Review of To Be Enlightened

[Sam Ibeh]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "To Be Enlightened" by Alan J. Steinberg, MD.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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To Be Enlightened by Alan J. Steinberg is a compelling tale on enlightenment. Unlike many books on enlightenment that tend to deal with the theoretical aspect of Eastern philosophy, To Be Enlightened goes a step further by fleshing out the narrative and embellishing it with the ordinary yet fascinating life of Abe Levy. Abe is a college philosophy professor living his truth as well as teaching it. Through his interactive lectures, question and answer sections, and personal life experiences, enlightenment becomes a familiar topic — something understood in its simplicity. This is a gentle yet concrete introduction to Vedic literature and its implications in the modern world for the curious mind. This book offers reassurances in its portrayal of the journey to enlightenment for the seasoned seeker of truth.

This book's most outstanding merit lies in its demystification of an otherwise confounding topic. It achieves this via adopting to embed the journey to "self," as postulated in Vedic philosophy, in a fictional yet realistic world. Like Abe's students, the reader is also part of his classes, listening and questioning his analogy of what is and what is not. Abe's personal experiences and struggles also add to the element of realism. The teaching of the Vedas, likely questions, and possible outcomes are all addressed in this brilliant work. The message of pure consciousness and its relationship with the theory of everything is perhaps needed in a world steeped in mystery and discord.

Alan J. Steinberg did a great job of adopting the fictional approach to passing his Vedic literature and enlightenment message. Not only is the language of this book simple and easy to comprehend, but Abe and Sarah's stories are also relatable and believable. As someone new to the world of enlightenment, it is compelling enough to draw me in, and I must applaud how it addresses the issues with skeptics. I am encouraged to do further readings on this topic, and thankfully, the resources needed are mentioned throughout the book. Hopefully, as Abe hopes, this book would be the stepping stone to a greater understanding of life from another perspective.

The editing of this book is good; I must commend the editing team for a job well done. Apart from a few typos, the organization, presentation, and overall ambiance are well done, making this book a joy to read. I have nothing to complain about the book.

I will recommend this book to readers interested in enlightenment, especially those seeking to understand it from the Vedic perspective. Considering that we all are in some way searching for the truth, this book should thus be a must-read for everyone. It isn't religious in any sense; it draws from all religions and holds fast to the idea that everything is systematically the same, albeit different in perspective. I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was worth my while.

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To Be Enlightened
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[Ada Ling]

I have never read a book from Vedic literature perspective. Thanks for the introduction and nice review!

[NetMassimo]

This seems like a fascinating book that uses fiction to tell about enlightenment following the Vedic tradition. Thank you for your great review!

[Urvashi Tripathi]

As an Indian, I love Vedas and it's unique knowledge is above this world. I love reading about all religions and respect them all, but I as I'm Indian I have special place in my heart for Vedas and Puranas. This fact is making to pick up this book as soon as possible, as I know it will not disappoint me. Your review is so honest and beautiful in all aspects. Thank you for the amazing review.

[Uzo_Reviews]

If enlightenment tales could be this interesting, then I'd love to read this book. Especially, where its use of fiction is enticing. Good job right there though.

[onyii_review]

Using fiction to explain Vedas teachings and traditions is something really spectacular for me. I guess this might be a good read. Nice review too.

[GNerd]

This book is quite unique in it's structure and narrative. I'll love to read. Thank you for an exceptional review.