Conversations with God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 1) Summary and Reviews

Conversations with God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 1)
by Neale Donald Walsch

Conversations with God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 1)
List Price: $23.95
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions

Book Summary Information

Author: Neale Donald Walsch
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1996-10-29
ISBN: 0399142789
Number of pages: 211
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Product features:

Book Reviews of Conversations with God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 1)

Book Review: How Does God Communicate to Us?
Summary: 3 Stars

Let me begin by saying that Amazon requires me to rate the book in order to write a review. Actually, I have no idea how to rate it because I'm not sure what the book represents. So my three star rating simply means "not rated." If compelled to, I could make an argument for anything from one star to five.

I read this book on the advice of a friend. He told me the book was "fascinating." I certainly agree.

The main thing I would like to say in the beginning is that this book shares some elements with Christianity, but is certainly not Christianity of the sort that most people will recognize. So if you do not like to read books that are at odds with your version of Christianity, avoid this one. It will be a one star book for you.

The author tells us that he had been writing down his religious and philosophical questions on a yellow legal pad for years. One day, he began to hear answers. He then wrote those answers down. What was "dictated" to him becomes the backbone of this book.

I have no way of knowing what the real source of these responses to the questions in the conversations is. It could be Divine communications. It could be Satanic ones. It could be a manifestation of the author's psychology. There are a lot of other things it could be. You'll have to decide for yourself. If you have a spiritual advisor or counselor whom you respect, that would be a good subject to discuss with her or him.

I found myself empathizing with the author's perspective of the conversations. "I am . . . deeply embarrassed by my own life . . . ." "Yet I am encouraged by God to grant myself forgiveness for my failings and not to live in fear and guilt but to always keep trying -- to live a grand vision. I know that's what God wants for all of us."

There were several concepts in the book that I found to be new, and which added to my spiritual perspective. One was: "The truth is, God talks to everybody." That made me think about ways that I could pay more attention to what was going on to me and inside me as ways to know God.

A second one was the notion that the Ten Commandments are there not to be obeyed merely, but as ways for us to test ourselves on how well attuned we are to God's way.

As someone who loves to work on creative activities, I liked the many affirmations about God wanting us to create the goodness we desire through our thoughts and deeds. "There is only one reason to do anything: as a statement to the universe of Who You Are."

About two-thirds of the way into the book, the conversation lost me. There were extensive discussions of reincarnation, infinite universes, gods beyond gods, and moving from being a killer to being someone imbued in love. That material did not resonate with me in either a religious or a spiritual sense.

The most unexpected part of the book for me was that the voice of God (as described in the book) is a very colloquial and humorous one. It is hard for me to equate this God with the God of Moses and Jesus Christ. But that may just be my limitation. To give you a flavor, the language is much like that in the George Burns movie of many years ago, Oh God.

If you are curious about other perspectives on spirituality, you will enjoy this book. If you are looking for a different perspective than the one you have today, especially one that is less threatening, you may find this to be enlightening.

Let me share with you the three laws in the book: "The First Law is that you can be, do, and have whatever you can imagine. The Second Law is that you attract what you fear. Love is all there is." God describes Himself as having no needs, but three desires: (1) that people know and experience Him (2) that people know and experience who they are and (3) that the whole process of life is a constant joy, continuous creativity, and never-ending experiences of total fulfillment.

May your life be filled with valuable spiritual experiences and guidance!

Religion & Spirituality Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Books
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself (New Harbinger/Noetic Books) (co-published with the Institute of Noetic Sciences) ImageThe Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself (New Harbinger/ Noetic Books) (co-published with the Institute of Noetic Sciences)
by Michael A. Singer
New Harbinger Publications/ Noetic Books; Published: 2007-10-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.27
Price in other shops: $16.95
Oneness ImageOneness
by Rasha
Earthstar Press; Published: 2006-02-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.20
Price in other shops: $20.00
Meister Eckhart: The celebrated 14th Century mystic and scholastic: A central source and inspiration of dominant currents in philosophy and theology since Aquinas, w/the text of his historic Defense ImageMeister Eckhart: The celebrated 14th Century mystic and scholastic: A central source and inspiration of dominant currents in philosophy and theology since Aquinas, w/ the text of his historic Defense
by Meister Eckhart
HarperOne; Published: 1957-03-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.97
Price in other shops: $15.99
Who Dies?: An Investigation of Conscious Living and Conscious Dying ImageWho Dies?: An Investigation of Conscious Living and Conscious Dying
by Stephen Levine, Ondrea Levine
Anchor; Published: 1989-01-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops: $14.95
Meetings at the Edge: Dialogues with the Grieving and the Dying, the Healing and the Healed ImageMeetings at the Edge: Dialogues with the Grieving and the Dying, the Healing and the Healed
by Stephen Levine
Anchor; Published: 1989-02-20; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.50
Price in other shops: $19.00
The Bridge Across Forever: A True Love Story ImageThe Bridge Across Forever: A True Love Story
by Richard Bach
Harper Paperbacks; Published: 2006-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.63
Price in other shops: $14.99
Jonathan Livingston Seagull ImageJonathan Livingston Seagull
by Richard Bach
Scribner; Published: 2006-01-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.90
Price in other shops: $10.99
One ImageOne
by Richard Bach
Dell; Published: 1989-10-02; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.95
Price in other shops: $7.99
Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah ImageIllusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah
by Richard Bach
Arrow Books Ltd; Published: 2001-03-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.01
Price in other shops: $12.91
Messiah's Handbook: Reminders for the Advanced Soul ImageMessiah's Handbook: Reminders for the Advanced Soul
by Richard Bach
Hampton Roads Publishing; Published: 2004-08-16; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.33
Price in other shops: $12.95
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Communion with God ImageCommunion with God
by Neale Donald Walsch
Berkley Trade; Published: 2002-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.95
Price in other shops: $14.00
Friendship with God: An Uncommon Dialogue ImageFriendship with God: An Uncommon Dialogue
by Neale Donald Walsch
Berkley Trade; Published: 2002-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.95
Price in other shops: $16.00
Conversations with God for Teens ImageConversations with God for Teens
by Neale Donald Walsch
Hampton Roads Publishing; Published: 2001-10-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops: $19.95
Meditations from Conversations with God: Bk. 1: An Uncommon Dialogue ImageMeditations from Conversations with God: Bk. 1: An Uncommon Dialogue
by Neale Donald Walsch
Hodder Mobius; Published: 1999-09-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.99
Price in other shops: $18.60
Meditations from Conversations With God ImageMeditations from Conversations With God
by Neale Donald Walsch
Hampton Roads Pub Co; Published: 2006-07-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.00
Price in other shops: $7.95
Questions and Answers on Conversations with God ImageQuestions and Answers on Conversations with God
by Neale Donald Walsch
Hampton Roads Publishing; Published: 1999-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops: $15.95
Conversations with God, Book 1 Guidebook: An Uncommon Dialogue (Bk. 1) ImageConversations with God, Book 1 Guidebook: An Uncommon Dialogue (Bk. 1)
by Neale Donald Walsch
Hampton Roads Pub Co; Published: 1997-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.66
Price in other shops: $12.95
Conversations With God: An Uncommon Dialog, Vol. 3 ImageConversations With God: An Uncommon Dialog, Vol. 3
by Neale Donald Walsch
Hampton Roads Pub Co; Published: 2003-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.75
Price in other shops: $16.95
Conversations With God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book #3) ImageConversations With God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book #3)
by Neale Donald Walsch
Hampton Roads Publishing Company; Published: 1998-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.27
Price in other shops: $22.95
Conversations With God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 2) ImageConversations With God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 2)
by Neale Donald Walsch
Hampton Roads Publishing Company; Published: 1997-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $3.75
Price in other shops: $19.95