak has spun her wonderful concoction of gold and other precious metals to a specific audience (namely young women)...WRONG-----I will have to admit that I am 68, a male, and a piano player. That combination is a little far afield from the targeted audience. That's the point, of course, because this book is for anyone of any age who wants to put some "kick" into worship--prayer--meditation---spirituality--whatever.

Ms. Beak cuts through all of the bs (am I allowed to say that?), and all who read her book are better for it. But then, what do I know......I'm just the piano player.

This book is an incredibly delightful & insightful read, very approachable for those new to the divine within, and a sweet reminder to those of us already enlightened to keep practicing :)! The book encourages readers to discover and develop their own sense of spirituality & practice, whatever form that may take. Beak seemlessly weaves her depth of religious study and historical understanding with illuminating insight from her personal practice & experience. While the book is geared towards women, I personally think that anybody could glean a wealth of information & encouragement from her offering. I encourage you to order one (or 3 or 7 for friends, as I did!) today.

The Red Book is one of those rare books that has truly changed my life. It has changed how I feel, how I see both little and big events in my life, how I pray, and how I love. Prior to reading this book, I read "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert...which got me thinking more about prayer, setting my intention, choosing my attitude, etc. Beak's book is the perfect next step, teaching me how to bring the divine back into my life, and notice where it is already present. The tone of the book and Beak's relaxed tone makes the book easy to read, almost like having a conversation with your best friend. This book is amazing.

It is so nice to read a book i can relate to on so many levels. Not only
is it beautifully written....i walked away feeling like i have gained
something within myself that i never knew i had. Thanks for making
spirituality easy to understand, yet fun and exciting. i even giggled at
myself- thats always inspiring. I just bought 3 for gifts- perfect
presents, even for a coffee table. Thanks Ms. Beak for providing
confidence in a tough subject.

This is what I exclaimed to my friends after I began reading Sera Beak's "The Red Book." I have to say that I am a young woman who had completely renounced religion and God. That is, until Sera. I had had enough of Christianity. And I was fine with that. But when I read the first few pages of TRB, I felt something inside me break open. I started to cry. I cried and laughed and cried some more. It struck me as such utter truth that I knew I had been hiding from the divine within me. That I had been running from myself. TRB held a mirror into my soul and I was greeted by a radiant reflection. I loved that it felt as though Sera was talking to me, in MY language. I would encourage anyone who wants to change their life in a positive way to read this book. I really could never adequately express the brilliance of "The Red Book" and I would certainly need more space than what this review allows. So read it. And spread the Red.