The Key

A True Encounter

By: Whitley Strieber

Narrated by: Gregory Itzin

Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

From the best-selling author of Communion comes the mysterious true story of how an unknown visitor barged into Streiber's hotel room late one night and imparted extraordinary lessons in personal development and man's fate that challenge us to rethink every assumption about the meaning of life.

At 2:30 in the morning of June 6, 1998, Whitley Streiber was awakened by someone knocking on his hotel-room door. A man came in, and everything he said was life-altering. This is the unsettling and ultimately enlightening narrative of what happened that night. Strieber was never really sure who this strange and knowing visitor was - a "Master of Wisdom"? A figure from a different realm of consciousness? A preternaturally intelligent being? He called him the Master of the Key. The one thing of which Strieber was certain is that both the man and the encounter were real.

The main concern of the Master of the Key is to save each of us from self-imprisonment. "Mankind is trapped," the stranger tells Strieber. "I want to help you spring the trap." In a sweeping exchange between Strieber and the stranger - which takes the form of a classical student-teacher dialogue in pursuit of inner understanding - the unknown man presents a lesson in human potential, esoteric psychology, and man's fate. He illuminates why man has been caught in a cycle of repeat violence and self-destruction - and the slender, but very real, possibility for release.

In its breadth and intimacy, The Key is on par with contemporary metaphysical traditions, such as A Course in Miracles, or even with the dialogues of modern wisdom teachers, such as D. T. Suzuki and Carl Jung.

©2011 Whitley Strieber (P)2011 Penguin

Astounding, Life Altering Information!

In a world full of confusion, comes the truth buried as the needle in the haystack. While "some" of you may roll your eyes because of the nature of some of Whitley's other books, to so with this one may be a true tragedy. The information in this book has the potential, if you allow it, to open your heart and mind to the nature and reality of that which we are entwined. I urge you from the wholeness of my heart to at least read this book, but I highly recommend the audio version. Gregory Itzin does a phenomenal job of narrating and he seems to pull in an energy that is very palpable. I myself have read somewhere around 300 books on encounters of every kind, paranormal, channeled information, and different occults which I feel gives me a reasonable knowledge on the subjects. All that I can say, is this book is different and it is profound. To miss out on this opportunity to grow would be tragic. I send out my love and wish you all peace.

very interesting

Always look forward to Whitley's experiences.
W ish that he would read his own audiobook though.
had to slow this reader down in speed.

Left Me Yearning for More

This book left me wanting more. It had profound messages. I was left changed and hoping I won't forget. Its easy to forget when you live your life by societies rules. Go to work, pay for a mortgage, raise a family, pay your taxes and save for your retirement. I've been yearning to know more and I could feel there's more. We are being distracted of the truth. I'll keep seeking and maybe one day we all will wake up...

Exceptionally good book

It is a startling and groundbreaking book. Definitely worth a read and make up your own opinion

Unlocking your Journey

What did you love best about The Key?

The level of Honestly the Author had.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Key?

When the Master identified how eternal life is achieved by surrender.

Which character – as performed by Gregory Itzin – was your favorite?

The Master

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

Surrender your will to God and our fellow man

Very good, very interesting

Where does The Key rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Was among the best audiobooks I've read so far

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The possibilities

Which character – as performed by Gregory Itzin – was your favorite?

all

If you could give The Key a new subtitle, what would it be?

don't know

Any additional comments?

very good book, worth the read

The Strieber spell is broken (sadly)

Well-written religious fantasy, but borrows too much from past theology and religious anthropology (I detect C.S. Lewis, Campbell, Jung) to be really believable as a true account of a meeting with a real personage bearing the secret truth of the universe. Seems like (yet another) attempt to unite all the world's religions beneath a new, modern, scientific/mystical paradigm that somehow synthesizes all their individual teachings along with the ultimate final truth of the physical sciences. Worthy goal but (yet again) not successful, unless you choose to ignore big chunks of each of those mutually contradictory traditions. Some very imaginative sci-fi world building as well, but I'm left doubting Strieber's credibility more than when I read his fabulous Communion. There the mystery, description, dialogue all seem quite believably real (though extraordinary). Here, things are much too plainly laid out, too derivative of past thought, and altogether too convenient to be believable. If the audacious empirical predictions made in The Key are borne out by experience, I'll have cause to revisit this book, but unfortunately the sudden arrival of a new ice age will likely prevent me from doing so. Until then, this attempt to disguise one man's flawed attempt at ultimate synthesis as being instead the Truth as delivered by a true messenger of God hasn't enlightened me, but has instead cast serious doubt on a figure who I previously considered a potentially reliable witness to the hidden secrets of our world. But who knows, I could always be mistaken.

Amazing story, requires effort to believe

God chooses ‘The little ones’ to carry his word because they are not likely to question or to add their own twist to it. I wonder if Whitley actually had such a sassy attitude to the Master as the reading seemed to me. The message seems all-encompassing and surreal. Also sounds rather neatly falling together, like a novella. I’ll be paying attention to see how it compares to real life. I’ll also try to read more in the real time of publication. I am following Whitley Strieber closely, and am amazed at his coming to the same conclusions as I at times. Trying to find one’s way in untraveled territory is hard. That’s why I’m interested in Strieber’s books, websites, podcasts, reports, interviews, everything. There’s Something going on—What is it?

MUST READ

This book is an abosolute necessary read it listen to by everyone who comes across it.

I like Whitley Strieber but this one..I dont know

I have a really hard time with this one, First let me say I do believe his other true stories. I don't know why, this one gives me issues. Oh well I do love his other books...