The 99th Monkey: A Spiritual Journalist's Misadventures with Gurus, Messiahs, Sex, Psychedelics, and Other Consciousness-Raising Experiments - Softcover

Sobel, Eliezer

Softcover

ISBN 10: 159580028X ISBN 13: 9781595800282

Publisher: Santa Monica Press, 2008

Synopsis

Suffused with a unique brand of irreverent humor, this account recalls the autobiographical explorations of the most significant alternative communities, ashrams, gurus, shamans, and consciousness-raising seminars of the past 40 years. Serving as a human guinea pig for many of the most popular cutting-edge New Age, human potential, and spiritual experiments, Eliezer Sobel recounts intercontinental adventures in India, Israel, Brazil, and Haiti. From Primal Therapy to the Dalai Lama, this perceptively witty analysis includes brushes with cults, wild experiments with sex and psychedelics, and encounters with visionary gurus and contemporary madmen.

About this title

About the Author:

Eliezer Sobel has led intensive creativity workshops and retreats at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, the Open Center in New York City, the Lama Foundation in New Mexico, and similar venues around the United States. He was also the editor in chief of The New Sun magazine in the late 1970s, the publisher of Wild Heart Journal, and his articles, short stories, and poetry have appeared in the Village Voice, Yoga Journal, Tikkun, Quest, New Age Journal, and many others. Sobel was awarded the prestigious Peter Taylor Award for his novel, Minyan: Ten Jewish Men in a World That Is Heartbroken. He is also the author of Wild Heart Dancing. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Review:

An extraordinary and challenging journey through the contemporary worlds of spiritual exploration and the human potential movement.”  Rabbi David A. Cooper, author, Ecstatic Kabbalah and God is a Verb

A generous contribution to countercultural history.”  Paul Krassner, author, One Hand Jerking: Reports From an Investigative Satirist

Funny, beautifully written, and often extremely moving and thought-provoking.”  Colin Wilson, author, A Criminal History of Mankind

"Sobel's utter failure to get enlightened is chronicled with laughter, irreverence, insight and raw truth."  Gabrielle Roth, dancer, director, and author, Connections

"This book made me happier than most of the spiritual books I read these days. Enjoy."  Wes Scoop' Nisker, Buddhist meditation teacher, author, and performer

"By all means follow The 99th Monkey down the road apiece that passeth understanding. It looks like big fun."  Wavy Gravy, author, Something Good for a Change

"Sobel's humor and self-deprecating manner make this journey a fun one. . . . In the end, Sobel is really like anyone else on this earth, which is why the book is so endearing and encouraging."  Rain Taxi

About this edition

• Publisher: Santa Monica Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 159580028X
• ISBN 13: 9781595800282
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 307