Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #71618 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-09
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Isabel Losada leaves no stone unturned--literally--on her trip down The Battersea Park Road to Enlightenment. Wishing to live her life "completely, abundantly, joyfully and stupidly" she makes an entertaining travelling companion as she describes her efforts to move away from her in-a-rut life where "nothing was changing". And she takes us everywhere with her: a life-skills course in North London; a convent retreat in Oxford; T'ai chi in France; a massage in Bath--even the past as she explores her previous incarnations. The journey is invigorating and exhausting and enriched by the numerous characters she meets en route.

The book is much more than a travelogue, however. Losada describes with considerable skill and sensitivity the breakthroughs in the lives of people around her--the woman who starts to work through childhood abuse, for instance, and another who confronts the bullies from school--and her honesty is refreshing and often surprising (her description of colonic irrigation takes the breath away). Often she picks up useful nuggets of inspiration that the reader can take away and digest and these are sprinkled through the text. Intercut throughout is her life with her daughter in a "shoebox" in Battersea and her burgeoning romance with Mark, the man she meets at a hypnotherapy seminar.

Losada has an entertaining and witty style and comes across as somewhat bossy but likeable all the same. And the stones she doesn't leave unturned?

The first part of this new experience involved sitting up and lying down again on to a row of hot stones that had been laid down to head up the muscles on either side of the spine. Damned clever

Synopsis
'You know those people who always radiate cheerful optimism? Nauseating aren't they? I want to become one of those. I want to find out how to live life completely, abundantly, joyfully, stupidly. This is my quest. Enlightenment.' So proclaims Isabel Losada, Starbucks addict, exercise allergic and self-confessed sceptic as she sets out on the road to enlightenment. Beginning with an Insight seminar where hundred people with name badges discuss their 'inner beauty', Isabel journeyed through a gruelling course of 'Rolfing' nude Goddess workshops, a weekend of tantric sex ('Yes! Yes! Yes!') and a reincarnation session, not to mention a spot of colonic irrigation. Irreverent yet open-minded, funny and always honest, "The Battersea Park Road to Enlightenment" is also moving and ultimately illuminating. For anyone who has ever been tempted to dip a toe in the waters of self-discovery, Isabel Losada plunges you straight in.

From the Author
I love this site because...
I love this amazon.co.uk site because being a writer is, of course, quite isolating and this puts authors in touch with the readers. And I really enjoy looking at the reviews to see what people liked and what they didn't and which bits are enjoyed and why.

I'm a single parent trying to live life the best I can and sort myself out. So I've been off and test driven some workshops. My quest to be happy every day, regardless of external circumstances, is quite genuine and I went out there to learn anything and everything that would help me to be a happier and hopefully more well balanced human being. You may think this is selfish but the only way I know how to give happiness to others is to have lots to spare. I've had fun as you'll see - but the humour is at the expense of my skeptical narrow mindedness and not at the expense of the disciplines studied.

I've tried to pass on some of the best of what I've learned - while being entertaining I hope. If the book doesn't make you laugh out loud occasionally please throw it in the bin. I hope you enjoy Battersea Park Road and, if you phone any of the contact names in the back of the book and try any of the courses yourself, I hope that you enjoy them and benefit from them as much as I did...

Customer Reviews

Tantric irrigation with tai-chi anyone?
Seeking some personal enlightenment is quite high up on my list of goals. When I engage my brain to the quest of defining my "Major Definite Purpose" (as prescribed by Brian Tracy), I think that enlightenment could be the thing. It could be the reason. It could be... and certainly the journey must be something to be savoured? Or at least enjoyable? ... perhaps just a laugh?

Anyway, my interest in personal enlightenment and the fact that Isabel proved to be such a warm and funny author in A Beginners Guide to Changing the World seemed a winning combination, so I packed this book firmly in my holiday luggage.

Isabel uses her honest style to regale 14 separate "chapters" on her path to enlightenment. The warmth was there, as was her wit and it certainly isn't short on humour, either. It was a fast read, and shorter than I'd have liked - I had three weeks to fill, and it became clear that 4 books wouldn't be enough...

Back to the book - it covered lots of familiar ground, and I don't mean that there is an excess of similar books, written in similar styles; Isabel is a unique creature, with a refreshing outlook on her experience, but instead I mean her experiences seemed familiar to me. And that is where the combination of my interest in enlightenment and Isabel's penmanship (and general outlook) of life combined to a winning formula. I haven't, as yet experienced colonic irrigation or undertook a weekend course in Tantric sex, but I identified with her pushing her boundaries, and stepping outside her comfort zone and self-analysis, all in a bid to be "absurdly happy".

Never was the promise of a convent retreat so beckoning, as when we were undertaking a walk through the medieval woodlands from our gite to the stunning Dungeon from whenst the village took its name, Gavaudun - and wee Ruaridh, who turned 8 when we were away, insisted on using his fantastic memory skills to list every point we would ever need to understand in the game of Pokemon! He did all this seemingly without pausing for breath, for almost two hours, despite my pleas that walking can be a truly meditative experience... As Isabel learned at the beginning of her journey (and takes account of in all aspects of her life, if Beginner's Guide is any indication) we must " use everything for learning, upliftment and growth"!

Battersea Park is a zippy read, dealing with some frankly often dubious techniques on the road to enlightenment. Isabel herself recently described it as "absurd". Don't expect to use the book as a 101 introduction to any of the techniques, but instead use it to reassure yourself that you're not the only crazy in the world looking for some love and happiness.

As with Beginner's Guide, Isabel has proved inspiring, but in a very different way. Go on - get yourself a summer read ...

A gloriously amusing read
This book's a playful romp through the world of self development workshops, seminars and treatments. Written with great humour by a self-confessed sceptic, it charts Isabel Losada's adventures as she searches for enlightenment.

"I am blessed with wanton curiosity. I want to know how to be happy every day. You know those people who always radiate cheerful optimism whatever is going on in their lives? Nauseating aren't they? I want to become one of those."

She begins her journey at an Insight Seminar in London and follows on with a T'ai Chi course, a retreat, a tantric sex workshop, colonic irrigation, a week of NLP training... All in all there are 13 chapters in the book, and each describes a separate self development adventure.

I love the way this book is written from the perspective of someone who feels nervous and sceptical about many of her experiences as she embarks on them, yet is prepared to give them a go and to report back with honesty and humour. The book works on two levels for me - it provides interesting information about self development opportunities you might like to try, as well as being a gloriously amusing read.

5 stars just isn't enough!!
Wow I love this book! I've read it sooo many times now that I'm gonna need a new copy cos mine's worn out! I've bought it for friends and family as birthday/christmas presents, knowing that it doesn't matter who you are or what you think, you are guaranteed to love this book! It's a very light-hearted read, it makes you laugh out loud when you least expect it, but also makes you think. If you are looking for a book about self-development and enlightenment, then again - its the book for you! Isabel covers all means and methods of achieving 'enlightenment', some of which are completely hilarious, others you may find yourself wanting to try! I certainly did!! Isabel has a gripping way of writing - when I read her books I don't feel like I'm reading. I feel like I'm sitting in a coffee shop listening to a good friend talking about her experiences - its very personable and great to read! I most definately recommend this, and if you like it then get 'A beginners guide to changing the world' too! and although I can't commet on 'Men' yet, I know its destined to be great if its coming from Isabel!