The Rocking Chair Prophet

by Matthew Kelly

THERE IS A VOICE WITHIN YOU. Listening to that voice is the difference be­tween happiness and misery, wonderful memories and heartrending regrets. The Rock­ing Chair Prophet is a transformational story about reclaiming that voice and the unmiti­gated joy that comes from following it. After an unspeakable tragedy devastates his life, Daniel, a thirty-three-year-old sub­urban man, disappears into the mountains. Years later, he reemerges filled with uncom­mon wisdom and other extraordinary gifts. From that day on, people travel from far and wide to meet with Daniel, who sits on his rocking chair, meeting with visitors, and helping them explore their deeply per­sonal questions. These questions lead to a se­ries of epic conversations that traverse life’s quintessential love, suffering, health and well-being, education, work, money and things, spirituality, regrets, depression, ambi­tion, nature, parenting, midlife crisis, choic­es, our hopes and dreams, the meaning of life, and enduring friendship. The Rocking Chair Prophet is a rich explo­ration of life and the human condition. It’s an invitation to rediscover yourself and reorient your life. Matthew Kelly has masterfully wo­ven into the story a piercing wisdom that is thought-provoking on a life-changing scale. It is stunning that one book can have some­thing so meaningful to say on so many topics. This is destined to be a book readers return to time and again, a book that speaks to us anew in every season of life.

Genres: Religion, Fiction, Spirituality, Faith, Christian Fiction, Inspirational, Self Help

154 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

Matthew Kelly is a best-selling author, speaker, thought leader, entrepreneur, consultant, spiritual leader, and innovator.

He has dedicated his life to helping people and organizations become the-best-version-of-themselves. Born in Sydney, Australia, he began speaking and writing in his late teens while he was attending business school. Since that time, 5 million people have attended his seminars and presentations in more than 50 countries.

Today, Kelly is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and business consultant. His books have been published in more than 30 languages, have appeared on The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists, and have sold more than 50 million copies.

In his early-twenties he developed "the-best-version-of-yourself" concept and has been sharing it in every arena of life for more than twenty-five years. It is quoted by presidents and celebrities, athletes and their coaches, business leaders and innovators, though perhaps it is never more powerfully quoted than when a mother or father asks a child, "Will that help you become the-best-version-of-yourself?"

Kelly's personal interests include golf, music, art, literature, investing, spirituality, and spending time with his wife, Meggie, and their children Walter, Isabel, Harry, Ralph, and Simon.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. It’s a fast read, but I’m usually reading three or four books at a time so took me a little longer. I really liked the message. We have all dealt with trauma in one way or another and we all have wondered are we on the right path for our lives. This book gives simple answers and reminders of how we can find our way again.

[Aubrey McDermott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars id say… has some cheesiness, but important messages that are nice to be reminded of from time to time! I dunno… should be a quick read for most I’m just slow🙈

[Tom Whalen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many of Matthew Kelly’s books. This is his first novel. I would actually call it more of what he has written in the past pushed into a novel form. It is not a spoiler alert to reveal what happens in the very first chapter, namely, that a successful Wall Street executive loses his wife and daughters in a tragic car accident. Stricken with grief, he retreats to the mountains to be alone, and has a deep, prolonged period of introspection. He then returns to his home town, and the rest of the book is his engagement with people of the town and many who come to visit him from a far.

When I say that much of what this novel is reflects his prior writings, I can give you an idea by sampling some of the 69 chapters of this 306 page book. For example: health, spirituality, generosity, learning, exuberance, depression, and anticipation. Each of these brief chapters have within them many of the ideas, and they are wonderful ideas, that Kelly has written about in the past.

He writes extremely well and one will find reading his books eminently approachable. Although the book is 306 pages, it really can be read in one sitting. I highly recommend it.

[Lindsay Hartmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ll admit it did have quite a few nuggets of good wisdom/advice but I think Matthew Kelly should stick with writing nonfiction. The story felt like it was written by a middle schooler who took Kelly’s work/videos and tried to cram it into an underdeveloped fable.

[Lise Nauman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was conflicted about this book. I felt like there are two ways you can look at it. First - there are a lot of nuggets of spiritual and life wisdom in this book. Similar to Matthew Kelly’s other books there are a lot simple things you can reflect on about your own life. However, as a novel this book was pretty bad. The characters were very simplistic, stereotypical and undeveloped. The whole story arc was simply a weak skeleton to insert Kelly’s spiritual insights. There was nothing original at all in this story. The dialogue and relationships between the characters were so simplistic a middle schooler could have written it. Despite the flaws this can be a useful book perhaps for young people as it does deliver some helpful insights. I would recommend reading it as more of a nonfiction book and focus on the wisdom delivered by the “prophet” rather than his personal story.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspirational read. I enjoyed it very much.

[Lee Coleman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book makes the 8th Matthew Kelly book I've read. These books are gifted to parishioners at my local parish at Christmastime, but my routine is to read the book around Lent. While I really liked three of his previous books, these most recent ones (he seems to churn out a new one each year) are simultaneously a chore to plod through and a tiresome breeze as he is largely rehashing previous material and simply re-presenting the same ideas about living a more faith-based life using different formats. Usually, his books are done as a non-fiction narrative. One he marketed as a handbook. With this one he tries shoehorning his ideas into a fiction, where every character's dialogue has a ridiculous, Pollyanna, no-one-talks-this-way-in-real-life clunkiness that is so cringe I can't understand anyone giving this a review more than 2 stars except out of pity or generosity. It strikes me as a poor attempt at recreating The Shack. I will include my three favorite bits, but they are not groundbreaking or worth reading the book for.

1. "When I am not in the state of gratitude, the only way for me to be happy is for everything to go my way. ... The opposite of gratitude is...entitlement, incivility, ignorance, preoccupation with self, disrespect, moodiness, contempt, and ingratitude". Yes, this last word was in the list.
2. "Our bodies are excellent servants but terrible masters. Allowing your body to rule and direct your life is a sure path to self-destruction. This is why the wise deny their bodies in small ways each day."
3. "Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience."

[Annie Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow. What a beautiful book❤️

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh

[Duck Collector · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doesn’t this go against all Cristian beliefs? I got this book from my Cristian Church. Tf did I read???

[Mary Ellen Barringer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A typical Matthew Kelly book. I have two quotes from it that made it worth reading.

[D.S. Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall: I felt that Mr. Kelly missed an opportunity here. He dedicates literally zero words to showing the protagonist's transformation and spends two-thirds of the book proselytizing. Essentially, this book is more about the author's personal philosophies veiled as a novel. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it's just that Mr. Kelly could have done a lot more to draw the reader in and bring them on a journey.

Plot: Daniel experiences a major personal tragedy, retreats to the mountains for an unspecified time, and returns full of spiritual enlightenment. This is not a spoiler, by the way; it is spelled out on the book jacket. The first third of the book tells the entirety of Daniell's life before returning from the mountains. The second two-thirds entails Daniell giving out spiritual advice to random strangers.

Exposition/Imagery: There isn't any. I couldn't get a sense of the town, of the people, of anything. It was all telling and no showing when it came to the tender moments. "Daniell felt this. He cried," instead of explaining how the circumstances affected him in a way that draws the reader in.

Characters: The characters lack any semblance of depth. In the beginning, the protagonist is a blank slate, a chunk of nougat without any texture. His family is a cardboard cutout of what a happy family is supposed to look like. His friends are popsicle stick puppets bouncing in from stage left. After Daniel's transformation, he is like Kane from Kung Fu: too perfect.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy the storyline of this book very much, but there were several insightful passages that I believe readers will be able to take something from.

“We've spent our lives trying to do things faster. Many things can and should be more efficient, but some things should never be made efficient. Friendship and parenting aren't efficient. Love itself isn't efficient. Relationships thrive on carefree timelessness-time together without an agenda, When we throw off the constraints of schedules and agendas, we bond in unimaginable ways. If we try to make this efficient, it will become inauthentic and inhumane.”

[Mags Lorang · Rating 2 out of 5]

The advice, lessons, and morals in this book would have been far more beneficial if they were compiled into a spiritual nonfiction.

Very bland fiction with underdeveloped characters, little plot, and an unlikeable main character.

Most of the “prophet’s” teachings are things you can find in Matthew Kelly’s videos and his other books or in scripture. This is just recycling from former projects to make an irrelevant novella.

[Nicholas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yikes. So cringey. Very religious (catholic) symbolism and all that goes with it. Still...some good thoughts and obvious truths that we should all learn... With or without the mythology.

[e_anne_b · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love his books. This was super insightful, perfect way to end the year!

[Katie Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful little read. Filled with nuggets of life wisdom in each chapter while still being written as a novel. I borrowed the book, but I think I need to purchase a copy to reread so I can highlight and take notes throughout the chapters. Highly recommend.

[John Teske · Rating 2 out of 5]

usually I like Matthew Kelly's books - they are page turners and I cannot put them down, finishing them over a short span of time.

This book was challenging. in the end, I skimmed it and called it good. I see that it has many other ideas that other books of Matthew Kelly also mentions, just bringing them up in a more allegorical way, a fable.

Not to my taste; maybe other readers will like it.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was actually rather entertaining, more so in the first half but as the book progressed, it became less of a story and more of a listing of topics to cover. Nice, easy read and was thought provoking at times. No one uses the term “loin” in current times though.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Sarah Vigue · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh poorly written, waste of time. Yikes

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I had a physical copy of the book but because of my dyslexia the font and layout struggled with it. Once I picked up the eBook I devoured it in days. I have recommended it to several friends, and have plans to return and reread it again. This is the first novel written by Matthew Kelly and based on how powerful a story it is I hope it is not his last.

The description of this volume is:

“THERE IS A VOICE WITHIN YOU.

Listening to that voice is the difference between happiness and misery, wonderful memories and heartrending regrets. The Rocking Chair Prophet is a transformational story about reclaiming that voice and the unmitigated joy that comes from following it.

After an unspeakable tragedy devastates his life, Daniel, a thirty-three-year-old suburban man, disappears into the mountains. Years later, he reemerges filled with uncommon wisdom and other extraordinary gifts.

From that day on, people travel from far and wide to meet with Daniel, who sits on his rocking chair, meeting with visitors, and helping them explore their deeply personal questions. These questions lead to a series of epic conversations that traverse life's quintessential topics: love, suffering, health and well-being, education, work, money and things, spirituality, regrets, depression, ambition, nature, parenting, midlife crisis, choices, our hopes and dreams, the meaning of life, and enduring friendship.

The Rocking Chair Prophet is a rich exploration of life and the human condition. It's an invitation to rediscover yourself and reorient your life. Matthew Kelly has masterfully woven into the story a piercing wisdom that is thought-provoking on a life-changing scale. It is stunning that one book can have something so meaningful to say on so many topics. This is destined to be a book readers return to time and again, a book that speaks to us anew in every season of life.”

The concept of writing a book as a story to convey business concepts, personal development, and help people grow and change is not new. In the secular world Dan Millman, Robin Sharma, have used this approach many times. Patrick Lencioni has used it in his business books and his Christian writings. And Noah benShea does so in the Jewish Wisdom tradition style. But Matthew Kelly has been writing books for both business and spiritual purposes for over thirty years. This story is a synthesis of his knowledge, experiences, and message in the story format. And he executes on it masterfully.

This is a story anyone at any stage of life could read, and would benefit from the reading. It would be excellent for teens, and young adult readers, for those of us in the middle stages and even those who are nearing or have already retired. The message is applicable to readers of all ages. My son who is 15 is already reading it.

I find certain books are life-changing books. When I encounter them I often read them repeatedly, some I read at least once a year for many years. Others I read a few years and they drop from my radar. Noah ben Shea’s book, Jacob the Baker, I have read over 25 times. This book is a book like that. I already plan to go back and reread it soon.

This is a book that will encourage, inspire and challenge readers. It will challenge their thinking, and their actions. It is a book that if read with an open hear will be transformative, for the reader and then for those around the reader. It is a volume that will have lasting impact.

I have read a number of volumes from Kelly, and I love his Rediscover series. But this is an exceptional volume that I highly recommend. I challenge you to pick it up and give it a read. And pass it on to friends and families so they can be blessed as well. And I hope there will be more fiction from Kelly’s pen. A great read. I cannot urge you enough to give this read. If you only read one book other than the bible this year, make it this one.

This book is part of a series of reviews: 2023 Catholic Reading Plan!

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “The Rocking Chair Prophet” by Matthew Kelly, Daniel is a successful young businessman with a beautiful wife and daughters. He enjoys his life until one night, a tragic accident takes them from him. Sinking into grief and despair, he disappears into the mountains. As time passed, people started talking about sighting a caveman in the mountains. They acknowledge that he is peaceful. People who knew Daniel suspected it was him.

In time, Daniel returns to his town and starts sharing his insights with others. People come from all over for guidance. They visit with him as he sits in a rocking chair on the porch of a home that he inherited from a dear friend. Daniel shares his wisdom by counseling the souls that come to see him. He knows he is in the right place, at this point, but leaves himself open to what the future holds.

I was very stressed out and feeling overwhelmed with work when I started reading “The Rocking Chair Prophet.” As I read, I felt myself relax and I am convinced I felt my blood pressure dropping. As the main character Daniel shares his insights with those seeking guidance, I learned a lot as well. He touches on many topics. Two especially stood out to me. Work and nature.

Regarding work, I know I am following my calling, so the stress I am experiencing right now will pass. There are people I know who do not work and as he mentions, this might sound wonderful, but the reality is that being idle leads to emptiness. This helped me to put my feelings into perspective and be grateful that I found my true calling.

The other topic that hit home was when he lectured about nature. When we get too caught up in our mundane lives, especially with work, we lose touch with nature. This puts us out of rhythm with life. This is an important reminder for me to find balance.

Matthew Kelly did an excellent job creating a work that is interesting, thought-provoking, and introspective. Readers who are following the path of personal and spiritual development will relish the opportunity to read about creating a meaningful and purposeful life. We are reminded of the importance of making time for contemplation.

Kelly’s characters are likable and engaging. We enjoy learning about them as the lessons they learn tend to teach us more about ourselves as well.

I highly recommend reading “The Rocking Chair Prophet.” It will also be an amazing gift for other readers seeking inspiration as they aim to live a more meaningful life with a purposeful existence.

[Annie Trader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a few Matthew Kelly books and I find that each one guides me towards knowledge in which I didn’t realize I was looking for. “The Rocking Chair Prophet” provides deep and thought-provoking insight into a variety of topics. The story itself is an easy read, but because the material provides access to personal reflection, I found myself taking additional time to reread paragraphs and to understand key concepts as an attempt to truly understand the meaning of the content. As a result, I feel that I have learned quite a bit about myself (just from this short book!) and I’m exited for the self-growth that I believe reading this book has ignited. Definitely recommend giving this one a read and keeping it on hand to go back to when in search of of clarity.

[Lance Lumley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The paperback promo copy was given to me from a friend to check out.
This started off as a major page turner about a man who escapes from his life after the death of his wife and children and hides in the mountains.
When he returns, he sits on his porch and gives advice to people who come from all over to ask him questions about secrets of life, such as "What is happiness," "what is faith," and other questions many ask about taking the inspiration of his friend who use to sit on his porch chair and embrace silence of life.
The last parts of book turns into a philosphy-style book just focusing on the character Daniel giving out his thoughts on the questions.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - I really liked this book, but it did seem way longer than it needed to be. It was an interesting way to present broad spirituality and it covered so many topics that there is surely something for everyone to take away from this book. This book felt more like moral teachings and motivation than it did fictional, so if that's not your jam, then steer clear. However, I think it was a nice breath of fresh air compared to what I normally read.

[M.H. Elrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came along right when I needed it, as if by divine appointment. It's a thoughtful, philosophical book, about life and all its challenges. It's not something to be sped read, but savored. The only part I didn't like was when Daniel said, "It is written..." which sounded like he was speaking for God. Otherwise, it was full of wisdom.

[Christiana L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

V cheesy but the messages within both taught and reminded me a lot about the fundamentals of being a spiritual daughter of God - will revisit this book to keep on soaking in the wisdom Daniel imparts!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read. I think it should be a must-read for anyone on a spiritual journey to find themselves or understand life more. It's not a religious book, but there are talks of God. Sound advice in this book to living a full life and appreciating everything.

[Brandon Soileau · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d put 3.5 stars if possible. My favorite genre is fantasy, so I’m used to the kind of book I cannot seem to put down. This book took a little more effort to get through than I expected. It’s a good story, but less of a story and more of a daily reflection. It’s packed with so much wisdom on just about every page, that it’s best read little by little on a daily basis with time spent reflecting on the words.