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Underground > Books, Criticism & Writing >

In Search of the Miraculous - worth reading?

iconoplast

17:22 / 17.11.02

A friend raved about this book, incessantly, from the time he started it to the moment he lent it to me. And I'm, like... thirty pages in. And skeptical. Though it's been getting a bit better. Anyone read this? Is it worth slogging through? Should I just lie and tell him, "Yeah. Really cool. Still thinking about the stuff it talks about." And change the subject?

Kit-Cat Club

21:05 / 17.11.02

iconoplast, which In Search of the Miraculous is this? There are six of the things on Amazon...

illmatic

07:17 / 18.11.02

KKC: I assume Iconoplast means Ouspensky's book.

I think it's worth reading just so you can tell us about it...
It's one of the classics etc etc which has shaped a lot of the literature that's come after it, but whether that means its an immense turgid hack with an antiquated writing style or whether it's really inspirational, I don't know. If you want a lot of historical background on mysticism etc I'd say may well be worth reading.
I tried reading it when I was about 14 and couldn't ...

What in the book are you sceptical about?

iconoplast

09:51 / 19.11.02

Well, it's all based on these conversations with "G." And, like, at page 30, I'm pretty convinced G. is a con man fleecing the muskovite rubes. I thought it was intentional at first, but now I think I need to start over and try reading it but this time believing in G.

I swear, I don't mean any of that allegorically.

iconoplast

09:51 / 19.11.02

Oh, yeah - I do mean Ouspensky.

Jack Fear

10:05 / 19.11.02

"G" would, presumably, be Gurdjieff, yeah? You're not alone in wondering if he was a true mystic or a trickster. Or both.

I mean, the bastard did once dye sparrows yellow and sell them as canaries to raise a little cash...

illmatic

11:01 / 19.11.02

Well there's lots more historical stuff on Gurdieff's life, and Ouspensky's falling out with him, which could maybe supplement ISOTM and form a "truer" picture... but then again maybe that's not the purpose of the book?

I don't know if anyone's written a more objective biography of him or Ouspensky? Anyone know?

Be very interested to know what you make of the book when/if you finish it.

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