Revelation

Connecting with the Sacred in Everyday Life

By: Russell Brand

Narrated by: Russell Brand

Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

Russell Brand takes a deep, earnest, yet witty dive into the meaning of life, death, and the sacred space in between in this compelling Audible Original.

An Aussie woman living alone in a forest, at one with nature and technology. A former addict celebrating an anniversary in recovery with friends - all ex-addicts - at a humble community center in LA. A man, no stranger to personal tragedy, training others to swim in arctic waters. The mortality of a close friend, a beloved pet cat, and - ultimately - ourselves. Russell Brand finds the sacred in all these people, locations, and experiences and advocates for discovering and embracing the sacred that is in all that surrounds us. Not an easy task in a world filled with the distractingly profane and our culture’s high value of emptier qualities, like celebrity and wealth, often at the expense of kindness and connection. Unsparing of himself, and with insights that are sure to resonate with any listener, Revelation sets a context for our need for the sacred - especially now, given current societal fragmentation and the dearth of mitigating social and political ideas. This Audible Original will truly change your perspective and, in the process, your life.

©2020 Russell Brand (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC.

Just what I needed

I was very much spiraling in self-pitty and was quite gloomy when this book fell in my lap. I didn't know what I was looking for when I opened my Audible app, just anything that could shake me free from the apathy. I saw Russell Brand on the cover and figured I'd give it a go. I've always loved his work, so why not? It was exactly what I needed. It was like he was speaking right to me. Like he and I were on the phone having a good chat. It was familiar, engaging, upbeat and witty. His charm is in how he doesn't take himself too seriously, but isn't wasting my time trying to sell me anything (except his book 😉)
He genuinely just wants me to benefit from what he's discovered in his search for meaning. He is generous with sharing not only his his wisdom but also his humanity.

And I found this all on the very morning it was released. By accident. I thought it was strange that there weren't any reviews yet. It didn't occur to me that it was literally hot off the press.

Well Russell, you've done it again

I laughed, I cried.

Fresh from listening, I am finding it hard to find adequate words to describe this book. It is more feelings than thoughts. I have all of Russell’s audio offerings, as I delight in his spoken delivery of his thoughts. His authenticity and self-reflections are refreshing. His asides and witticisms cause explosive guffaws making it dangerous to drink beverages while listening. His use of the English language is marvelous. This is an audiobook that I will listen to more than once, which I rarely do. What a gift.

This century’s C.S. Lewis, only less prude

I’ve read Mere Christianity about 20 times and this feels like a similar soul, discovering similar truths about life, and how it cannot be lived without faith. Faith is essential. C.S. Lewis came to faith after being an atheist. He was a brilliant thinker. Additionally, both authors examine snd explain why faith need not be looked upon like some childish notion but, in fact, it can withstand intense scrutiny and study and not only survive and allow a fuller understanding of what it means to live fully but faith can be validated through a thorough examination. Thank you for this book! It would be fascinating to be a fly on the wall if only you and C.S. Lewis could sit down together and discuss life.

Meandering

Perhaps there is a coherence buried in this “audio”, festooned with aspirational vocabulary, as one sentence uninterrupted by punctuation, smears into another. Thought into thought, quotation into adage. A stream of hyper-consciousness, profound wisdom borrowed from another’s jaw, distilled into an infinitely repeatable, but self-effacing commentary on the commoditization of an addict’s journey to recovery....

You get the picture!

Glad it appears to be helping some people, but to me it listens like pseudo- intellectualism, and a self-indulgent and distracting use of flowery language.

Articulate honest and heartfelt.

Very much enjoyed this listen, I can agree with most of what was said within it. Highly recommended, especially if you've experienced or are experiencing loss addiction or a search for meaning in life.

if open, beyond discovery isinevitable

I'm only 2 chapters into this book and I know that What I have experienced in my life up to this point has just been validated To some point where I knew something needed to be done about how this world was being run but I never had all the points in dots to make sense of the picture or the experience to connect all of that and through this book Russell has accomplished that in a way that will allow us to see the truth And really start moving towards a real real solution that is the truth. I don't know if I will ever get to meet you or cross paths with you Russell, thank you, really with all that I am, thank you for writing this book. i appreciate you. #watia

I didn't like it too much. A lot of literary fluff

It was like he was bored and just thought of some interesting sounding words. Well written and performed, but no substance.

Re-listening already- WONDERFUL audiobook!!!

I've enjoyed every single one of Russell Brand's previous books, from early memoirs full of insight and humor to his profound work on Recovery and Mentorship. And while I love reading the books, there's always been a special quality to the audiobooks, an energy that comes through in his reading that is profound and important.

While most of my listening on Audible is at double speed, to consume the content as quickly as possible, this is a wholly different experience. Not only full of great content that you can immediately apply to your life, but a depth of feeling, humor, and an overall joy to listen to.

I've texted it to several people already urging them to listen and I urge you to do the same!

Great Timing...

Bravo Sir! I awaited the moment I was able to download and listen to this book, I am so glad to have made the purchase. This book will definitely be a new favorite go to. Thank you Russell for all the thoughtful work you put out and encouragement for others to put out into the world that is all of us! Cheers to a great awakening of the Good in the World.

Real and raw!

Loved hearing this human experience! I think the man is brilliant and a fantastic wordsmith! Well done Russel!

Brand at his absolute best. Lots of words!

I've been a fan of Russell for a very long time now. His intelligence and perception, as well as his ability to convey intangible concepts has been underestimated for such a long time. I definitely enjoyed this book more with him narrating it, than I think I would have, reading it with my own exhausted inner monologue. I have loved everything he's every done and I would say this piece of work, is most likely his proudest hour ( Or 5 ). His ability to capture the alientation and frustration of us all is beyond articulate. What we're all essentially craving is connection and if nothing else, you'll feel temporarily connected to him as he verbalises his thoughts on the current state of play. A tour de force performance. ( Just kidding, I always believed if you say tour de force in a review, people will think you're like, well smart and stuff ) - Either way, it's bloody brilliant.

A Book on THE Question of Our Time

Revelation is an invitation to bring the sacred (or the G word!) back into our lives, at a time when it is most needed. Thanks to the impressive collection of years worth of interviews with the visionaries of our era via his Under the Skin Podcast, Brand draws upon various wisdoms, insights and, particularly in the case of the more scientifically-oriented, criticism to weave together a new kind of world-view.

The overall message is that no meaningful social or political change can happen without the spiritual evolution of humanity. He boldly asks: what is the point of existing if we are merely striving to better organise our material needs? We need to talk about death, we need to have connectedness, we need to re-discover the sacred in the mundane. Society has to organise itself around these fundamental needs, just as much as the material needs.

Brand does not shy away from pronouncing the bleakness of our era, disagreeing with the Pinker/Peterson assertion that life has never been better for human beings than now. Rather, we are living a huge percentage of life mediated via our screens, endlessly consuming and self-medicating. Importantly, Brand does not shy away from the impact of Covid lockdowns in accelerating this situation.

Peppered throughout the book are open and honest stories from different points in Brand's life. It portrays a man on a journey, constantly seeking and willing to grow on an uncommonly grand scale. To the vast majority of us, who have never lived a celebrity life, it is nice to be told that we were not missing out on anything at all, actually. Brand is only newly discovering how desirable and satisfying family life can be, which suggests that we don't need to go on a trip to the Himalayas to find God. We can just as easily find God in the eyes of our children. Or our dog, perhaps?

If ever there was a time to question the importance of just about everything we humans are doing as atomised, addicted, purposeless beings, it would be now. This book is unique and bold contribution to this as of yet mostly non-existent, but crucial conversation. How to bring the sacred back into our lives? This is undoubtedly THE question of our time.

Aha!

I could listen to Russell speak all day long. Not just because his vocabulary is exemplary, but because I always learn something when I do - mostly about myself. That is a priceless gift for which I would like to say, THANK YOU, sincerely, thank you.

Splendid spirituality

Show me anything a bit alternative, a bit spiritual, a bit hippy and I’m all over it. I do, however, get tired of a lot of the wishy washy new age stuff. That’s where Russell comes in. He has the charisma, humour and in the oddest of ways the normality to convey these ideas of God, spirit and love in a way I enjoy and also feel is the best way to get the widest range of people on board. Not just those that are vegan yogis (nothing wrong with them). This book is the embodiment of this. I’m loving it. Get involved. Feel the love. Get a sprinkling of the sacred in your life and let Russell, who is full to the brim of that delightful trickster energy, take you on this journey. If he turns out to be a cult leader, is there anything so wrong with that!? Filling you up with all that good juice for a strong and happy life. Boom

Excellent

A wonderfully eloquent musing on the nuances of consciousness and ephemeral unknowables. Powerful and thought provoking.
You will laugh and you will cry.
An absolute joy, and that’s from a recovering ardent atheistic misanthrope

He is not the messiah, he is a very naughty boy

I read Rusty’s early work and it made me laugh. I listened to his last three audio books and they changed my life. The man is a some kind of prophet.

Like all good prophets he has lovely hair and a soothing demeanour.

Little Paul Scholes loves it too.

Listened to in one sitting

Found this very moving and agreed with the things he said. Certainly a changed man

Not up to the standard of his previous books

I listened to this straight after Richard Dawkins' book "The God Dillusion." And I must say that I much preferred that book. I would however recommend Russell's previous book "Recovery." But I would only recommend this if you have a penchant for a load of old waffle.

Russell's finest book yet

Wow, I'm so sad to have finished this beautiful inspiring book. I've read all Russell's books and hope he will keep writing. Revalation, although slightly shorter than the others will keep you hooked from the start especially if you are spiritually minded. As always Russell is disarmingly honest and open which is I think what makes his books so easy to enjoy. Since the majority of the population gave up the church we have lost all spiritual guidance within the community, maybe this book will be part of bringing us back to being spiritual beings rather than materialistic beings. Well Done Russell 👏

Transformational storytelling... humane, courageous.

I started my audible subscription so that I could listen to this audio book. Russell said it would mean something to him if we were to get hold of it. Back in the days when he was all mouth and haircut I judged Russell terribly. It was painful to watch and listen to him but also it held a fascination, like trying not to look at a car crash or peak through the open doors of an ambulance.

In truth it was my own ego’s diversionary tactics.

Revelation as Russell says himself in the text will not tell you anything you don’t already know, but that’s not the point. In fact he may be wrong about this and I hope this reaches a younger audience. If I came across this in my 20’s it would be truly revelatory.
Coming to it as I do in my 50’s after a period of intense suffering and personal loss, it never the less surprised me to hear that Russell feels worthless sometimes. Hearing that moved me deeply. The way he shares with humour and humility made me feel safer in the world and helped me to intensify my commitment to be here and to contribute as best I can to the alleviation of unnecessary suffering.

It was lovely to lie on the couch and chuckle along as if sharing the afternoon with an old friend, one who knows the ridiculous and the profane and has found the divine in our shared fallibility.

I can see myself listening to this multiple times. It has opened my heart and helped me jettison some of the awkwardness around using the word God.

Russell if you read your reviews - thank you. You will never and can never know how many people you are helping. Keep going. Hopefully one day we will meet and I’ll tell you what your journey means to me. Much love. Mike