Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness and Creativity Hardcover – 4 Oct. 2007

Davids book shows us how T.M. as helped him on all levels of his life. It is quite an open, touchingly told memoir of how for example Transcendental Meditation changed his life by removing his habitual anger and providing a space to dive within and remove cumulative daily stress. I love the way he intertwines his film making and his ongoing life with his twice daily meditation, which has really worked for him on all levels of his life.In many respects he is brave to put his beliefs out there and call the people to meditate as a way of improving the world.Any rational person wants peace within themselves and for our world. Here David shows us an effortless method we could all use to our benefit in his wonderful book. The technique brings peace and rest in a troubled world.

Quite a high price however for a book that hasn’t that much content. The content it does have however is insightful and helpful. I did laugh at the title as my more cynical side thought ‘way to catch fish”. I have, however returned to it on many occasions as it puts in simple terms the source of creativity.

Whenever you're feeling low and in need of a boost, this book is an effective way of raising your spirits. Part-autobiography, part just musings on life, David Lynch brings this small book to life with astute, simple writing, conveying his ideas in a very optimistic way. It's a light read, feel-good and warm, quite the opposite from Lynch's films and art.The issue that anchors the book is Lynch's focus on Transcendental Meditation. He sells it extremely well, describing its ability to expand the consciousness and one's creativity, TM itself apparently being easy and effortless to learn. However, the one flaw that hampers the book is that while Lynch raves about the benefits of TM, he never explains how it is done, or even how one can become involved in it. So whilst the book is enlightening, at times it's also extremely angering that he's waving this juicy carrott at you, but then cruelly jerks it away. And like a sucker you're expecting him to give it to you. Which he never does. It's odd, since Lynch, a despiser of commercialism, is promoting a concept for which the only way to learn it is through paying an extortionate amount of money for an activity that is supposedly "natural" and takes no time out of your routine at all. Commercial venture? Seems very possible ...All in all though, it's a fun read, never tedious or waffly. He talks a little about his films, although his coverage of them is brief, but nonetheless interesting. Despite being 180 odd pages long, the book is short, with double-spaced lines and small pages, so it doesn't take long to get through. But it's concise and to the point, with some great advice to any aspiring artist (the term "artist" being a very broad one). And that's one of the many beauties of the book, since his advice is universal, and can be taken on board by anyone.A worthwhile read, although bear in mind that, much like he does in his films, Lynch is posing questions to which he gives no answers. Except, unlike in his films, these questions aren't fun ones.

I read this book first whilst on a Transcendental Meditation retreat. I enjoyed it so much that I knew I wanted a copy of my own.

Giving this book three stars is a compromise because I'd say it's a two or one for most people on the planet and a four if you're *really*, *really* into David Lynch. I fall into the latter group and so I'm very much willing to forgive the indulgence on display here (although I must add that proceeds from the book go to a charity - even if it is Lynch's own).It's important to say that this is a short book and most of it is blank. I'm not kidding: a great many of the chapters are less than a page long and chapters only begin on the right-hand page, so many left hand pages are blank. Also, the type is double-spaced and a great deal of room is given to chapter titles which occur at least every four pages and often every two. I don't know what the overall word-count is but it will be fewer than in pretty much every book you own, other than - perhaps - books for children.Lynch follows - and proselytises for - a specific form of meditation, namely Transcendental Meditation. This is a rather controversial brand (I use the word cheekily) of meditation in that it can (always does?) cost you a lot of money, whereas were you to take up, say, forms of Buddhist meditation you will readily find a wealth of free instruction on the internet. Absolutely do not expect to know how to do TM after reading this book, you will not learn that here.I enjoyed simply reading the scattered anecdotes in the book that Lynch shares from his time working on his various films. Those were the parts I valued. Alongside this he also shares his insights into the creative process. Some of these are worth pondering, others are horribly shallow, amounting to nothing more than saying that sometimes a problem crops up and one has to improvise to manage the situation.So, to repeat, I feel you have to be a very big fan of Lynch's films and the man himself to appreciate this book. If you don't fall into that camp and especially if you really have concerns about the value you're getting for every pound/dollar you spend on books then I feel I would have to suggest you look elsewhere.

Fabulous book