Book Review: ILLUSIONS, The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

A MUST read, a short, precise and mystical one but very thought-provoking. The book is interesting from the very beginning if you like spiritual, philosophical reads. The story catches on with the introduction of Donald Shimoda, the messiah, the master known for his miracles who quits being a messiah to be a mechanic and a pilot who gives people rides from one farm to another for just $3. The protagonist, Richard (author of the book, Richard Bach) who also happens to be a mechanic and flies people, meets this Messiah and urges to know how to become a master. Shimoda quite interestingly answers all his queries and makes him realize that this whole world is nothing but “Illusions” and we are happy and unhappy just because we want to be so, that the earth is solid and the water is liquid because we want it to be so. If we truly believe in something it is bound to happen in an inexplicable way whether it is possible in worldly terms or not, as everything in this world is a mirage, a false set up and we can conjure anything if we want to. Richard then finds a book previously owned by Shimoda, a saviour’s manual to become the messiah and I am pretty sure you would love each and every line quoted from the manual whether you believe in God or not. Donald tells Richard that each one of us is son of God and we are not different from each other and we all are messiah if we want. The story ends with the death of Shimoda but the ending itself is the starting of the book “Illusions”.

Quoting few lines from the manual:
There is no such thing as a problem

without a gift for you in its hands.

You seek problems because you need their gifts.


A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a

direction and at such a speed, It feels an impulsion...

this is the place to go now.

But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns

behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when

you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons.


Don’t be dismayed at good-byes.

A farewell is necessary before you can meet again.

And meeting again, after moments or

lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world,

the master calls a butterfly.

The messiah says, “We are all. Free. To do.Whatever.We want. To do”