Product Description
MacLaine offers her millions of readers the techniques and tools to reclaim the power to shape their lives and to deal with unfinished business in relationships at work and at home. A practical and inspiring guide that shows how to seize the promises of the New Age and make them real. HC: Bantam. (Nonfiction) Ctn Qty/48. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Going Within by Shirley McClaine
I purchased this book this summer as used from Discount Book Recyclers as a book that was noted with little markings. I am very disappointed. The book is marked up with additional scribbles and lots of underlines on just about every page. It is very distracting to read yet the book itself is wonderful.I have emailed the Discount Book Recyclers but have not recieved any reply.I am emailing them again today.I will likely purchase another book for I really enjoy it but would like a clean easier read. I have purchased used books before & never rec'd such a marked up book. I was hoping that the Discount Book Recyclers could have replaced it with a cleaner copy even allowing me to send back (at their shipping expense) the one previously purchased since some of the "underlines" actual mark through the wording.
I gave the book itself a high rating for what I have read so far is very good - its just dicouraging to try to read thru the markings

Please Advise.
Thanks,
Kathleen O'Donnell-Walker
kwalker@peds.umaryland.edu

Seek and you shall find
Shirley has done it again! Through this book, she helped me get in touch with my life energies. Like her, I have suffered from anxiety throughout my life. This book taught me how I can channel positive energies that can be life-transforming.

The book will teach the reader about chakras and how to use visualization in order to create positive outcomes in your life and to increase spiritual awareness. It will help you open your mind to the possibility of higher forms of awareness who channel spiritual truths. It may also help you explore the possibility that you have had past lives and how they have impacted upon your current life experience. As in all of her books, she intimately shares her own life experience in a way that the reader can easily connect with.

As the author of a spiritually-themed novel entitled "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude," I am always on the outlook for books that provide food for my soul. This was a book that did it for me. I have discovered that when I seek, I do find.

Davis Aujourd'hui, author and seeker of truth

FROM CLOSE MINDED 2 OPEN MINDED
I READ THIS BOOK YEARS AGO, IT OPENED UP MY MIND AND ANSWERED MANY QUESTIONS OF LIFE. I ALWAYS SUGGEST THIS BOOK TO FRIENDS WHEN THEY ASK FOR ADVICE.THE ANSWER LIES WITHIN AND ONLY YOU CAN FIND IT!! BUY THIS BOOK AND OPEN YOUR MIND. I RECIEVED MY BOOK IN A FEW DAYS, IN GOOD CONDITION, AND ITS ALWAYS NEXT TO MY NITE LITE. I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH THIS PURCHASE.BUY THIS BOOK!!!

Going Within
Going Within by Shirley MacLaine is an absolute must for anyone who wants to get to the bottom of what makes us tick.It is a most spiritually enlightening look at what keeps us from growing as a species and what we can do to change that.

Please Set the truth within free for already complete Shirley ...
Shirley second book that literally dropped into my lap, her first one was "The Camino", I got them for $2 at library sale. A version of her 'Fall from Heaven Story' - FfHS - is on p.13:

"Just before (my) seminars began, my father passed on. He had been a teacher all his life. I considered cancelling the first few dates but I knew he would have wanted me to carry on.
So I found myself, by no small coincidence, in Virginia Beach, staying in the same hotel in which my father had brought us on vacation during a summer that provided a self-conscious twelve-year-old with a traumatic experience. It had to do with public humiliation.
I was swimming in the Atlantic, having developed a crush on the lifeguard, when a surging wave knocked me over and the top of my two-piece bathing suit came apart and was washed away. I climbed to my knees sputtering but glad to be alive, until I looked dawn and saw that I was exposed to the lifeguard in all my teenage splendor. I was so embarrassed I wanted to die. He smiled, which made it even worse. I ran back to the hotel. For years, Virginia Beach and a pounding surf were a combination that made me inwardly cringe.
As I stood looking out at the same beach, the same surf, from the same hotel, I realized I would, as an adult, be dealing with the same issue - potential public humiliation."

Her "higher-self seminar" and this book all happened in the 1980's. Shirley was resurrecting her seminar in August 2000, when she was 66, according to her interview by Rochelle. In answer to Rochelle's question "Are there subjects that you won't discuss?" Shirley answered:

"Oh, sure. I don't talk about the personal relations of my family or my love life. People think I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve and I'm basically just an open book. No, I have my limits that I don't think I should share because it would be exposing the people who are closest to me to the kind of exposure they probably don't want."

Fabricating excuses is lying to the soul or higher-self and not be one's authentic self. Shirley didn't make that excuse when she dealt with Neale Walsch in his "Friendship with God" pp.340-341:

"'So,' she said as I slid into the booth next to her, `did you really talk to God?'
`I think so,' I replied modestly.
`You think so?' She was incredulous, `You think so?'
`Well', I stammered, `that was my experience.'
`Then don't you think you should say that? Isn't that what happened?'
`That is what happened. It's just that some people have a hard time accepting that if I just pop right out with it.'
`Oh, you care what other people think?' Shirley probed, her face now very close, her eyes searching mine. "Why?'"

In Neale's FwG and Conversation with God 2, the 5 levels of truth telling were mentioned, the 5th or last level is "tell the truth to everyone about everything".

So I will again lead by example and demonstrate what that 'last level of truth telling' means. All the authors in `all my reviews' chose so far to hide behind the mask of not hurting their `close relationships or relatives'. As the word `close' means `not open', thus not free from fear. The only truth worth presenting to others is one's own experience with nothing hidden. To limit the transparency of one's experience is to lie about who one is. BTW Bush will pass away by March 7 2006 of a stroke & something bad will happen on China's second manned space mission.

I nurtured Kite & Happy for 2 years together with up to 35 other people in our unconditional environment, where I spent $500k of my stock profit for three and half-year from Shanghai to Beijing. It was an environment where I even provided a self-trained young chief to cook wonderful meal. 2 examples of unconditional love:

On our move from Shanghai to Beijing, 4 young guys chose to move. Once in Beijing I asked if there is any problem? A fellow answered that washing the dishes is now a problem. They had a schedule of who is going to do the dishes in-turn over the kitchen sink. Things happen and they can't stick to it and can't keep track of who owed whom. A fellow volunteered to wash all the dishes from now on. I left it at that. I later found on the next day the other 3 didn't feel good letting one person do all the dishes. From then on dish washing became voluntary with no schedule. They all realized that in order to eat, dishes have to be washed. It's Zen or natural common sense.

Some weeks later, I asked the same question. 2 fellows declared that they want regular working hours instead of unconditional hours. I asked the other 2 what they felt. They said unconditional is fine. This time I brought my feet down and said: "You 2 that want regular hours please choose your hours. The other 2 please continue with your undefined hours."

15 were college graduates and around 18 ranged from elementary school graduates to high school graduates. I had a Professor for PhD from the Chinese Academy of Science and his favorite post-graduate student and a Chief Engineer of a major corporation to help them self-train in either Computer Programming or English, or both.

The post-college elders were paid 5000rmb per month. The college graduates were paid 2500rmb and the others 500rmb, including the chief, which I called living stipend. Once the college graduates self-declared that they passed the self-training and can start design and coding, they immediately self-promote to founder instead of trainee. I gave them 60,000rmb or a full year salary, unconditionally. When I first proposed it, the Chief Engineer asked what will I do if they take the money and left. I said let them follow their own conscience or good heart. Just 2 college graduates took it with their own consequence and ran away with the money. Most of the others asked for an additional 100,000rmb loan which they lend to others to pursue their dreams. I unconditionally gave them that too. From unconditional love, I don't give loans, I only give away money unconditionally. In the end when I was running low on money and decided to close shop, they couldn't return the 100,000rmb. All who left earlier for other opportunity returned part of their yearly salary.

The exception is one fellow, who was attending college part-time, took upon himself to take the 100,000rmb & the yearly salary & chose not to depart but to live with his girl-friend in the dorm, which were 3 bedroom apts., so was our central computer office. His `Fall from Heaven Story' - FfHS - was he refused to go to kindergarten and cried his way out and when he finally went he found that kindergarten was fun. His self-definition is `stubborn'. I would say he did work hard and played a hard game with me. I simply put my feet down and told him to leave our shore with the money which he had no intention to return. I told every one I will not sue them for the money and I will at most tell their parents what they have done, which I never did either. The reason is that unconditional love does not choose to bring human law into matter of relationships or any matter.

I was gratified that almost all the college graduates fellowgot their next job paying more than my stipend of 5000rmb. Which in Beijing put them at the 1% income level while the median is around 2000rmb now.

To be continued in `all my reviews' of Shirley's "The Camino". ... Read more

Product Description

It has been nearly three decades since Shirley MacLaine commenced her brave and public commitment to chronicling her personal quest for spiritual understanding. In testament to the endurance and vitality of her message, each of her eight legendary bestsellers -- from Don't Fall Off the Mountain to My Lucky Stars -- continues today to attract, dazzle, and transform countless new readers. Now Shirley is back -- with her most breathtakingly powerful and unique book yet.

This is the story of a journey. It is the eagerly anticipated and altogether startling culmination of Shirley MacLaine's extraordinary -- and ultimately rewarding -- road through life. The riveting odyssey began with a pair of anonymous handwritten letters imploring Shirley to make a difficult pilgrimage along the Santiago de Compostela Camino in Spain. Throughout history, countless illustrious pilgrims from all over Europe have taken up the trail. It is an ancient -- and allegedly enchanted -- pilgrimage. People from St. Francis of Assisi and Charlemagne to Ferdinand and Isabella to Dante and Chaucer have taken the journey, which comprises a nearly 500-mile trek across highways, mountains and valleys, cities and towns, and fields. Now it would be Shirley's turn.

For Shirley, the Camino was both an intense spiritual and physical challenge. A woman in her sixth decade completing such a grueling trip on foot in thirty days at twenty miles per day was nothing short of remarkable. But even more astounding was the route she took spiritually: back thousands of years, through past lives to the very origin of the universe. Immensely gifted with intelligence, curiosity, warmth, and a profound openness to people and places outside her own experience, Shirley MacLaine is truly an American treasure. And once again, she brings her inimitable qualities of mind and heart to her writing. Balancing and negotiating the revelations inspired by the mysterious energy of the Camino, she endured her exhausting journey to Compostela until it gradually gave way to a far more universal voyage: that of the soul. Through a range of astonishing and liberating visions and revelations, Shirley saw into the meaning of the cosmos, including the secrets of the ancient civilizations of Atlantis and Lemuria, insights into human genesis, the essence of gender and sexuality, and the true path to higher love.

With rich insight, humility, and her trademark grace, Shirley MacLaine gently leads us on a sacred adventure toward an inexpressibly transcendent climax. The Camino promises readers the journey of a thousand lifetimes.Amazon.com Review
Known as the Camino, the Santiago de Compostela Camino is a famous pilgrimage that has been undertaken by people for centuries across northern Spain. It is said that this 500-mile path lies directly under the Milky Way and that it reflects the energy of the star systems above it. Facing her sixth decade of life on earth, writer and actor Shirley MacLaine decided to go on this trek. She wasn't sure why, she only knew that the Camino had been traveled for thousands of years by "saints, sinners, generals, misfits, kings and queens. It is done by the intent to find one's deepest spiritual meaning and resolutions regarding conflicts in Self."

Typical of MacLaine, this is a personal story with enormous adventure, a smattering of flashbacks, and a hefty serving of cosmic revelations. Like a true pilgrim, MacLaine travels solo, willing to strip herself down to the backpacking essentials and find deeper meaning in all the bizarre, frightening, and coincidental events she encounters along the way. It is no small feat that this sixtysomething woman walked the grueling path in 30 days. Readers can expect vivid stories of stalking paparazzi, icy showers, bouts of hunger, lost paths, a worshipping young man, a deranged woman screaming in a roadside shelter, saintly truck drivers, a fellow pilgrim in a wheelchair, bouts of constipation and diarrhea, and a cosmic crescendo that will knock the socks of MacLaine's fans. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (115)

Disappointing
Poorly written (maybe she just needs a better, more attentive editor?), this book is at least half about MacLaine's own hallucinations or visions or whatever. I read the book because am interested in possibly walking the Camino de Santiago, and only a portion of the book really described what that was like for her. Also, I found it hard to believe some of what she wrote; e.g., "I ate very little, only dried fruits, nuts and yogurt") Come on!! When you spend ten hours a day walking, it's not possible to subsist on that little food. Then in one chapter, she says she'll never see her friends, Ali & Carlos, again, only they reappear a couple of chapters later, then again she says she'll never see them again.

At the end, MacLaine reports that she immediately flies back to the U.S. -- I didn't understand that, either. After walking all that time, why not spend a few days relaxing in Santiago de Compostela? She said she got on the plane, basically smelling like a goat. Nonsensical stuff.

The Camino by Shirley MacLaine Good but Not Great by Kathy Elliott Pt. Charlotte, Florida
I love this woman but I can not get some of the things she belive's in

This book is fiction, right?
Because if it's not, it should me. Total waste of time for anyone looking to read a good travel memoir. You'd be better off reading Twilight. Frankly, I'm pretty surprised this book is rated 4 stars.

Amazon, can I please get my money back?

Pull Over I Want To Get Out
This is the first (and last) Shirley MacLaine book I will read.I'm glad I only paid a $1 for it.
Shirley I hope you get better soon.Kirk Out.

The Camino
This book answered my questions. I have read several books on "mysticism" (a misnomer in my opinion) and this just tied it all together. I had been looking for some information on Atlantis.

The book is in excellent condition. A great read!! ... Read more

Product Description

"I've been a questioner all my life..."

So begins bestselling author and award-winning actress Shirley MacLaine, as she invites readers to join her on the most powerful, provocative journey of her life. Over the years, Shirley has firmly established herself as a fearless, iconoclastic thinker and seeker of truth. Now, as she confronts the realities and rewards of growing older, she reflects on the greater understanding of her own place in the universe that her experiences have brought to her.

Sparked by the experience of moving into a new house, she is inspired to look back across the remarkable professional and personal milestones she has experienced so far. Surrounded by books, pictures, and the artifacts of a life well lived, Shirley is able to recognize the profound power of synchronicity at work around her, discovering the invisible threads that stitch together the seemingly random events of her days, adding meaning even to the mundane.

Having grown older, she is increasingly concerned with the potential pitfalls of modern medicine. She shares personal insights into nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathy, and alternative medicine. Practical and bracing, here is advice for anyone looking to expand his or her understanding of health and well-being.

Moving beyond the physical, Shirley explores what has always interested her most -- those things that are unseen. What is consciousness? What is the purpose of our lives? Are we alone in the universe? And perhaps the greatest mystery of all, what happens to us after death?

Filled with her trademark wit and candor, this is a fascinating, inspiring book that will delight and captivate Shirley's legions of fans and fellow travelers everywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (59)

Great book
Although I've always been a huge fan of her as an actress, I knew only somewhat of her involvement in spirituality, but that made me an even bigger fan. This is my first book of hers I have read, and I am hooked...can't wait to read more from her. Her point of view resonates very deeply in me, and her style of writing and stories make it all very engaging....she breezily takes you through a variety of subjects, touches on each lightly, but passionately...and it is equally easy and interesting to read. Love it...

One of her best books
Shirley Maclaine wrote this book while in the midst of moving into a new residence overlooking Santa Fe in New Mexico, and reverts to the theme of settling into the house at the start of each chapter. This acts as her grounding so to speak, although the house is perched high in the mountains.

She covers many topics in the book - her life and famous friends, advice for healthy living, her past life in Atlantis, UFO sightings and information, philosophical and spiritual reflections on the origins of life and historical evidence of visitors from the skies, the so-called star people, dating rom past ages. These star people were called "gods" due to their being greatly more advanced than the earth dwellers, and it turns out that the Old Testament God "Jehovah", may actually not have been a god but a star person. (Jehovah was a jealous, vengeful god, unlike the loving God that dwells within us all referred to by Jesus in the New Testament.)

The first chapters are extremely readable, while the chapter on UFOs, which is packed with information, is somewhat long-winded. There is however no doubt about the veracity of this information. The author is seemingly friends with all the top people in the world, including former presidents and other heads of state, and even the physicist Stephen Hawking. She has thus had access to otherwise "secret" or withheld information.

As indicated in the title, the author seems to get wiser and wiser as she ages. This is not surprising, since she is continuously seeking information and asking questions, as well as pursuing her spiritual development.

Moreover she never hesitates to say what she thinks or believes in, no matter what this is. This is one of her most admirable qualities.

She concludes the book by drawing our attention to the approaching final year of transformation, the end of a cycle of 25,000 years, including other cycles, according to the Mayan calender. This year is 2012, when "our new consciousness will be born".

I strongly recommend this fascinating book to all those seeking the "truth".

Good read that prompts further study
I know MacLaine has written several books and has long been made a mockery for her beliefs. I've never held an opinion on her beliefs so it was easy for me to pick up this book with an open mind. This is the first book I've ever read by MacClaine and I enjoyed every page of it.

We all know there is a certain wisdom that comes with age. Through various stories of her professional and personal experiences, MacClaine simply but eloquenlty displays how this wisdom has shaped her life. She mentions several schools of thought in a conversational manner, but provides enough information for an engaged reader to conduct some research on his or her own.

If you can't appreciate her somewhat controversial opinions on the supernatural, you surely can appreciate the way in which she presents her life experiences. Insead of preaching about what she feels or even elevating herself, she matter-of-factly unfolds life as she sees it.

Shirley "On the Edge" as usual
Well, I just finished Ms. MacLaine's latest rendering and I must say, it was interesting to say the least!No matter what I read, I try to keep an open mind while having my "B.S. Detector" on.
I love Shirley's style of writing......it's like she's either musing to herself or just talking to a dear old confidant.In this book she reveals how she feels herself aging and sort of looks back over her life, which has lead her to this place now.She has definitely had a remarkable life!!!She then moves into the area of Extra Terrestrial visitors to Earth for which she is highly passionate and determined to dig out the truth.She has obviously combed every possible document ever written, including those which would be totally inaccessable to the average person, and has drawn some conclusions for herself and seems to be still speculating on others.
Bottom line.......this book presents mounds of personal research into this very controversial subject and Shirley gives anyone willing to read this book lots to think about.I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure with Shirley, as I always have with each of her books!

Very Good
There were many things in this book I couln't agree with (or understand), but this is a really good book. I was really most interested in the UFO part of the book, that really caught my attention.

A Good book. 4/5 ... Read more

Product Description
Her most controversial book is one you will never forget.  An outspoken thinker, a celebrated actress, a truly independent woman, Shirley MacLaine goes beyond her previous two bestsellers to take us on an intimate yet powerful journey into her personal life and inner self.  An intense, clandestine love affair with a prominent politician sparks Shirley MacLaine's quest of self-discovery.  From Stockholm to Hawaii to the mountain vastness of Peru, from disbelief to radiant affirmation, she at last discovers the roots of her very existence. . . and the infinite possibilities of life. Shirley MacLaine opens her heart to explore the meaning of a great and enduring passion with her lover Gerry; the mystery of her soul's connection with her best friend David; the tantalizing secrets behind a great actor's inspiration with the late Peter Sellers. And through it all, Shirley MacLaine's courage and candor new doors, new insights, new revelations-and a luminous new world she invites us all to share. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Out on a Limb

I orginally read this book in paperback. When I saw it in hardcover, I jumped at thechance to buy it.

This is a great read for those of you that are open minded, like paranormal, and told from Shirley Maclaine's own personal expeniences.

What I Expected
In its genre: great book. I read it for the second time and it still "worked".

GREAT book!
Very well written book with a great flow.. I was even more amazed that I actually traveled the same road that Shirley did in Peru.. SEVERAL TIMES! I only wish I read this book prior to that lol

Why did it take me so long to finally read it myself?
I regret it took me so long to finally read this book.I enjoyed every page and came away with a great admiration for Shirley as a precious soul, outstanding writer and someone with an enormous capacity for open-mindedness.I've certainly been aware of this book for over a decade, but somehow I only listened to other people's reactions to it.I knew she had taken abuse for the outrageous experiences she shares in the book and had somehow dismissed it as less than worthy of my time.How wrong I was!

Anyone who ponders why we are here and the concept of God is well served by reading this story.Through retelling her own experience, she takes the reader on a journey of unfolding consciousness.Her own extensive research, mystical experiences, travel and discussions with others help us get more comfortable with the metaphysical concepts she describes.Her own doubts and uncomfortable feelings help us face the same questions and fears she faced as someone who began to experience life in a whole new way.

I applaud Shirley for sharing her story way back in 1983 and I marvel as I read this some 26+ years later.She was way ahead of her time and yet her ideas resonate with the teachings of many ancient cultures.

Near the end of the book she summarizes her message quite well with this passage:

"Maybe that was the lesson I was learning, the lesson of unlimitedness.....to believe that one can do anything, soar anywhere, become everything.Perhaps one human soul was everything.And such a reality was up to each of us to relearn."

Bravo Shirley! Every soul is significant and timeless.Miracles happen and are beyond explaination.We'll neve quite know everything, but we can know we are part of it.....even the part we can't see, feel or touch.

Take a spiritual journey
This is a book for someone who has a thirst for spiritual experience. Shirley MacLaine has written another beautiful autobiography that brilliantly captures her own spiritual quest and adventures. All that you will need in order to enjoy the book is an open mind. You will not be disappointed.

As the author of a spiritually-themed book entitled "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude," I appreciate any book that provides food for the soul. This was definitely a book that did it for me. It was a delightful read that intimately connected me with the engaging personality of Ms. MacLaine.

Having already had my own out-of-body experience, I was easily able to relate to the author's experience. It was also helpful to me that I had previously developed a belief in channeling and reincarnation. You may just come to those beliefs for yourself after reading this book. Out on a Limb only served to affirm for me that there is much more to this life than I could have ever imagined.

The book is highly readable. I did not want to put it down. It also sparked my interest in her succeeding books. I trust that it will do that for you as well.

Davis Aujourd'hui, author of "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude" ... Read more

Product Description
Hollywood actress Shirley MacLaine offers a candid discussion of her forty years in show business, describing in particular her relationships with such stars as Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Robert Mitchum, and Frank Sinatra. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

..almost, but not quite, 5 stars
When she is reminiscing about her life in show business (primarily Hollywood) this is a terrific book. But the past life regressions and new age psycho babble I could do without. Then again, to be fair, that is very much a part of Shirley MacLaine's personna. She seems to be an unusual mix of the shrewd and naive, and a few of her personal revelations are quite shocking, in particular the state of her marriage. And her lovers! It's a who's who of some of the more famous names in the business. She points out that it goes with the territory of being a young, beautiful leading lady.

If you are interested in acting or Hollywood or coping with life in general then you should very much enjoy this book.

Myh Lucky Stars
Another great Shirly Maclaine books on her life in hollywood.Amazing women to have put so much living in one lifetime..if only we could keep up with her. What a wonderful life's jouney this women has had. recomend.

For Smart People Only
This is a "Hollywood" memoir, not a "Shirley MacLaine" memoir, so be advised.Yeah, she's in there all right, but you get more, so much more.It's one of the most intelligent of all the star bios.If you are looking for a lot of mindless tibits and giggly gossip, you won't find much of that here.But if you are looking for real insight into some of our star icons, like Sinatra, Dean, Mitchum, this is the place to find it.Further, if you have any interest in what making movies is like, if you want to be an actor, director, cameraman or marry one, this is the book for you.If you are a creative person who puts yourself out there for the public, you will love this book.No one else has nailed this experience like MacLaine has.I will never see the Oscars or star interviews the same way again.In fact, the writing is so exceptional and insights so wide-ranging that this book should be required reading in any film class.

Many Men and Many Movies
Is anyone's favorite star Shirley MacLaine?I doubt it.But she'sspent a lot of time thinking about stardom and Hollywood and audience and appeal, and in MY LUCKY STARS she gives it to us without holding much back.Her love affair with Robert Mitchum is presented as a Romeo and Juliet folie a deux in which the two of them entered a private world out of which they never really found their way back out.When she became intimate with Yves Montand, even after knowing what he had done to Marilyn Monroe, his co-star on an earlier picture, you really have to wonder if Shirley has a masochistic streak.(I suppose co-starring with Jerry Lewis, you'd need one.)And frankly, her description of a sizzling sex affair with Danny Kaye didn't ring true.

Far more solid is her recounting of Debra Winger's acting out on the set of TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, and in one of the very last chapters, "SAY ANYTHING," Shirley really lets her hair down with a series of anecdotes about her fellow stars that are too hot to repeat; she protects their anonymity by not revealing their names, but their identities will be obvious to anyone who knows anything about Hollywood.The story about John and Bo Derek is far more graphic and gruesome than anything you could have imagined.Well, maybe it's not the Dereks, since Shirley doesn't name them, but hey, she does everything but draw their faces on the margins of the chapter.Read it if you're in the mood for a good shock.

By her own accounting, Mac Laine has now made three comebacks in the movies (with THE TURNING POINT, with TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, and with GUARDING TESS).She might go on to do more, who knows?You may not like her any more than you did before you started reading this book, but you'll have gotten a grainier look at Hollywood life than anything since the last Bruce Wagner novel.Well done, Shirley MacLaine!

Unlucky Readers
What is MacLaine's book like? Like being at a party where someone corners you, and talks to you the whole night, all about herself and her psycho-analysis of everyone else, never knowing when to shut up. Sure, I knew it was a book all about her - I was actually looking forward to reading it. Still, endless drivel and psycho-analysis on the many famous people MacLaine has met does not make for an interesting memoir. Half way through the book I gave up! I got the picture in the chapter about Lewis and Martin: the world is filled with unhappy, complex people - even Hollyworld. Next time, Shirley, remember: Less is indeed More. ... Read more

Product Description
The best-selling author, actress, and all-around celebrity shares personal stories about her own family--her parents, brother Warren Beatty, and her only daughter--and discusses her life in the movies over a period of four decades. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Dance while you can
wonderful book ..shirly maclaine, her life is a rollar coaster of experience all rolled into one lifetime..can't keep up with her, but love her.

Delightful journey to the heart of showbusiness
I loved this book and warmly recommend it to anyone interested in Shirley Maclaine's life. Maclaine proves an engaging and entertaining narrator, her writing spilling over with wit and charm in equal helpings. The book was written after her Oscar win in 1983 and she tells the story of her route from childhood ballet classes to musical theatre and eventually to screen stardom. Much of the book deals with her relationship with her parents and the part they played in her journey. They come across as complicated and somewhat vulnerable characters who seem frustrated that they didn't pursue their own artistic ambitions with the same single-mindedness as their daughter. Overall, it's a great feel-good book bursting with plenty of spark and fun.

It's Great!!
This is Shirley's best book right next to My Lucky Stars and Dancing In The Light. You really understand what her life was like with her parents, and now, without them, just to hear about them is amazing. I gurantee this book will catch any new Shirley fan's attention.

Shirley will dance forever
As usual, Shirley weaves her wonderful thoughts about life throughout thebook. It's an inspiring book about what it's like to get older and how iteffected Shirley's life. I especially liked the parts about her daughter asshe isn't mentioned much in the other books.I would love to hear from anyone interested in Shirley and what she has to say. ... Read more

Product Description
"I've always felt that I would never develop into a really fine actress because I cared more  about life beyond the camera than the life in front  of it. Over the years my search became broader and  broader. After two months on a picture my car  seemed to veer toward the airport of its own accord. I  still loved acting and enjoyed it. I was a  professional, but basically I was more interested in the  people I played than the movies I played them  in... " -- Shirley MacLaine.

An  outspoken thinker, a keen observer, a truly  independent woman, Shirley MacLaine takes us on a  remarkable journey into her life and her inner self. From  her Virginia roots, to stardom, marriage,  motherhood and her enlightening travels to mysterious  corners of the world, her story is exciting and  poetic, moving and humorous-the varied and life-changing  experiences of a talented, intelligent and  extraordinary woman. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Amazing Life!
This is a wonderful autobiography by a woman who knows how to savor life. It explores her background from the days when she sought to become a professional ballerina, her beginnings in film, her journey into exotic lands that expanded her compassion for her fellow humans, and ultimately led to a spiritual transformation reflected in her later books.

As the author of a spiritually-themed novel entitled "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude," I am always on the outlook for books that provide food for the soul. This one did it for me and it shall for you as well. You too can discover that you can have an amazing life. I have begun to experience a life beyond my wildest dreams. Shirley's books opened me to that possibility.

Davis Aujourd'hui, author of "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"

Don't fall off the mountain
another great book on the live of shirly maclaine.She certainly has led the way for many.

Prime Minister Lenny & Bhutan
My favorite story in this book is when Shirley visits the tiny country of Bhutan in 1964. She's thrilled and nervous when she's invited to meet Bhutan's prime minister, Llendhup Dorji. She expects an elderly holy man in saffron robes, sitting in a lotus position surrounded by an aura of sternness and spirituality. Suddenly, a handsome 28-year old Mongolian man dressed in tight black mohair pants, a bright red sports jacket and Italian shoes--with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth--swaggers into the room. He shakes her hand and says "Hi there, my name is Lenny!" Yes, Lenny was the acting Prime Minister of Bhutan in 1964 and according to Shirley, he was the hippest, coolest guy in the country. He asked HER about Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, shared a drink with her and drove her around in his European sports car. Yet his conversation became poignant when he told Shirley he once hitchhiked across the United States and lived in Greenwich Village, where people assumed he was a Chinese laundryman. He said: "How do you explain Bhutan to Americans?" But Shirley's comments were even more thought-provoking. "I was thrown off completely. This Bhutanese chief of state had slept in Grand Central Station and people thought he was a Chinese laundryman? I guess it was no more incongruous than an American movie star who wanted to experiment with her inner self in the Himalayas." This is Shirley's first book, originally published in 1970, and it's one of her best. It will expand your horizons and your outlook on life.

A Remarkable Book............
.........by a remarkable woman. When reading this book, one tends to find themselves imagining that the contents are based upon a wonderfully moving, humourous, exciting and particularly enlightening feature film starring the immensely talented and deep-thinking Shirley MacLaine. Instead, amazingly......... the book is autobiographical and therefore makes absolutely stunning reading. I have read many books by Shirley MacLaine and within all of them, there is a complete honesty which made me personally, look a little deeper into my own life. It's a gift.

A Remarkable Book..............
........by a remarkable woman. When reading this book, one tends to find themselves imagining that the contents are based upon a wonderfully moving, humourous, exciting and particularly enlightening feature film starring the immensely talented and deep-thinking Shirley MacLaine. Instead, amazingly......... the book is autobiographical and therefore makes absolutely stunning reading. I have read many books by Shirley MacLaine and within all of them, there is a complete honesty which made me personally, look a little deeper into my own life. It's a gift. ... Read more

Product Description
From actress Shirley MacLaine, a funny and provocative collection of original essays about all the things she’s “over”—and a few things she’s not. ... Read more

Product Description
Now, at a turning point in her life, comes her  most revealing and exciting book yet. Outspoken,  controversial, talented, and perceptive Shirley  MacLaine now takes us on an intimate and fascinating  personal odyssey. In 1984 she won an Oscar, starred  on Broadway, wrote the best-selling Out on  a Limb -- and turned fifty years old. At  this special time, in this special year, she was  now ready to resume the spiritual journey she had  begun in her early forties. In Dancing in  the Light, Shirley MacLaine bares her  innermost self and explores the lives, both past and  present, which touched and affected her own. She  sheds new light on her loves, her losses, her  childhood, her passions, and her inner drives and  ambitions. She asks poignant questions and finds  surprising answers. She asks poignant questions and  finds surprising answers. She challenges her beliefs  and confronts her conflicts. Ultimately, she takes  us with her through a life-altering experience  that provides a stunning new vision of herself, her  future... and the fate of our world.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Dancing in the Light
Shirley Maclaine is a remarkable woman, interesting and complex, intelligent and funny.I love all her books including this one.

A trip into the light fantastic
Every one of Shirley MacLaine's books is inspirational and this is no exception! The author is obviously an old soul who has had the blessing of coming to a deep understanding of the nature of the one spirit that unites us all. Once I had read this book, I resonated with renewed energy. You will too if you have an open mind.

In the book, the author continues her amazing life journey into discovering the possibility of her own past lives and how they may have impacted upon her current life experience following a traumatic event within her life. The book culminates in her having a profound spiritual experience where her spirit leaves her body, connected by a silver cord.

This book led me to begin my own journey into discovering past lives as well as to begin my journey into recovery from multiple addictions. From there I went on to realize some incredible spiritual experiences. This book was life altering for me!

As the author of a spiritually-themed book entitled "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude," I am always on the outlook for books that provide food for my soul. I am a seeker of light and truth. If you are as well, this is the book for you!

Davis Aujourd'hui, author of "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"

Dancing in the light
I brought extra books to give as gifts, wonderful reading books about the life and lives of shirley Maclaine. Recommend.

A Transcendent View of the Quite Ordinary
Within a year of reading Dancing in the Light, I happened by "chance" to meet the real-life individual who inspired the "Light Dancer" artist character Shirley MacLaine writes about in its pages. This occurrence, in and of itself, lent some credence in my mind to Ms. MacLaine's belief in such notions as "synchronicity". But after finding the actual man behind the character to be a more-or-less self-centered and unenlightened drug abuser, I became much less enamored of the book, and of MacLaine's works in general. Still, she is a gifted writer, an inspiring person, and the book makes an interesting airport read. Anyone interested in Dan Brown's work might find this book appealing for similar reasons. It reaches out to touch the obscure world of the seldom-seen and seeks to understand the metaphysical mysteries that some of us wonder about from our childhood. Anyone with an unexplained Ouija board experience or a history with crystals and meditation would find this an interesting read.

Don't waste your money
Dancing in the hype. This book is all fluff - there is not any real truth to grasp. Don't waste your money - or the quick click on amazon will be a regret. And will you really take the time to send it back? ... Read more

Product Description
An account of Shirley MacLaine's pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. This 458-mile trek is done with the intent of finding one's own spiritual meaning. She leads us through her liberating visons and revalations that were revealed to her as she walked the path. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Terrific account.
This is another wonderfully written book by Shirley MacLaine.Her adventures, misadventures and even the hounding by the press when she merely wants to be a pilgrim are all included in this account.Although, gratefully, the wild dogs are no longer an issue in Spain along the trail, the rest of the account is well worth reading if you are considering walking the Camino.I also have this book on tape read by the author and it is just as enjoyable.Highly recommend this book!

Dissapointed
Instead of a factual tale of walking the camino and getting ready for it AND how to get there it is a book of spirits, chakras and other nonsense. If you are going to attempt the Camino this is not the book for you. ... Read more

Product Description

From the internationally bestselling author and beloved actress comes a brilliantly fun-loving and inspiring story of unconditional love.

Shirley MacLaine has found a perfect love in the furry bundle of irresistible canine charms that is Terry. With her winning terrier ways and an endless wellspring of love with no strings attached, Terry has succeeded in doing what no one before her ever has: slowing Shirley's peripatetic travels, shifting the actress/author's global axis to hearth and home. Now there are few greater pleasures for Shirley than being with Terry on her ranch or on a New York street, romping on the beach together, or sharing a long plane ride to a new location for making a film. With Terry by her side, Shirley sees the world in new ways she never thought possible.

As we join Shirley and Terry we see through their eyes how they each provide a window for exploring the nature of love. Together they shared at least one past life in ancient Egypt, and possibly more. Together, too, they seek to understand world events today: Are we beginning to fulfill the ancient biblical prophecies? Is Armageddon looming? And of course there is Terry as a constant gateway to spirit, to being fully in each moment, to that boundless love that surpasses all understanding. In a unique twist that makes this book such a delight, we see Terry's point of view on Shirley's domestic and inner life, as the terrier's mistress continually questions the deeper nature of reality.

This book is an utterly charming, witty, and ultimately wise memoir of one of the truly remarkable women of our time. Out on a Leash is an irresistible bonbon for the legions of MacLaine readers, and for dog lovers everywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Like taking a walk and being read to by Shirley
How could I not like this book?I love animals and am a Shirley MacLaine fan.It isn't necessary for me to ascribe to every single opinion she shares with us in the book in order to enjoy what feels like an easy-going visit and exchange of ideas (she doesn't hear mine, of course - but who cares?).I especially like taking a walk with her and her several dogs because she describes the views, activities and feelings so well.I bought the audiobook, and am glad I did.I just sit back and relax while Shirley reads to me.

Great Story
Great love story.I thoroughly enjoyed this book.I happened to get my ownpuppy soon after reading this book and wow - I have experienced the love firsthand.

Typical Shirley
I have followed Shirley's spritual path since she started writing about it. I read this book in a day and loved it. For anyone who has a spiritual connection with a 4 legged being, or any non human being, this book will touch your heart.
It is whimsical and real.It will make you smile and bring a tear.

I fell in love with Terry and Shirley's connection with him. Though she has many animals and loves them all, she has a special bond with Terry that only someone who has known that bond can understand.Keep writing Shirley!

5 stars for Terry the Leasher & none for un-true-full Starlette Shirley ...
Her previous book The Camino had 36 pages (my number again) with the word love in it & on p.146 "yellow ... deals with personal power." and on p.130 "Wisdom was represented by what we stood upon - our feet" and most animals are firmly grounded in unconditional love since they do have 4 feet and the snake is even more so by crawling with no feet. Being both of yellow skin and born under the snake sign, here is what I saw in:

This present book at least has 4 pages where unconditional love is mentioned, p.182 "It will be difficult to live without Terry's constant reminders that I am capable of unconditional love" which is quite close to the last page 199[a step before 200 or t(w)o zero or to oneness nothingness.) Shirley is still in the receiving end of unconditional love. Unless Shirley BE-comes UNCONDITIONAL LOVE or the state of GRACE, I will say that Shirley will not reach stardom in this lifetime. Since Shirley is still seeking for outside for-give-ness (e.g. neutering Terry) instead of GrOwING WITHIN or BE-ing it. Please shift from RE-act-ing as in all movies and BE a real god as played in "All my Reviews" by facing each own and chosen 'Fall from Heaven Story' - FfHS.

As far as i understand when each one of us is born, a physical star is also born in our universe. And both death are synchronous. This is one way to weave the relations between all entities and how the universe celebrates our passing through as in Osho's epitath. That's why there is the song "Wishing upon a star" because we all are. On p.167 (as seeks heaven) Terry, her dog states "Since my Mistress Mother is my child i hope i can teach her that growing up is essential to aging well. And the older she gets the further inside herself she should look. The more deeply she learns to love, the younger she'll be when she dies."

on p.166 (as seeks first perfect number & part of my number representation as Osiris) "Even now, while Terry is still in my life, I find myself WANTING to surround myself with animals ... I would be happy living with a menagerie... they point the way to a state of being we humans can only aspire to." To aspire is to hope and not be present. As far as I know at least 6 millions or 0.1% of humans are in that state of being.

on p.191 Terry states "The answers that MM seeks are hers to create." To create rather than react (a play on word) is to be god. This book mentioned twice that god is dog backward.

Dis-playing with my own example: I am creating situation where i am in synch with whatever the god in Neale Walsch's books (other books are in All my Reviews) & what Terry proclaimed here since 1996. The mundane was described in my letter to Jimmy Carter with my review of Prescription for Global Enlightenment. With that letter I realized that his Carter Center binds Jimmy in chains by being an institution, so will Shirley's animal menagerie.

On p.178 Shirley is closer to being Unconditional Love when she questioned "Should I have adopted the children I wanted to when I was younger? Is that the impulse Terry is bringing out in me? Or is she bringing out a desire to adopt children now? ...No, I've earned this peace and quiet" Shirley with all her 70 years of experience still question her own intuition and defaulting to the Western mind's cop-out.

She can break this impasse by choosing to adopt both animals and children. In my letter to Jimmy the statistics to my question "IS LOVE CONDITIONAL or UNCONDITIONAL?" is only valid in China. Among my 35 College Classmate in the US the ratio is far far lower. Only one, named very appropriately Violet, chose that Love IS Unconditional, although she can't do it either. The most common answer i get in US is that Unconditional Love can be for children.

Naturally that declaration by itself is a lie, as though, one can separate love into all different kinds. A very simple example will show the different Western & Eastern mindset. In Asia most mothers choose to sleep with their children since birth, thus be one with the infant (or Terry.) Westerners choose to put their children in a cradle and even in a separate room as in Disney 'Lady and the Tramp', which my 3 year-old son Imagine is watching everyday for the past week with 'Sleeping Beauty'.

Imagine is not happy when the masters put the puppy Lady out of the house in the beginning, and happy when Lady sneaks back in to the warmth of human bed. Initially when Kite found she was pregnant, I defer unconditionally to her choice. By the 3rd month she lost 20lb and then re-gained 30lb and we had inter_course until delivery day.

If the choice was given to me, I would have chosen to abort because I thought I didn't need to go through being a father. I'm delighted Kite gave us the chance to experience what it's to love a child unconditionally.

I have slapped Imagine on the hand or butt a few times before and always immediately apologized to him without excuses.

3 real child-rearing unconditional love examples to free your self:
. Whenever Imagine cries, Happy, i and Kite never told him to stop. I sometimes even play along and ask him to cry louder. Naturally after checking he's not in physical pain or hungry.
. Whenever Imagine falls down I always come closer and notice if he got physical scratch, otherwise I simply tell him to get up by himself.
. When faced with what we normally term as dangerous, unlike the dead Bush by 2006/3/7 and other un-secure/winning mentality, i turn that into a shared learning experience in unconditional love as in my review of "Lifelong Happiness."

One important thing I can find out with Imagine is to confirm that i can choose to be as young as i choose to be. This is in synch with how Kite sees me as neither male nor female, and my chosen epitath of 'a good person is not really that good and a bad person is not really that bad', since it's all a matter of enlarging perspective and be one with it all.

Whenever i declare my love to Kite and Happy or talk about Imagine, I always say that i also love every one else. Because we are all truly equal, as god in disguise, and we can learn a lot from our best teachers, the children, before their own 'Fall from Heaven Story' - FfHS. To die with children around is bliss, this is one reality check for Terry's statement of "The more deeply (Shirley) learns to love, the younger she'll be when she dies."

My own litmus test is to ask "what do you choose to do, if you knew you are going to be dead tomorrow". If you don't want to face the question, let me rephrase it without the 'if' which is in the past:

"Do you know you are not going to die tomorrow?" Which is from the present.

For people living for the future i'll rephrase the question as "Ever since human have been born into this world, there is one thing, and only one thing, coming from the future right into our face"

That's really the only leash we're all in, as equal as, in our own choice of 'Fall from Heaven Story' - FfHS - too and choice of birth and death and everything in between. On the other side is timeless all-that-is unconditional love and we all are a facet of that oneness. So choose either to re-present fear or be unconditional love. Place your bet, rien-ne-vas-plus.

Look Deeper -- It's Here
I've decided to write a review after perusing all the ones already written, and after reading the book myself.I want any future potential buyer to know what's what.Disregard all those comments that say Shirley MacLaine has lost it, is fuzzy-minded or too sentimental.While "Out On a Limb" remains Shirley's best book so far, this one is clear-headed as can be and deals with a different subject, a magical animal.What those other comments indicate is the readers' lack of a sense of humor.

You know some people are so darn literal, right?In truth, there are wonderful insights and wisdoms throughout the book.If you don't like animals, or if you think a dog is a dog is a dog, then you probably won't relate that well to the book, unless you recognize truth when you see it.This experience Shirley is having with a canine is rare.Her dog, Terry. is not your father's four-legged pal or your mother's cutsy, cuddly snookums.It's not about 90% of what most of us have experienced with a family dog or an adorable, sweet, or smart dog or cat that we loved and remember fondly.No, this is that rare 10% of animals that come into one's life that transcend the ordinary pooch or pussy.You have to experience it to understand it.

Shirley is NOT ga-ga in her dotage over a pet!She has been gifted with one of these transcendent animals and she is right:they do speak to their humans in many ways, and they love you like no man or woman has ever loved you (unless you're very, very lucky) before.I'm not talking about devotion.That's ordinary, expected.I'm talking about the real thing:unconditional love.We use that expression too much these days and most of us are lying about it.Frankly, we don't know what we're talking about.It's something we want to do, something we want to get, but we seldom come close.When we do, it's unforgettable whether it happens with man, woman or beast.It's a spiritual experience to be treasured and Shirley is one lucky lady.
... Read more

Product Description
The fifth volume in one of the most extraordinarypersonal odysseys of the twentieth century.Don't Fall Off the Mountain,You Can Get There From Here, Out on a Limb, Dancing in the Light and now the most intimate and compellingbook of all, It's All in the Playing. Oscar-winning actress, social activist, singularentertainer, best-selling author Shirley MacLainehas the courage to be both candid andcontroversial. In this book, she casts herself in her mostchallenging role yet--as seeker of personal andmetaphysical truth. It began in Peru ten years ago andended in Peru ten years later. But the steps alongthe way were the real story. In filming theminiseries Out on a Limb,Shirley MacLaine was forced to recreate herself tenyears earlier. to journey back from Malibu to London,from Sweden to the mysterious landscape of Peru...to the places, the perceptions and profoundemotions she experienced then. And to journey beyond,exploring new personal and cosmic dimensions, thechoices of her lifetimes, who she was and who shewould become. As the heart of Shirley MacLaine'stestament is a compelling challenge: we choose ourown destinies, create our own illusions. We have thepower to design the world in which we live, andthe strength to remake ourselves in the image of ourdreams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Provokes thought...OUT ON A LIMB is better though.
Shirley MacLaine writes about cohesion in our world. What do you believe and how did you truly come to believe in that? She
doesn't target religions but does inject insight into a notion
some find upsetting: God is everywhere, God is in you, a power of change for your life is also in you. I enjoy her books and hope
to see more. But my favorite is OUT ON A LIMB when Shirley shares her unsettling discoveries, discusses Jesus Christ and the missing 18-years from when he was 12-30---a time period deliberately remove from the original bible text. She challenges others to think and test what you believe in a real perspective.
Terrific!

exploring metaphysics
Shirley Maclaine has proved herself not only to be a very good actress, but writer as well.She is very insightful and obviously intelligent.For those exploring the metaphysical realm, I would highly recommend her books.

A Perturbing View of Life
This kind of modern day thinking is mighty scary and I am sad that Shirley MacLaine promotes such foolishness. Ms. MacLaine likens life to a play and believes we ALL pick our parts and others are just characters in our playand besides, they PICKED their part too! Why is it people who have money,fame and relatively good luck fall for this? Why never starving victims ofwar or horribly abused women in Saudi Arabia? This line of thinking alsoapparently justifies whatever you choose to do in your life as it is merelyfor the experience and quite eliminates the need for much of a conscience.After all, if you decide to hurt someone, it was chosen in THEIR lifescript as well. Psychic types often promote this viewpoint. They claim aperson who has been murdered was really a willing participant, as theyactually wanted to leave this world. Scary concepts that psychopaths buyright into for their justifications. Does Ms. MacLaine really understandwhat she is encouraging? Pat Brown/Director/Investigative CriminalProfiler/The Sexual Homicide Exchange, Inc.

A Perturbing View of Life
This kind of modern day thinking is mighty scary and I am sad that Shirley MacLaine promotes such foolishness. Ms. MacLaine likens life to a play and believes we ALL pick our parts and others are just characters in our playand besides, they PICKED their part too! Why is it people who have money,fame and relatively good luck fall for this? Why never starving victims ofwar or horribly abused women in Saudi Arabia? This line of thinking alsoapparently justifies whatever you choose to do in your life as it is merelyfor the experience and quite eliminates the need for much of a conscience.After all, if you decide to hurt someone, it was chosen in THEIR lifescript as well. Psychic types often promote this viewpoint. They claim aperson who has been murdered was really a willing participant, as theyactually wanted to leave this world. Scary concepts that psychopaths buyright into for their justifications. Does Ms. MacLaine really understandwhat she is encouraging? Pat Brown/Director/Investigative CriminalProfiler/The Sexual Homicide Exchange, Inc. ... Read more

Product Description
This book discusses the New Age movement, criticises its spiritual claims, and looks at spirit guides, reincarnation, quartz crystals, UFO abductions, and psychics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

THE 'NEW AGE' IS PAST
Henry Gordon
Channeling into the New Age:
The "Teachings" of Shirley MacLaine and other Such Gurus

(Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books, 1988) 198 pages

A breezy, popular critique of "New Age" beliefs by a journalist and skeptic,
who is often called upon to confront "New Age" gurus in the media.
Gordon deals with crystals, channeling, etc.
The second half is devoted
specifically to the life and 'teachings' of Shirley MacLaine.

Other books critial of "new age" thinking will be found on a bibliography
on the Internet, which can be located by using the following search term:
"OCCULTISM AND SCIENCE".

James Leonard Park, skeptic.

Trash
This is truly a piece of trash.The only savinggrace is that it is funny but save your money and see "South park" (Go Butters!). If you want a good instructivebook, then read this:
Sage-ing While Age-ing

Sardonic...but Shirle, you brought it on yourself!
Shirley MacLaine, while talented as an actress, has certainly made a name for herself. She's made some of the most absurd statements in history, especially that we are all God. Comforting, huh? And, because she's a public figure, she's known to have made them. I mean, it's not like "my sister's friend's cousin told my uncle..." i.e., scuttlebutt. And she's written it! People actually buy her books on her communication with the great beyond. And they pay a fortune for her seminars; the book refers to an estimate of $4 million she grosses from one of her tours.

Has Shirley toned down? It's irrelevant to the book which was written in the late 1980s.

Overall I like the structure of the book. The author attempts to define the "New Age" and describe its motives.I think there's more to be said than he does about that "New Age," but he adds a shade or two to it that I hadn't thought off, notably that its tendency to provide quick and easy answers is a sign of our times. He then covers many of Shirley's statements, and those of other gurus, e.g., J.Z. Knight, channeler of Ramtha, whose words of the wisdom of some 35,000 years ago I long for to guide me through these troubled times. He even covers WHY belief in such nonsense is dangerous--and that's something many of the books do little of.

And MacLaine reveals an irony: The author refers to her liberal political action, e.g., her participation in McGovern's campaign (1972) and her opposition to the Vietnam Warm. But I see her New Age pronouncements as the ultimate in conservatism: Your condition you brought to yourself (karma, or a dozen other concepts depending on the country/religion). That must be comforting to her and to the people who pay her thousands for a weekend seminar on how to be no less than God.

Gordon reviews many of MacLaine's statements. And they speak--or don't speak--for themselves. People who complain of the cynical nature of the book need only read those utterly meaningless statements. And one of the final chapters is on the crossover between science and the mystical. Shirley, for example, frequently nonquotes Albert Einstein. She, like that other guru not covered in the book, Deepak Chopra, frequently refers to "quantum" physics--while laughably understanding NOTHING about the subject.However, the sardonic nature of the text makes it more appropriate to those already skeptical of MacLaine and other such gurus. While I'm not confident that a more reasoned, scientific, or even educational text will convince those who believe in MacLaine's absurdities to reject or at least challenge them, it may help us all argue more effectively with those who do subscribe to her flatulence.

The book is fun, but not one I would use for a course, say, in critical thinking.

Do Insults Really Work?
I have just one question for Mr. Gordon: does he find that condescension and old-fashioned ridicule really works in convincing people to abandon their beliefs? I find it hard to imagine but like so many Promethean debunkers out there, they must, as a group, collectively believe it does, for why else do they rely on it with such regularity? It's not that Channeling Into The New Age isn't a relatively entertaining and highly readable work, it's just that I found Gordon's demeaning personality and arrogance tiresome and juvenile. I know he believes he's only attempting to save the ignorant and superstitious masses from themselves-a commendable goal to be sure-but I can't help but believe he's not into debunking more for the sheer enjoyment it brings him. To refute Gordon's work topic by topic would take some time; suffice is to say he takes the New Age "gurus"-and Miss MacLaine in particular-to task on a number of issues, from channeling and the use of crystals to reincarnation and UFOs, all of which has been done before and since by better writers. There simply was nothing new in any of this. While I found myself agreeing on a few points, most of it was just another litany of insults (he especially enjoys working the words "nonsense" and "gullible" into every other paragraph) with little meat on them. His status as an outsider puts him at a great disadvantage; much like trying to attack Roman Catholicism without once stepping foot inside a church or making any effort to understand it's precepts within the context of its own history, it just can't be done on anything more than a superficial level. The New Age movement cannot be attacked the way one would take on an established religion, for it has no set doctrines or dogmas that one must adhere to. The entire idea behind it is that one is free to explore their own spirituality as they wish and pick and choose those elements that speak for them, while ignoring other ideas that do not. I really don't think Henry understands that, preferring to attack it en masse as one would, say, Mormonism. For example, he castigates reincarnation without, I think, really bothering to try and understand it. In one instance, he rejects more enlightened interpretations of how karma works-that as an "educational" element designed to encourage spiritual growth-by declaring that that isn't how it has been traditionally taught (as though ancient concepts can't be refined and rethought over time.) In this and other areas, Gordon talks at great lengths about things of which he knows little, dismisses entire concepts out of hand as "nonsense," again without taking much time to discuss their merits or weaknesses, and generally dismisses all psychics and parapsychologists as con artists, fruitcakes, or-at best-well-meaning but seriously deluded quacks. Of course, Gordon saves his most voracious attacks for Miss MacLaine, whom he seems to admire even while attempting to humiliate her. Not a huge fan of the actress/New Age guru myself, I still felt his efforts to attack her beliefs to be mean-spirited and juvenile. Instead of confronting her philosophy on rational/logical grounds, he instead devotes whole chapters to listing various remarks she has made and then writing some cute rebuttal designed, I suppose, to enlighten us to the dangers her statements represent. While Gordon makes a few good points and does us some service, I guess, in making us aware of the potential pitfalls and dangers the New Age movement-and Shirley MacLaine in general-represent, the general tone of the book is that of a bratty schoolkid who snickers at others who aren't as smart as he imagines himself to be. Good try, but there are better books out there. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Shirley's journey is a personal one
I first heard of this book in a radio interview with Shirley Maclaine.My personal interest in walking the Camino prompted me to read her account because it was my first entry point into what I hope to be my own personal journey of the spirit.I am not familiar with other books by the author, but I am aware of her personal beliefs -- and how they might seem "out there" for a lot of people.In my reading this book, and in my conversations with friends about it, I had to focus on the deeply personal journey of the spirit (her book's sub-title) that she was clearly having.Less a travelogue and more a spiritual awakening, her book prompts one to think that the Camino is truly special and that the opportunity is there for any walker to have a similar encounter with the self.I read the book hoping to get a sense of what walking 500 miles across Spain will be like, and I did.I did not read the book to buy into the "true" history of where humans came from; and I don't think Maclaine is asking us to believe her.She simply shares her experience in a brave, honest fashion. ... Read more

Product Description
In an eye-opening collection of essays, aptly titled "Extrasensory Deception", Gordon, a professional magician and journalist, takes on psychics, astrologers, myth-makers and other assorted purveyors of the paranormal, and shines the light of common sense into the murky darkness that is the world of paranormal claims. Culled from Gordon's weekly columns for the "Toronto Sunday Star", this book collects his commentaries on 'The Paranormal', 'Prophecy', 'Spirits', 'Superstition', 'Pseudoscience', 'Higher Life', and 'Truth'. Not one to pull punches, he gives a hard-hitting, often humorous, first-person account of his adventures among some of the 'big names' in the paranormal movement, including New Age heroine Shirley MacLaine, faith-healer Peter Popoff, UFO guru Stanton (the Flying Saucer Physicist) Friedman, and psychic superstar Uri Geller. Gordon exposes the methods used by 'psychics' and other practitioners of 'extrasensory' powers for what they are - the sleight-of-hand and mentalist tricks that he and other magicians have used on stage for decades. The focus of the book is not, however, to merely debunk the excessive and unverifiable claims made by the paranormalists.As Gordon states, 'It seems clear. Once a person comes under the influence of these supernatural beliefs, his or her mind ceases to function at a normal level of reasoning'. By laying bare the dangers of uncritical acceptance of such claims, this book makes an impassioned plea for an increased use of rational intelligence and critical thinking skills for solving our problems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

PARANORMAL CLAIMS DEBUNKED
Henry Gordon
ExtraSensory Deception:
ESP, Psychics, Shirley MacLaine, Ghosts, UFOs....

(Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books, 1987)

A collection of newspaper columns by a magician and New Age critic.
This book covers all the issues discussed by JamesRandi's Flim-Flam!
plus several not mentioned in that review: magicians passing as psychics;
prophesy and ambiguous predictions of the future; cold readings by psychics;
psychic crime detection; moon and crime-cycles; fire-walking;
past-life regression; other forms of life--monsters and aliens;
& science and pseudo-science.
Because each article is short and independent of the others,
this book can be dipped into as suits the reader.
Might be a good place to start reading about the "New Age"
from a critical point of view.

You can find other such debunking books by searching the Internet for:
"OCCULTISM AND SCIENCE".

James Leonard Park, skeptic.

A great introduction to critical, skeptical thinking
Before I review this book, I must first respond to the below review about dinosaurs being warmblooded. What the reviewer is referring to is a story that appeared in the popular press awhile back. The trouble with getting ones science news out of the daily newspaper is that one only gets a fraction of the story and the newspaper rarely ever gives follow ups or corrections to the original story. In this particular case the scientists warned that their "conclusions" were speculative and premature, however, the newspapers ran the story as if it was a scientific consensus to the fact that dinosaurs were indeed warmblooded. In reality, the scientists never made any such claim, their speculations were sensationalized by the press, andthe jury is still out on the subject. The fact that I even had to write this proves the need for more critical thinking.

Now on to the book review. This is a fun, informative, fast paced, engaging and easy to read book. It is one of the best indroductions to critcal, skeptical thinking that I know of. The book teaches one to be skeptical of supernatural, too good to be true type claims. To a reader already familiar with the writings of James Randi, Ray Hyman, Joe Nickell and others, most of the material in this book will be old hat. To others, the material will be quite an eye opener.

This book is not as in depth or advanced as James Randi's Flim Flam Or Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World, so if one has already read those books, this one is not really needed. If one is new to this type of writing, this book is probably the best place to start. Start with this book, as it is so easy to read, and then as you wish to learn even more read James Randi's Flim Flam, Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World, or any of the books by Ray Hyman, Kendrick Frazier, Joe Nickell, Martin Gardner, or Phillip Klass.

Another great application for this book is to give it to someone to read that you know who tends to be just a little too gullible. I have found that asking someone to read a book like Flim Flam tends to be a little overwhelming, especially for someone not necessarily interested in having their worldview questioned. For example, one may have a family member who is just a little too open minded and one wishes to give this family member something to read to provide a balanced perspective to this person's thought process hoping that he or she will be just a little more rational when all is said and done. So the family member is given Flim Flam to read, but the family member, who is not really interested anyway, gets bored after a few pages and nothing is ever accomplished. This book, however, with its larger type point size, shorter paragraphs, and quick paced style will draw the reader in and hook them from the very first page. Then hopefully the family member will be be just a little bit smarter for reading this book and then, if interested, can be given something else to read like Flim Flam.

Sour Grapes, Lonely Inner Child, Dreamer in Black and White
Let me begin by saying that in Spring, 2000, Scientists, thru an MRI of a fossilized dinosaur, JUST found out that they had four chamber hearts and were WARM blooded creatures, not the cold-blood things they new as anabsolute scientific FACT in January 2000. My, my. What a difference a fewmonths makes. One day, our "science and technology"will becomeadvanced enough to record/measure, weigh and repeat excursions into the 90%of the human brain we know nothing about. They will begin to be able tointerpret the visible light scale beyond the puny ultraviolet and ultrasound barriers our mostly dormant conscious human brain can todayinterpret. Science will see and hear ET's and possibly learn our trueorigin from them. Then characters like this author will be standing alonewith egg on their faces and skulking off to a dark room to play theirfavorite dress up game, "The Spanish Inquisition."

so ALL beliefs are valid?
The two reviewers believe that no one should try to criticize or "discredit" another's beliefs- hmmm...So all beliefs are valid, then? How about the nazis' beliefs in Aryan superiority? How about theKKK's beliefs in White supremacy? How about the Theosophists who believe infairies and wood sprites? It's all valid? No one should try to"discredit" another's views?

There is really no point inarguing with people like the two "reviewers" who have weighed inhere; if one wants to believe, as shirley does, that thousands of years-oldbeings are somehow "channeling" their thoughts and knowledgethrough living humans, or that ufo's are kidnapping people from their bedsat night, or that James Van Praagh really speaks to the dead,there isnothing you can do to convince them otherwise. It's very sad,actually...

It always amuses me to see people get angry about those, likeMr. Gordon, who debunk this kind of nonsense- er- "phenomena;"everywhere else you look it's accepted, in the media, especially; it'stotally one-sided. Why begrudge skeptics when they get to say their piece?Why does it make you so uncomfortable...? Thanks Mr. Gordon, for taking thetime to write this- you're not alone!

this book is boring
I think this book is nonsence.how can anyone say that other peoplesbeliefs don't count for anything.Everyone should be allowed to believe inwhat they want to believe.personally , i am a great believer in shirleymaclaines beliefs and i'm sure alot of people feel the same way. I don'treally think anyone is in the position to give any negative comments on thebeliefs featured in this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

THE FILMS OF SHIRLEY MACLAINE-Guide to Her Career
This is an excellent, comprehensive, well-researched and well written 224-page guide to the cinema career of the multi-talented, multi-faceted, Oscar-winning actress/author/political activist, who took both Broadway and Hollywood by storm and has remained a star throughout a distinguished career which has lasted over 50 years.Featuring 285 black and white photographs, all beautifully reproduced, the book's opening chapter offers a succcinct biography of the redheaded tomboy from Richmond, Virginia, who grew up to be a world-famous movie star.MacLaine's bio is the stuff of many fictional Hollywood movies, yet in her case it's all true. At the tender age of 20, MacLaine was already a Broadway veteran chorus girl of several shows before becoming the understudy to star, Carol Haney, in the smash hit musical "Pajama Game" in 1954. One week after the show opened to rave reviews, Haney broke her ankle, and MacLaine was thrust onstage, triumphed and overnight became a star. Within weeks she was signed by Hollywood mega-producer, Hal Wallis, and then cast by Alfred Hitchcock to star in her very first film, the black comedy "The Trouble With Harry" released later that year, and she has never looked back.
Following the bio section, each film in her career has its own chapter offering a synopsis of the plot followed by reviews, production notes and anecdotal material, plus select publicity and candid photos.There are also chapters on MacLaine's career in the legitimate theater, on television and in nightclubs, plus a chapter with complete transcript of her appearance on Edward R. Murrow's esteemed CBS-TV program, "Person to Person" which aired March 6, 1959.The book finishes with a fine portrait gallery of MacLaine in a wide array of her film roles.Filled with terrific photos and many revealing stories and anecdotes on her remarkable life and career, "The Films of Shirley MacLaine" is a balanced and complete portrait of a deeply talented, very independent-spirited woman who has lived an astonishing life, has enjoyed a remarkable career, and has somehow always managed to do it her way.

The fils of Shirley Maclaine
Great book, I love Shirley Maclaine movies and books, information in the book led me to movies and books I did not know she had made..recommend. ... Read more