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ksbookjunky's review against another edition
5.0
This book is great in that it gives a big "F you" to all of the pop culture gurus de jour. Oprah needs to read it and memorize its passages. She's partly responsible for its contents.
dustcircle's review against another edition
4.0
Dr. Price does what he does best--destroying silly beliefs with fact, dressed with a little snarkiness.
Though the cover shows only a handful of his victims, very few pop culture religious views escape Robert Price's ridicule. Kaballah, UFOs, Scientology, Osteen, Popoff, Wicca, sales gimmicks, et al. all receive a description and are reasonably put to the grave.
Price explains rationally why these pseudo-religions are bunk, how one can identify them, and where people can stick these ideas. Price is not really that harsh, and could have possibly been more destructive with these superstitions, but he's above that.
Though the cover shows only a handful of his victims, very few pop culture religious views escape Robert Price's ridicule. Kaballah, UFOs, Scientology, Osteen, Popoff, Wicca, sales gimmicks, et al. all receive a description and are reasonably put to the grave.
Price explains rationally why these pseudo-religions are bunk, how one can identify them, and where people can stick these ideas. Price is not really that harsh, and could have possibly been more destructive with these superstitions, but he's above that.
brashtech's review against another edition
4.0
Worth flipping through for the section titles alone. My favorite: "Nine Principles in Amber." ([b:Get it?|92121|Nine Princes in Amber (Amber Chronicles, #1)|Roger Zelazny|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5146D8QEVDL._SL75_.jpg|1383240])
Based on the chapter titles, section headings, and and blurbs, I was expecting a very skeptical, snarky attack on various woo-woo hucksters, but instead Price focuses on relating "new-age" ideas to older (not always ancient) traditions, often in a positive, affirming manner.
However, he shows little patience for those who claim new insights—or, as you might guess from the title, to be revealing secrets—when they are really just repackaging well-worn notions.
No reverence is shown, either, for the "personalities" behind the ideas. It's no secret that Chögyam Trungpa was... an interesting figure. Also, Pema Chödrön is (unreasonably, IMHO) savaged for taking a Tibetan name, in, according to Price, an attempt to cash in on the exoticism of the East. (Ulrich Tolle, on the other hand, gets no flack for changing his name to Eckhart. I suppose 14th century Germans aren't considered exotic.) Yet, Price does not let his distaste for Shambhala teachers as an reason to dismiss the ideas that make up their teachings. Shambhala actually comes out rather well in "Top Secret."
So, if you're looking for GRRRR! ARGHH!! NEWAGERS!!! this isn't the book for you. Check it out, though, if you're interested in where the ideas behind various came from and how the fit into a larger picture of human beliefs.
Based on the chapter titles, section headings, and and blurbs, I was expecting a very skeptical, snarky attack on various woo-woo hucksters, but instead Price focuses on relating "new-age" ideas to older (not always ancient) traditions, often in a positive, affirming manner.
However, he shows little patience for those who claim new insights—or, as you might guess from the title, to be revealing secrets—when they are really just repackaging well-worn notions.
No reverence is shown, either, for the "personalities" behind the ideas. It's no secret that Chögyam Trungpa was... an interesting figure. Also, Pema Chödrön is (unreasonably, IMHO) savaged for taking a Tibetan name, in, according to Price, an attempt to cash in on the exoticism of the East. (Ulrich Tolle, on the other hand, gets no flack for changing his name to Eckhart. I suppose 14th century Germans aren't considered exotic.) Yet, Price does not let his distaste for Shambhala teachers as an reason to dismiss the ideas that make up their teachings. Shambhala actually comes out rather well in "Top Secret."
So, if you're looking for GRRRR! ARGHH!! NEWAGERS!!! this isn't the book for you. Check it out, though, if you're interested in where the ideas behind various came from and how the fit into a larger picture of human beliefs.
verbalken's review against another edition
2.0
Really pretty boring. Imagine your most boring college professor. Okay, not quite that bad, but close. As much as I wanted to like it, I had to abandon it halfway through.
dustcircle's review
4.0
Dr. Price does what he does best--destroying silly beliefs with fact, dressed with a little snarkiness.
Though the cover shows only a handful of his victims, very few pop culture religious views escape Robert Price's ridicule. Kaballah, UFOs, Scientology, Osteen, Popoff, Wicca, sales gimmicks, et al. all receive a description and are reasonably put to the grave.
Price explains rationally why these pseudo-religions are bunk, how one can identify them, and where people can stick these ideas. Price is not really that harsh, and could have possibly been more destructive with these superstitions, but he's above that.
Though the cover shows only a handful of his victims, very few pop culture religious views escape Robert Price's ridicule. Kaballah, UFOs, Scientology, Osteen, Popoff, Wicca, sales gimmicks, et al. all receive a description and are reasonably put to the grave.
Price explains rationally why these pseudo-religions are bunk, how one can identify them, and where people can stick these ideas. Price is not really that harsh, and could have possibly been more destructive with these superstitions, but he's above that.
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