The Astral Traveller's Handbook & Other Tales

By: David Michie

Narrated by: David Michie

Whatever dreams he was having, Jason knew they had nothing to do with his physical body. His eyes were firmly shut and his consciousness withdrawn from his senses when all this was going on. Yet in his dreams he experienced sights, sounds and even visceral sensations much more intensely than when he was awake.

What if you could re-live the enchantment of childhood bedtime – but with magic that is real? What if you felt the wonder you once sensed when you believed that anything is possible?

In this compendium of delightful short stories, David Michie draws us into the extraordinary experiences of everyday people as they encounter those tell-tale cracks exposing reality as not quite what it seems. Four female book club members are unexpectedly propelled to discover a shared purpose beyond their wildest imaginings. An earnest young seeker finds that drawing aside the veil doesn’t depend so much on the arcane books he reads as on a source much closer to home. A cat-doting woman, who wishes her beloved felines would talk to her, is shaken when she realises what they have been trying to communicate all along.

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Critic reviews

'With his customary lightness of touch David Michie presents charming and evocative Buddhist tales, that will both delight and instruct. A gift of a book – guaranteed to produce sweet dreams.' (Vicki Mackenzie)

Beautiful

Very beautifully orchestrated fictions demonstrating and teaching great Buddhist wisdom.

I’m listening while ill, and have found the book soothing, especially the cat, Gin ja Ninja!

Very Enjoyable

I enjoyed this very much. I have several of David Michie’s books. I highly recommend the Dalal Lama’s Cat series.

Great Stories

Hoping this to be volume 1 with many more to be published. Very much enjoyed this program.

Very good short stories - examines our lives

After going through the Dalai Lama's Cat series, I was expecting something similar. This was more forthright than I expected - not as PG, but more R rating level. Insightful too. As usual, the stories are good, unpacking a bunch of "think about this" ideas in them and have me reflect on my own life and where I am in my own situations, expectations, goals, disappointments and successes while I am reading an interesting story about someone else. The humanity, empathy, and observations from another angle are what I appreciate. Sometimes it's a struggle to find good books, and after a spate of reading dreck it's nice to read a book written by someone who uses their brain cells and offers new information to think about.

delightful and delicate

I picked this up on a whim and was sublimely rewarded. The author's understated reading is perfect for this collection of daydreams disguised as reality. A Twilight Zone for the Buddhist set.
I will read more by this author even though I'm opposed to techno thrillers and stories about talking cats.