The Re-enchantment of Everyday Life (Paperback)

~ (Author) "It' early summer, and the sunflowers are about seven feet high in the garden off the kitchen..." (more)
Key Phrases: enchanted life, soulful life, furniture music, New England, James Hillman, Emily Dickinson (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Where better to care for the soul than in the details of our daily lives? And so this profound yet practical sequel to Moore's massive bestseller, Care of the Soul, explores how we may nurture our souls while eating, dressing, traveling and so on. The soul, according to Moore, is a kind of sea of intelligence and responsiveness to life; it animates, yet exceeds, the individual. The soul can never be fully known or possessed, only glimpsed. Yet when we learn to open to it, it can pull us into the beautiful mystery of our lives. "In a condition of enchantment, we stop doing and the soul acts," writes Moore of a possible soul-based therapy. "We stop interpreting and the soul is revealed." The soul's power of enchantment can be engaged not just by listening in the therapist's office, but by living surrounded by?and in harmony with?the textures, tastes and images that inspire the imagination. Some of Moore's reflections are simplistic, even dogmatic (for instance, that concern over the healthiness of our food will diminish its resonance) or too romantic. But this important book will dare many to believe that life really is full of enchantment, if only we can go beyond our habitual literal-mindedness and narcissism to experiment with that broader state of attunement that Moore calls soul. $250,000 ad/promo; BOMC and QPB dual main selections; simultaneous audio from HarperAudio; author tour; U.K., translation, first serial, dramatic rights: Michael Katz.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

As he has done in his previous books, former monk and best-selling writer Moore (Meditations, LJ 1/95) continues to explore the ways in which soulful living invests ordinary experiences with magic and enchantment. This collection of parables and anecdotes about contemporary life traces the effects of soulful living on everyday practices as wide-ranging as sex and sports. Moore casts simple and often simplistic reflections in an elegant prose that will appeal to fans of the work of Matthew Fox and M. Scott Peck. Most libraries will want to purchase Moore's book for his numerous readers.
-?Henry Carrigan Jr., Westerville P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (February 27, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060928247
• ISBN-13: 978-0060928247
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #154,679 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bringing the Magic Back In, July 1, 2000

By	unraveler "unraveler" (Nevada) - See all my reviews

Moore addresses a very important question: How can we bring back magic into our lives? We are used to living in a rational, practical society, argues the author, with the result that we have neither time, nor ability to stop, think, and savor the strangeness and beauty of things. We have over-rationalized our existence to the point where spirituality suffers. Some things, the authors counsels are, well... not very practical. Can we really afford to keep old and dilapidated buildings because they can enchant us when we intentionally romanticize them? But the utility of Moore's book lies in learning how to accept what is and endow it with spirit, magic, and meaning. Even if we must grow up, we need not give up the romantic spirit that makes life fascinating.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gentle-No Promises Prescription for the Ills of this Life, July 29, 2001

By	Annabel Temple "annabel_temple" (Christchurch, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

In this book, Moore builds on the material expressed in his earlier books, Care of the Soul and Soul-Mates, by considering the essentials of art, culture and society. A thought-provoking and re-energising read, without overt self-disclosure, false pretensions or weak, misguided self-illusions. Moore skillfully weaves his own special web of spiritual significance that stretches beyond our culture itself: by going straight to the centre of all human experience. An intellectually modest, yet soulfully rigorous book that is still highly capable of having literary and philosophical relevance to even the simplest of considerations. It's also a great interpretation of much of our long-forgotten human thought and endeavours from our past, present and the future, as well as allows you to realistically think about your own, unique cherished experiences yet to come.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved It!, June 29, 1998

By A Customer

After having never gotten around to Moore's previous best sellers, I finally bought this one. I enjoyed it very much, and found much to savor. It is NOT a book to read through all at once; rather, it's a smorgasbord that I have found myself musing on, reflecting on, and returning to again and again.