Seeker After Truth: A Handbook [Paperback]

Idries Shah (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1991

This collection of tales, discussions, teachings, letters and lectures is a handbook, inviting the reader to re-examine the assumptions of his particular culture; assumptions which are responsible for his conditioning and his outlook on life. It is precisely because of the unreliability of vision, of memory, of wanting to believe, of induced belief ... that the Sufis say that an objective perception must be acquired before even familiar things can be seen as they are. "Seeker After Truth" goes beyond the familiar "first do this, then do that" style of handbook, transporting the reader to new ranges of perception, according to his or her capacity. Among the many assumptions questioned are: the objective worth of deep emotional feelings; the superiority of man's social habits over those of rats, and the origin of those habits; the evils of deceit ... The magazine Literary Review said about it: "This book ... is food for many different kinds of study - a book unlike anything our society has produced until recently, in its richness, its unexpectedness, its capacity to shock us into seeing ourselves as others see us, both personally and as a society."

Editorial Reviews

Review

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

"Extremely useful in teaching students about management and computers." -- Thomas Malone, MIT

"It presents a blueprint of the human mental structure." -- Robert Ornstein, Ph.D.

"One is immediately forced to use one's mind in a new way." -- New York Times

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

From the Publisher

This collection of tales, discussions, teachings, letters and lectures is a handbook, inviting the reader to re-examine the assumptions of his particular culture; assumptions which are responsible for his conditioning and his outlook on life.

It is precisely because of the unreliability of vision, of memory, of wanting to believe, of induced belief ... that the Sufis say that an objective perception must be acquired before even familiar things can be seen as they are.

Seeker After Truth goes beyond the familiar "first do this, then do that" style of handbook, transporting the reader to new ranges of perception, according to his or her capacity.

The magazine Literary Review said about it: "This book ... is food for many different kinds of study - a book unlike anything our society has produced until recently, in its richness, its unexpectedness, its capacity to shock us into seeing ourselves as others see us, both personally and as a society." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: Octagon Pr (November 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0863040128
• ISBN-13: 978-0863040122
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for any seeker., August 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Seeker After Truth: A Handbook (Hardcover)

This gem of a book is what I'd call "quietly amazing." That is to say, it's neither dramatic nor sensationalistic, and its subtle impacts may not even be noticed, at least at first. But it can have a profound effect, helping the receptive reader shed many assumptions (such as that a thing's true value is in direct proportion to the degree of emotion it arouses) and other mental "bad habits" that hinder perception, and leaving him or her with a clearer idea of just what it is to seek truth and how to go about it. I say "receptive reader" because author Idries Shah makes it plain that many people who think they seek truth are really seeking excitement, attention or some other form of stimulation, and may not welcome being told otherwise. Although its format is nothing like what one might expect, Seeker After Truth more than lives up to its billing as "a handbook," and yields more each time it's read.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reality Based Reading, July 18, 2001

By 

Joe Stoner (Cincinnati, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seeker After Truth: A Handbook (Paperback)

A fascinating collection of question and answers and narratives of various lengths. Most of the material appears straight forward, but a rereading (especially after some time has passed) will often reveal new insights and levels which can be surprising. The breadth and depth of the material will make this a rewarding book for anyone with an interest in reality.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A mirror into ourselves, July 16, 2001

By 

Robert Pignatti (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seeker After Truth: A Handbook (Paperback)

Reading Seeker After Truth is an exercise in the exploration of ourselves. The stories and narratives are designed to provoke us into seeing hidden motivations and patterns that normally go unnoticed. The stories are deceptively simple and disarming because of their emphasis on people and events that seem at first glance distant and not particularly relevant to our lives. But as the material is read and re-read, patterns begin to emerge which were previously overlooked because of our emphasis on other things. In time, the people and situations in the stories begin to take on new meanings that help us reflect on our daily activities with more insight and clarity. I would recommend this book for all people who would like a secret glimpse into the inner workings of our minds.