Where People Fly and Water Runs Uphill

AUTHOR: Jeremy Taylor

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA:
Publisher: Warner Brooks, Inc.
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
Imprint: None
ISBN: 0-446-39462-9
Trim Size: 5 1/4 in. by 8in.
Price: $14.99 US/$18.99 CAN.
Country of Origin: United States of America
Specialty: Dream Interpretation

PRIMARY AUDIENCE: Anyone interested in individual or group dreamwork.

REVIEWER:Jennifer Synder, Graduate Student Mental Health Counseling

Description: In his book , Where People Fly and Water Runs Uphill, Jeremy Taylor explores the elusive phenomenon of dreams by integrating various schools of thought, including psychology, theology, philosophy, and physiology, and utilizes both personal and professional experience, to intelligently make assert his ideas:

Namely, that "all dreams come in the service of health and wholeness", and that by drawing out the hidden meanings of these dreams, one can experience increased clarity and a greater realization of one's own potentials. In addition to providing powerful insight into the value of dreamwork, Taylor supplies the techniques and knowledge necessary to apply these insights to practical use, either in a group setting, or alone. Throughout the text, Taylor also incorporates Carl Jung's theory of the "collective unconscious", in order to emphasize the presence of archetypes manifest in dreams, and to demonstrate their interpersonal and communal value.

Purpose: Where People Fly and Water Runs Uphill can be used as a guide to those who have had little or no experience in dreamwork, as well as provide a valuable literary and technical supplement to more experienced "dreamworkers". The benefits of dreamwork, appear inexhaustible; personal and professional accounts range from the detection of physiological illness, to the implementation of social change, to the "unearthing" of repressed memories and experiences, all of which contribute to a healthier, more "realized", and in some cases, transformed individual.

Techniques are provided to improve dream recall, keep a dream journal, and implement lucid dreaming, as well as methods of initiating and/or running a dream group.

Audience: The text is written at a college reading level. Although Taylor incorporates theories from various schools of religious and academic thought, the cummulations of his assertions remain self contained, making the book's ideas accessible to lay people as well as those specializing in the study of dreams.

Features: In addition to clear and thorough explanations of the rationales, applications, and "how to's" of dreamwork, Taylor provides several appendixes for use of the reader : Suggestions for Further Reading, Basic Hints for Working with Dreams by yourself, and An Exemplary Dream Group Meeting: Dream Work (More or Less) Verbatim. These appendixes provide the reader the ability to take theory into everyday practice.

Assessment: Hats off to Jeremy! This comprehensive and well written book is of tremendous individual and social value, regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic class, or even psychosis. His words strike such a familiar chord within the individual (perhaps the "aha" of recognition that Taylor refers to), that even the skeptic must take pause to re-evaluate the significance of dreams in light of Taylor's logic. This book is a must for anyone who has ever wanted to understand the seemingly ephemeral world of our dreams.

RATING QUESTIONNAIRE

Were the author's objectives met?...............................................................5
The worthiness of the author's objectives...........................................................5
Was this written at an appropriate level?...........................................................5
Was there significant duplication or overlap........................................................3
Were there significant omissions?...................................................................5
Rank the authority of authors......................................................................4
Was there sufficient illustration quantity?.........................................................5
Rank the pedagogic value of illustrations...........................................................5
Rank the print quality of the illustrations.........................................................5
Was there sufficient reference quantity?............................................................5
Rank the currency of the references.................................................................4
Rank the pertinence of the references...............................................................5
Rank the helpfulness of the index...................................................................5
Is the physical importance of the book important?...................................................Yes
Rank the physical appearance of the book............................................................5
Rank this book's contribution to the field..........................................................5
Is this a new addition?.............................................................................Yes
Was a (this) new addition necessary?................................................................N/A