 Ram Dass, born Richard Alpert, in Brookline, Massachusetts is truly an icon for my generation. Alpert and Timothy Leary gained fame as Harvard professors who personally experimented with psilocybin mushrooms and LSD during the 60's. His first book, Be Here Now may have been the first exposure many hippies or flower children had with the notion of an Indian Guru. This book, first published in 1971, was about drugs, love, philosophy, and Neem Karoli Baba, called Maharajji by Alpert, who took the name Ram Dass after it was bestowed upon him by Maharajii. Ram Dass has written a number of books, lectured all over the world, and has also produced some very wonderful audios, which have provided my wife and me great pleasure on long driving trips. Still Here, reviewed below, written after the serious stroke suffered by Ram Dass, is a book we all should read to give us perspective on aging and dying. All of his books are upbeat, sometimes irreverent, full of interesting perspectives, and a joy to read. 
$14.14PaperbackStill HereRam DassThis book should be required reading for everyone, no matter how old he or she may be. Ram Dass is a man of great wisdom, and an accomplished writer and communicator. Now, following his debilitating stroke, he is personally qualified to comment on the physical challenges of aging and disability coupled with the psychological and spiritual approaches to dealing with and transcending the wearing out of the physical body. These are challenges with which most of us who live to a ripe old age will have to deal. The book is full of personal anecdotes, wisdom, humor, compassion, love, clarity, and most importantly, insight. Ram Dass speaks from the heart, the mind, and the soul. If anyone associated with Hospice reads this book, I hope he or she will recommend that Hospice provide this book to both those who are terminally ill and their families. Review by Len Oppenheim 
$14.14PaperbackBe Here NowRam DassWritten in 1971, Be Here Now is a "piece of work." I can’t describe this book. It is a hodgepodge, a psychedelic trip in print. If you have never read it, you will probably enjoy the glimpse into the past. If you read it when it first came out you have probably forgotten everything about it. It is a flashback, a trip. Ram Dass describes this as a journey of transformation. I think it is fun to read something like this now, and see how it has changed because our perspective has changed. Review by Len Oppenheim. 
$23.00PaperbackMiracle of Love: Stories About Neem Karoli BabaRam DassOut of print for many years, but is now available again. The book is a compendium of stories about Ram Dass’ guru, who he calls Maharajii. Some of the stories involve Ram Dass, or events he personally witnessed, while others were gathered from over one hundred other devotees. I am a junky for stories about Gurus and Yogis and their miraculous deeds and/or lessons they teach, both verbally and non-verbally. I especially enjoy these stories when they are modern, having occurred during my lifetime, and when the teller of the stories, or the gatherer of the information is highly credible. Those are the reasons I highly recommend this book. Review by Len Oppenheim. 
$13.95HardcoverOne Liners: A Mini-manual for a Spiritual LifeRam DassThe book is 235 pages, one sentence or one paragraph per page, of the distillation of the wisdom the author has gathered and disseminated during his more than 30 years of seeking and lecturing. Books like this are very precious to me. Ram Dass is wise and eclectic. Here are a few samples I chose just by randomly opening the book: "Treat everyone you meet like God in drag." "It is very hard to grow, because it’s difficult to let go of the models of ourselves in which we’ve invested so heavily." "You can’t buy into one half of a polarity without getting the other half. You want good? You’ve got evil. You want pleasure? You’ve got pain. That’s just the way it is." If you like the above, buy and enjoy the book. Review by Len Oppenheim. 
$19.00PaperbackIt's Here Now, (Are You?) A Spiritual MemoirBhagavan DassThe author was born Michael Riggs and grew up in Laguna Beach, California. According to this memoir he was 18 years old, when he left home "to search for his holy grail." He arrived in India in 1964. I can’t even begin to describe his exploits and experiences. They run the gamut from drugs to sex to spiritual awareness. While I am somewhat skeptical about the truth or validity of many of the episodes and escapades described in this book, Bhagavan Dass has seen it all and done most of it, and his experiences are revealing and exciting. He takes credit for introducing Ram Dass to his guru, Neem Karoli Baba. The author spent time with Alan Watts, Allen Ginsburg, Jerry Garcia and many other famous characters from the Beat and Hip generations. This is a life that oscillated from the penthouse to the outhouse on many occasions. There is something for everyone in this book, and whether it is all the literal truth or not is irrelevant because it is so fascinating. You will want to read it from cover to cover. Review by Len Oppenheim. |
