[Illusions 01] • Messiah’s Handbook

Readers of Richard Bach's *Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah* , will recall that said messiah, Donald Shimoda, carried with him a small book entitled the *Messiah's Handbook*. According to Shimoda, all Bach had to do was, "Open it, and whatever you need to know is there." Now, decades after *Illusions* was first published, Bach has made the handbook available to all of us "advanced souls in training." Rather than reading it cover-to-cover, Bach counsels us to close our eyes, focus on the question we want an answer to, then open the handbook at random, open our eyes and read what's on the page. In this regard, *Messiah's Handbook* can be likened to a 21st century version of the *I Ching* or *The Book of Runes* , with the same appeal to readers who enjoys such works. Each page is composed of a single, thought-provoking aphorism. As with all of Bach's books, at the heart of *Messiah's Handbook* is his encouragement to his reader to follow the drumbeat of their dreams without compromise or apology, knowing that we can have what we desire so long as we believe we can. Used as directed, *Messiah's Handbook* is a delightfully insightful guide for making those dreams come true.-- *Larry Trivieri Jr.*