Customer Reviews

Seeker After Truth: A Handbook

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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.

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.

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.

This handbook is another fine rattle for those of us with a tenacious grip on our beliefs and habituation.

Worth mentioning, as a personal observation, is how the effects of sufi dictums presented by the Shah corpus produces feedback depending on a person(s)/ culture(s)/ race(s) mental, emotional and spiritual disposition. I find that, like with most learning materials, assistance of a living teacher is often necessary. I harbor little hope of attaining a mastery in martial arts, yoga, or academia, solely from books, or even from aspirants of those books. An overt reliance on literature, or of testimonies & interactions of aspirants might make one scholarly (or pedantry) on the subject of Sufism.

My own readings of this, and other Shah titles, have often prompted many inquiries and a need for clarification on presented ideas. In such cases, I much prefer seeking out a Sufi teacher, well-versed in "sufi cipher", than adopt an approach of dogged persistence. Such contact with a teacher actually helped me tune out many distortions introduced by my biases and unexamined assumptions. So, my experiences in discovering my "beingness" has definitely been enriched (even if alot of those discoveries were very painful).

An excellent introduction to and overview of Sufi literature: this Handbook contains anecdotes, question-and-answer interchanges, mini-lectures, and many outstanding tales including some of my favorites (The Skill that Nobody Has, Fahima and the Prince, Elephant-Meat, Intelligence and Obedience). But don't take my word for it; you really should check it out for yourself.

It is, after all, only ink on paper... but it has spiritual value nevertheless. Anyone who would give any consideration to the concept of buying this book would be well advised to do so. Someone, I mean, who knows at least some Nasrudin tales and who knows that "the bases and essentials of Sufi teaching" are that you value truth over excitement, and that you make your way to the Teacher.

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.

Idres Shah presents stories from the Sufi lore as well as questions from people who are curious, and doubtful, about the Sufi way into this wonderful collection. A book for anyone willing to learn to unlearn. A book that will leave you asking more questions about life, existence, the universe, and about oneself, which is precisely what this book is meant to do. If you are looking for easy answers from a guru with this book, then my friend you are buying the wrong product.

This book is a collection of tales, discussions, teachings, letters and lectures -- a handbook for stepping outside the assumptions that shape our culture and our outlook on life. But it goes beyond the familiar "first do this, then do that" style of handbook, allowing the reader to reach new ranges of perception, according to his or her ability. It is aptly described in Literary Review as "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