Book Review: Stumbling into Infinity

When I first picked up the book, it was more out of curiosity than anything else. Generally speaking, autobiographies of any kind never appeal to me- they sound too pretentious or sermonizing that I stay clear of them. In the case of Stumbling into Infinity, the title was appealing and I was doing a colleague a "favor". And the best part, it was neither pretentious nor sermonizing.

Fischman has a flowing rhythm established in his writing that makes it difficult to "take a break". He draws you in slowly with the story of his grandfather and parents. Within a few minutes, I was hooked. As little Michael's story unfolds with all that jewish angst inherited from the holocaust, a historical common ground of suffering is effortlessly established to continue with the reading.

Then the rhythm picks up- his confusion as a youth and the continuous seeking of acceptance from his father, makes for an engrossing tale that totally connects. He steadily takes the reader along into his mind's journey as he "figures" life out. His pettiness and expansions resonate with our very life experiences and then he stumbles upon the threshold unto Infinity- a Master, a doorway into a glimpse that is Infinity.

Gurus, India, yoga and meditation form part of this exploration of delving into the darkness and depths of our minds and the silence of our spirits. Fischman is certainly a past master at meditation, for he has effortlessly brought expression to experiences that are hard to describe.

Moving from being a student of Transcendental Meditation to the president of the Art of Living Foundation, US chapter, Michael traces his journey along with the growth of the movement that the Foundation has seen in the United States as well as in over 150 countries.

When I finally finished reading, I missed seeing some pictures that were printed at the end of the book. Likewise, I had not read the Prologue. It was yet another "stumbling into delightful new details" when I did indeed get around to those pages. All in all, a worthwhile read. It had a few enlightening moments for me to stumble into and explore on my own.