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Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives
Way of the Peaceful Warrior A Book That Changes Lives Author:Dan Millman During his junior year at the University of California, while training to become a world-champion gymnast, Dan Millman stumbled on a 94-year-old mentor nicknamed Socrates, a powerful, unpredictable, and elusive character. He taught a way to maximize performance using a unique blend of Eastern philosophy and Western fitness to cultivate the true ... more »essence of a champion - the "way of the peaceful warrior." Millman's first-person account of his odyssey into realms of light, darkness, mind, body, and spirit has since become an international bestseller about the universal quest for happiness.« less
I read this book many years ago. It helped me to see my life in a different light. Progress-both spiritual and physical- are key components to what you will get out of this book. It is fictional, but definitely enjoyable.
"Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman - not sure how this ended up in my "to be read" pile but there it was. Millman's autobiographical account of his journey of self-discovery is light and easy reading. If you have done any self-discovery work, the concepts exposed aren't new. If you haven't, the story may seem trippy. Even though Millman's writing style was a bit choppy for my taste, the story maintained its flow and consistency enough to be enjoyable. I found myself laughing along with the protagonist's mentor, Socrates, and even shedding a tear with him during his struggles. A literary masterpiece, this isn't, though the concepts are potentially life changing.
Dan, a world class athlete, 'accidentally' comes across a mysterious, old man at a service station near campus, who intrigues him, frustrates him, challenges him, mentors him, and ultimately teaches him the meaning of life.
How it ended up in my reading pile? I can't say but the timing was extremely serendipitous. The questions that Dan struggles with are ones I ponder quite frequently, as many of us do. Accidental, I'm thinking not. [3.5/5]
I was disappointed. It seemed that the narrative was simply a clumsy means to string together a bunch of literary tropes. While it was nice to be reminded of these old stories, parables etc, it didn't make for an very entertaining novel OR a good old self helper. Sort of like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which was kind of boring plus you still had to buy Chilton's anyway.
I'm not normally into "self" books wheather they be self help or self exploration etc. I must admit, though, when I was in the Navy on board ship, this book was passed along to me by a good friend, and I found it engaging. It didn't hurt either, that most of the story took place in Berkeley, where I grew up, making it instantly identifiable to me. I ended up really enjoying this story. I heard that it was adapted into a movie, but I have no comment on that.
This is Carlos Castaneda lite. College boy meets mysterious old man running gas station and takes him under his wing as an apprentice. Interesting but something inauthentic about it too.
