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The Essential Crazy Wisdom
Take a wild and rickety ride through the philosophies of the East and West to discover the madmen, dreamers, and unconventional wisdom seekers in the abridged, better-than-ever version of our best-selling cult classic. THE ESSENTIAL CRAZY WISDOM delivers the most significant, most lunatic, and most compelling insights of the ages. Scoop Nisker patches together the unorthodox teachings that have bubbled up through the words of such crazy visionaries as Rumi, Gautama the Buddha, Mark Twain, Lao Tzu, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Allen Ginsberg, and Lily Tomlin. Discover the common thread in these multiple perspectives and travel on this comedic course to enlightenment!• Original edition sold over 40,000 copies.
254 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2001
28 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 5, 2020
This book provided a perfect balance of humor and cosmic questioning as to why we’re here (spoiler: IDK). I will he referencing it for the foreseeable future on how to live a wholesome and foolish life.
December 19, 2023
Thanks Scoop! You sure seem to do a good job of summing up all existential conundrums in 243 pages. Not bad!
I was amused, I was mystified, and I was left far less enlightened than when I first set about reading. Job well done!
Allow me to sum up your 243 existential summary in an even briefer fashion...
'At the moment you are most in awe of all there is about life that you don't understand, you are closer to understanding it all than at any other time. -- Jane Wagner'
Gotta dash! Got wisdom to waste!
I was amused, I was mystified, and I was left far less enlightened than when I first set about reading. Job well done!
Allow me to sum up your 243 existential summary in an even briefer fashion...
'At the moment you are most in awe of all there is about life that you don't understand, you are closer to understanding it all than at any other time. -- Jane Wagner'
Gotta dash! Got wisdom to waste!
May 12, 2024
I read the full Crazy Wisdom back in High School .... It really influenced my thought patterns and my global views. It gave me a new way to look at ideas from around the world and was my gateway to comparative theologies like Joseph Campbell. This is a newer summary I shared with a friend.
January 9, 2011
What is crazy wisdom you ask? According to Nisker, it is a wisdom that is unidentifiable. Crazy wisdom is a wisdom that “refuses to be institutionalized”. Crazy wisdom is the fuzzy line between knowing and not knowing.
In The Essential Crazy Wisdom, the reader takes a journey to clarify their certainty on the perception of knowing exactly how things are. Nisker clearly jolts you into thinking and questioning what exactly is the great wisdom. The great knowledge of living.
Nisker weaves this question into an exploration of the ages. Exposing the reader to the reality that question has indeed always been in existence since man has been recording thoughts. Through Eastern, Western, Existentialism philosophies and artists using their talents crazy wisdom is at work, asking one to seek a little deeper than the lazy, surface area of thinking. Not one century, culture, or religion has been the sole explorer or founder in believing in the unknown.
The author points out that human’s are indeed not superior to other species. I, personally, feel in love with a quote Niskar shared to express just this point:
“Man, here’s your greatness: your meat is useless, your bones don’t make ornaments, your skin can’t be played on an instrument.” ~ Kabir
Crazy wisdom will give the reader a chance to truly question how one decides to believe in anything. This book is a refreshing opportunity to dive into what our true belief system is. Not the one’s we were given in grade school, church or in our homes. But the one that lies within us. The belief system that brings you closer to your true Self.
In The Essential Crazy Wisdom, the reader takes a journey to clarify their certainty on the perception of knowing exactly how things are. Nisker clearly jolts you into thinking and questioning what exactly is the great wisdom. The great knowledge of living.
Nisker weaves this question into an exploration of the ages. Exposing the reader to the reality that question has indeed always been in existence since man has been recording thoughts. Through Eastern, Western, Existentialism philosophies and artists using their talents crazy wisdom is at work, asking one to seek a little deeper than the lazy, surface area of thinking. Not one century, culture, or religion has been the sole explorer or founder in believing in the unknown.
The author points out that human’s are indeed not superior to other species. I, personally, feel in love with a quote Niskar shared to express just this point:
“Man, here’s your greatness: your meat is useless, your bones don’t make ornaments, your skin can’t be played on an instrument.” ~ Kabir
Crazy wisdom will give the reader a chance to truly question how one decides to believe in anything. This book is a refreshing opportunity to dive into what our true belief system is. Not the one’s we were given in grade school, church or in our homes. But the one that lies within us. The belief system that brings you closer to your true Self.
December 16, 2015
Absolutely crazy, just like our continued exponentially growing (and consuming) population and humanity itself. This book features a very special collection of thoughts from many, who, throughout history, appeared to at first be crazy, but after enough time passed, were seen as more important than they ever were in life. Some of us connect a great deal with minds of this sort - if you think you might be interested in the subject matter, pick this one up.
If you're not interested in the subject matter, the content will completely miss its mark and you will not recognize the relevance or significance of putting all of these different thoughts in one book.
If you're not interested in the subject matter, the content will completely miss its mark and you will not recognize the relevance or significance of putting all of these different thoughts in one book.
September 9, 2016
Very thought provoking
Very good for those wanting to explore alternative philosophies to the traditional western ideals. Great use of a wide variety of sources from American thinkers to Buddhist monks to Islamic authors
Very good for those wanting to explore alternative philosophies to the traditional western ideals. Great use of a wide variety of sources from American thinkers to Buddhist monks to Islamic authors
September 23, 2007
Funny, clever and irreverent, this short collection of "crazy wisdom" focuses on what we know vs. what we don't, and pokes fun at our certainty of the way things are as we "know" them to be.
April 19, 2008
The author offers up many different ways of looking at thinking. A fun read that also intellectually stimulates.
July 14, 2014
This was a fun, thought provoking read...time well spent.
November 16, 2017
The author takes a look at unorthodox teachings from both the East and the West's philosophical writings.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews