"...A profoundly important critique of the covert authoritarianism of both Eastern and Western religions -- and of such allegedly secular cultural values as unconditional love...and 12-step programs....I hope many people will read this extraordinarily rich and complex book. The authors are calling for a profound change in the basic philosophy of our culture...for a morality that integrates and values both sides of the self...the selfless and self-centered....This book can make an important contribution to that change, if enough people read it and take it to heart and mind."
— LIBERTY, 1995 (best short overview of the book - by Sharon Presley) complete review
“Crystal-clear.…[Goes] deeply into the inherent paradoxes in much of world religion…[explains] with blistering clarity why we get seduced.”
— WHOLE EARTH REVIEW complete review
“Provocative and thorough....Covers vast territory …raises all the vitally important questions….It should definitely be placed in the hands of anyone who has been, or is, or contemplates becoming involved with a guru or cult.”
— YOGA JOURNAL
“Very important…Simply and elegantly written, I predict that this will prove to be one of the most helpful books on psychological oppression of the decade.”
— CREATION SPIRITUALITY complete review
“Keen appreciation of developmental and evolutionary processes.”
— COMMON BOUNDARY
“Undertake[s] the monumental task of reforming the very basis of civilization....their conjectures are certain to step on the toes of nearly every sacred cow at some point…steadfast and unapologetic....Offers both affirmation and optimism.”
— CREATIVE LOAFING complete review
“An essential key to understanding…control and manipulation.”
— THE BOOKWATCH
“One of the most deeply insightful works of our time….Nearly every page crackles with statements that...provoked one ‘Aha!’ after another….The most reasonable …picture of the evolution of religious ideas to date, and brilliant sections on love and control, and…addiction.”
— Richard Heinberg's MUSE LETTER complete review
...[The addiction chapter's] interesting thesis is that in any so-called self-destructive repetitive behavior, one is never truly out of control, but rather divided parts of oneself are fighting for control. Kramer and Alstad take on the disease model....They also critique what they call "responsibility models"....[arguing] that neither gets at the root of what's going on. As a long time researcher...of addiction, I found [their chapter] a refreshing analysis of predominant theories of substance abuse. [Their] own model of the divided psyche, and "why it feels good to be bad" was not only original but resonant." (from Dr. Marsha Rosenberg's review of the chapter on addiction)
— JOURNAL of PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS complete review
“One of the most important books for the 21st century …Elegantly identifies the masks that power uses to hide its abuses. It's about time!”
— PT. REYES LIGHT by Ford Greene, anti-cult attorney complete review
“One of the most compelling, ‘can’t put it down’ books [Reveals] the usually veiled authoritarianism embedded in the worldviews and values of [the] West.”
— COMMUNITIES
“A contribution of the highest order….Of immense and immediate consequence….May [it] be widely read and discussed.”
— Marilyn Ferguson's BRAIN/MIND BULLETIN
“If one thoroughly absorbs the message…the questions raised by it are so profound…that they can never be put out of one’s mind.”
— HUMANISTS (Don Havis)
“A powerful and magnificent book about our own individual integrity beyond any historic and self-appointed authority.”
— James Kavenaugh, God Lives: From Religious Guilt to Spiritual Freedom
“Deals with the most fundamental aspects of the Yin and Yang of human nature and the meaning of social community.”
— Philip Zimbardo, The Lucifer Effect
“Anyone who reads The Guru Papers will be profoundly changed. Its ideas are like a medical laser beam vaporizing cancer cells, exposing the underlying healthy tissues of truth…[It]will serve to bring hope”
— Steven Hassan, Combatting Cult Mind Control
“Brilliantly analytical, always probing, pushing at the edges of what we know, this adventurous book offers…an unflinching view of the structure and psychology of reality.”
— John Tytell, Naked Angels, Passionate Lives
“A brilliant book….inspires new insights each time one re-reads it. [In]…opening the book randomly [I received] just the wisdom I needed to help me take my next step toward freedom.”
— Susan Campbell, Getting Real
“X-ray analysis and laser precision [disclosing]… authoritarian structures….Expands consciousness of the consciousness journey itself, exposing its ever present darker side....They even offer a flashlight guide through this darkness. Uncompromising in its thesis…sparing no current idol, it is a poignant attack on the illusions of our time."
— Mike Arons, West GA College humanistic psychology professor
"[The chapter on addiction] provides a profound and compelling account of the way that most of us are divided against ourselves; locked in an endless battle between warring aspects of our being. [Kramer and Alstad's] lucid account of why the vast majority of us are split into two – and how we might become whole – is a fascinating model of the psychology of addictive behavior. It is a tour-de-force that shines a powerful light on a wide range of difficulties in living...[including] self-mistrust....[Their] writings have been an indispensable resource in my clinical work with troubled souls, helping me liberate people from the self-imposed shackles of imprisoning ideals and behavior; and fostering a life of greater freedom, authenticity and passion.
— Dr. Jeffrey Rubin, Psychotherapy and Buddhism, The Good Life
“Alarming, enlightening, and riveting, scary in what it uncovers…Helps us understand society’s serious failures …Eminently readable...provide[se] us with powerful tools for building a better, more humane, society.”
—- Merrill Joan Gerber, Gut Feelings