The Quiet
by Paul Wilson
Macmillan, HK$170
If you feel the need to pick up The Quiet to 'find peace and contentment' you will probably be open to the suggestions of its businessman-author, Paul Wilson. His Little Book of Calm and similar volumes have won him legions of fans for obvious reasons: many of us lead harried lives that clutter the mind and frazzle nerves. Wilson suggests that emotional stability, clarity of thought, peace of mind and physical well-being are achievable with minimum input. That means you need not take refuge on a mountain top or numb the brain with chanting. Being still for 13 minutes a day is all it takes to make things 'happen', he promises, although he also cautions that expectations should be put aside and nature allowed to take its course. Divided into two sections, The Quiet guides readers through meditation methods, which prepare readers for Book B. This centres on using meditation as a way to spiritual fulfilment, a term that means different things to different people. Those who have read books on a similar theme will recognise basic, timeless concepts. It does not hurt to refresh the memory about how much can be achieved with so little. But the message could have been relayed with fewer words.