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Out on a Limb Paperback – November 1, 1986
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An outspoken thinker, a celebrated actress, a truly independent woman, Shirley MacLaine takes us on an intimate yet powerful journey into her personal life and inner self.
An intense, clandestine love affair with a prominent politician sparks Shirley’s quest of self-discovery. From Stockholm to Hawaii to the mountain vastness of Peru, from disbelief to radiant affirmation, she at last discovers the roots of her very existence . . . and the infinite possibilities of life.
Shirley opens her heart to explore the meaning of a great and enduring passion with her lover Gerry; the mystery of her soul’s connection with her best friend David; the tantalizing secrets behind a great actor’s inspiration with the late Peter Sellers. And through it all, Shirley’s courage and candor opens new doors, new insights, new revelations—and a luminous new world she invites us all to share.
- Print length384 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBantam
- Publication dateNovember 1, 1986
- Dimensions4.15 x 1 x 6.7 inches
- ISBN-100553273701
- ISBN-13978-0553273700
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"An immensely appealing woman-bright, open, straightforward, sincere."--The New York Daily News
From the Publisher
"A stunningly honest, engrossing account of an intimate journey inward. Shirley MacLaine's discovery of a new sense of purpose, joy, energy, and love will touch and astonish you."--Literary Guild Magazine .
"An immensely appealing woman-bright, open, straightforward, sincere."--The New York Daily News
From the Inside Flap
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
“The dreams of ancient and modern man are written in the same language as the myths whose authors lived in the dawn of history.… I believe that symbolic language is the one foreign language that each of us must learn. Its understanding brings us in touch with one of the most significant sources of wisdom.… Indeed, both dreams and myths are important communications from ourselves to ourselves.”
—ERICH FROMM
The Forgotten Language
The sand was cold and soft as I jogged along the beach. The tide came in steadily and by sundown it would reach the pilings that supported the houses along Malibu Road. I loved to jog just before the sun set because watching the magenta clouds above the surf helped divert my attention from how much my legs hurt. Some health instructor had once told me that jogging three miles in soft sand was the same as jogging six miles on a hard surface. And I wanted to stay healthy no matter how painful it was. When I wasn’t dancing, running kept me in shape.
But what was the story I had heard the day before—about the two brothers? One was a health nut who jogged along the boulevard five miles early every morning of his life regardless of how he felt. The other never did any exercise. One morning the health nut brother was out jogging along the road and turned around to shake a fìnger at his lazy brother when—bam! He just didn’t see the truck …
Maybe it didn’t really matter what we did to preserve ourselves. There was always some truck somewhere. The thing was not to let that stop you, not to let it direct your life.
I remembered sitting at the dinner table with my mother and father in Virginia, where I grew up. I was about twelve and the thought struck me that regardless of how much happiness I might feel at any given moment, I was aware of the struggle underneath. The “trouble” I called it then … everything had some brand of trouble attached to it. I remembered my Dad had said I had inadvertently struck on an old Greek principle—Pythagorean, I think he said. Dad was a kind of country philosopher and had almost gotten his degree in philosophy at Johns Hopkins University. He loved to speculate on philosophical meaning. I guess I inherited the same trait. I remembered he said my thought had a deep and principled meaning which was true of all “life. No matter how good something might seem to be, there was always the negative compensating factor to consider. Vice versa was true too, of course—he said—but Dad seemed to focus on the negative. For me, it made me aware of the duality in life. In a blinding flash over the Birdseye peas, I had felt I understood something, without knowing quite what I understood.
The wind came up sloshing the waves into white-caps further out to sea. Sandpipers scurried in and out of the ripples, savoring what food might be washed up with the tide while their graceful wide-winged pelican brothers swooped and then dove, like mad kamikaze pilots, headlong into schools of fish swimming further out in deeper water.
I wondered what it would feel like to be a bird with nothing on my mind but flying and eating. I remembered reading that the smallest bird could travel thousands of miles across the Pacific unencumbered and alone, needing only one piece of baggage; one possession … a twig. He could carry the twig in his beak and when he got tired he simply descended to the sea and floated on it until he was ready to move on again. He fished from the twig, ate from the twig, and slept on the twig. Who needed the Queen Mary? He flapped his wings, clamped his life raft in his mouth and set out to see more of the world.
What a life. I wondered if that bird ever got lonely. But even if he was alone he seemed to perceive the proper direction for his life. Birds seemed to have innate compasses that guided them wherever they wanted to go. They seemed to know just exactly what they were, how to live, why they were alive. But did they have feelings? Did they fall in love? Did they cocoon themselves off with only one other bird as though it was the two of them against everything? Birds seemed part of everything. Space, time, air. No, how could they shut out the world if they wanted to fly over it?
I remembered an experience I had had once. I call it an experience and not a dream, even though it happened when I was asleep, because it felt more real than a dream. I felt I was suspended over the Earth and I dipped and flowed with the air currents just like the birds. I floated over countries and mountains and streams and trees. As I drifted, the tops of trees brushed gently across me. I was careful not to pluck even one loose leaf from the branch to which it belonged because I, too, belonged to everything there was. I wanted to go further and faster and higher and wider—and the higher I went the more I became connected, my being concentrated and expanded at the same time. I had the sensation that this was actually happening, that my body was irrelevant and that that was part of the experience. The real me was floating free and clear, filled with the peace of connection to everything that was.
It was not the usual sexually oriented flying dream which psychologists describe. This was more. There was another dimension to it. The word I’m looking for, I thought to myself as I ran, is “extra.” That was why I had remembered it so vividly, and whenever I felt displeased or lonely or out of sorts or strung up and nervous, I thought of that experience and of how peaceful I had felt when I floated outside of my physical body feeling involved with all there was above and below me.
That feeling of belonging to “everything” gave me more pleasure than anything. More pleasure than working, than simply making love, than being successful or any of the other human endeavors people devoted themselves to in order to achieve happiness. I loved to think. I loved to concentrate. I loved to be involved with concerns outside myself because, to be honest, I believed that was actually my path to understanding myself. Somewhere way underneath me were the answers to everything that caused anxiety and confusion in the world. What an arrogant thought! But, if I could touch me, really touch me, I could touch the world … maybe even the universe. That was why I was a political activist, a feminist, a traveler, a kind of curious human reporter; and probably it was why I was an actress and performer. I needed to reach inside and touch me if I was going to understand the world and also if I was going to be any good in my work. That was probably why I began my life as a dancer. When I moved, I was in touch with who I was. Whatever … to me the journey most worthwhile taking was the journey through myself.
A chill wind scattered sand around my legs as I ran. I slowed down to a walk, remembering that after hard exercise it’s good to ease off gradually so the lactic acid in the muscles doesn’t congeal. “That’s what makes your muscles sore,” the gym instructor had said. “Never stop cold after hard exercise. Come down slowly. You’ll hurt less later.”
I listened with attentiveness to anything to do with physical culture because I understood that it put me more in touch with myself. I respected my body because it was the only one I had. I wanted to make it last. But, my God, it could be painful, especially when I had let fifteen years pass with no exercise at all to speak of. That was really dumb, I thought as I walked. All those years of acting, I thought my body wasn’t that important. I had had good formal training as a dancer when I was young; that would be enough, I thought. I was wrong. People have to take care of their bodies every day or they can wake up one morning and find it won’t do what they want it to. Then they’ll say they are old. I always felt old when I was not in touch with my body. And the process of connecting with my body put me more in touch with the real me inside of that body. And what was the real me? What was it that made me question and search and think and feel? Was it just the physical brain, the little gray cells, or was it the mind which was something more than brain? Did “mind,” or perhaps “personality,” include what people called the “soul”? Were they all separate, or was being human a recognition that one was the sum of all these parts, and if so, how did they fit together?
That is what this book is about … it’s about the experience of getting in touch with myself when I was in my early forties; it’s about what the experience did to my mind, to my forbearance, to my spirit, and for my patience and belief. It’s about the connection between mind, body, and spirit. And what I learned as a result has enabled me to get on with the rest of my life as an almost transformed human being.
So this book is about a quest for my self—a quest which took me on a long journey that was gradually revealing and at all times simply amazing. I tried to keep an open mind as I went because I found myself gently but firmly exposed to dimensions of time and space that heretofore, for me, belonged in science fiction or what I would describe as the occult. But it happened to me. It happened slowly. It happened at a pace that apparently was peculiarly my own, as I believe all people experience such events. People progress according to what they’re ready for. I must have been ready for what I learned because it was the right time.
Product details
- Publisher : Bantam; 38021st edition (November 1, 1986)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0553273701
- ISBN-13 : 978-0553273700
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 4.15 x 1 x 6.7 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #132,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #79 in Acting & Auditioning
- #1,066 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies
- #3,895 in Memoirs (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Shirley MacLaine, Oscar winner, three-time Emmy winner, and ten-time Golden Globe winner, has appeared in more than fifty films, has been nominated for an Academy Award six times, and received the Oscar for Best Actress in 1984. A longtime outspoken advocate for civil rights and liberties, women¹s rights, and spiritual understanding, Shirley MacLaine has sold more than 20,000,000 copies of her nine international bestsellers, which include her acclaimed work The Camino.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book interesting and enjoyable to read. They appreciate the spiritual aspects of life covered in the book, which opens their minds and makes them understand their higher selves, meditation, and reincarnation. The writing style is described as descriptive, easy to understand, and down-to-earth. Readers describe the author as humorous and talented. However, some feel the book is too old and not new.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book interesting and enjoyable to read. They say it's a classic they enjoy reading again and again. The writing is well-crafted with a good flow.
"...book in paperback many years ago, and it continues to be one of my favorite books. As a teenager, I was pondering questions of spirituality...." Read more
"...The book was well written, fascinating and a delight to read! I am looking forward to reading Miss Maclaine's other books now as well...." Read more
"...The beauty of her life is she had the resources to fully explore further all the horizons of this where let's face it, most of us do not...." Read more
"I like Shirley MacLaine, I enjoy reading her stories and her insightful views on her reincarnation lives...." Read more
Customers find the book inspiring and thought-provoking. It helps them understand spiritual aspects of life like meditation, reincarnation, and the soul's eternal life. They enjoy the author's spiritual journey and her doubts, experiences, motivation. The information resonates deeply with them and changes their perspective on life.
"...years of study herself, and put it in a format that makes you understand about your higher self, meditation, reincarnation, UFO's, and even Jesus...." Read more
"...delighted to discover that we shared many of the same thoughts, and experiences. The book was well written, fascinating and a delight to read!..." Read more
"...She is humorous, intelligent and down to earth...." Read more
"Life changing story of looking at the world, and your life, differently...." Read more
Customers find the writing style engaging and easy to understand. They appreciate the author's descriptive writing style that brings them right there with her. The book is described as honest, straightforward, and courageous.
"...questions that I had been wondering about, were put in an easy to understand form that made me go, 'oh now I understand'...." Read more
"...The book was well written, fascinating and a delight to read! I am looking forward to reading Miss Maclaine's other books now as well...." Read more
"...She is humorous, intelligent and down to earth...." Read more
"...You are in Peru You are At the beach at sunset. She rally writes so well!" Read more
Customers enjoy the book's humor. They find the author witty, intelligent, and down-to-earth. The book is described as an enlightening read and praised as a talented writer.
"...She is humorous, intelligent and down to earth...." Read more
"This is an amazing true story, told with honesty, humor, and courage. Shirley is a real treasure, and this book is one of her best." Read more
"A chuckle filled enlightening read that I felt aligned with." Read more
"Shirley is real, witty, and vulnerable. Delightful to read and insightful to absorb. Loved it for her wisdom and depth - and raw truth...." Read more
Customers are unhappy with the book's age. They say it's too old and not new as advertised.
"Listed as NEW and definitely not new. writing on the inside cover discoloration of cover and pages. However a great read!" Read more
"...Plus it isn't it in best of condition. Pages yellowing, very old, I'd personally disregard this and wouldn't be selling as it's far too old ...." Read more
"Arrived within good time. Book quite old now, so a bit tatty. But will be a good read." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2012I found this book in paperback many years ago, and it continues to be one of my favorite books. As a teenager, I was pondering questions of spirituality. I wondered what this book was doing in the 'occult' section (way back when), but it looked interesting. It absolutely changed my spiritual beliefs forever. She was able to take years of study herself, and put it in a format that makes you understand about your higher self, meditation, reincarnation, UFO's, and even Jesus. Several questions that I had been wondering about, were put in an easy to understand form that made me go, 'oh now I understand'.
She admits that David was basically made up. But he is actually several 'teachers' who had come in to her life, but for the sake of making the book more simple, she made him into one character, and it certainly works. She was also going through an important affair at that time, and so that has been incorporated into the book. I think most readers would agree that we could have done without the great details of that.
So whether you are just a fan of her writing, or have been on a spiritual quest yourself, you HAVE to pick this up to read. As mentioned above, it will help put a lot of ideas about spirituality in an easy to understand form. It really is a beautiful story. And I do thank her for having the courage to put what she learned and her true experience of discovery, in writing. Thank you.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2016I finally read this book even though it was published in the 1980's! I published a memoir this year about my own spiritual journey and I was curious to find out what similarities we experienced along the path to "enlightenment." I was delighted to discover that we shared many of the same thoughts, and experiences. The book was well written, fascinating and a delight to read! I am looking forward to reading Miss Maclaine's other books now as well. Also, something interesting happened. In her memoir, Miss Mclaine talks about her condo (building that she owned) in Malibu, as some of the story is set there. I recently went to visit a friend in Malibu who had just bought a condo right on the beach. Well, as it turns out, it was her building. (she doesn't own it any longer) He told me that she purchased it in the 60's, and had lived right upstairs. It felt so amazing to be there.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2023Finally an account of the transition of an ordinary, even though she has an extraordinary life, but still just a regular person's journey from a normal existence to enlightenment. This is exactly what I needed, every reaction she felt, I felt. The beauty of her life is she had the resources to fully explore further all the horizons of this where let's face it, most of us do not. I trust her conclusions fully and am grateful to David and his friend for seeking Shirley Maclaine out and tasking her with this assignment.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2022I like Shirley MacLaine, I enjoy reading her stories and her insightful views on her reincarnation lives. She is humorous, intelligent and down to earth. I ordered this book of hers because I wanted to experience her journey of finding herself, because I too, am on the journey of finding the authentic me. She did it in her 40's and I'm doing it in my 60's. Let the journey begin together...
- Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 202440 years ago, this book came out and it’s still relevant today. If you have an open mind, you would truly understand what Shirley has done here. She was made fun of and ridiculed when this came out, because it was new, and if you dared to think outside the box. I will always be grateful to Shirley for helping me to think outside the box.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2023Life changing story of looking at the world, and your life, differently. Everything isn't always as it seems or as you've been taught and this book shows one person's exploration of the possibilities that exist beyond the obvious. Loved it and this is the third time I've bought it for a friend. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2023I read a comment on one of the YouTube videos hosted by a psychic medium. The question was “If this is so important why don’t the spiritual guides use someone famous to explain it to the masses?”
Well, look what happened to Shirley. She was labeled a loony toon and mostly vilified for speaking out as she did.
What she wrote has been largely confirmed by multiple sources including many Near Death Experiences and many hypnotic past life regression reports such as Dolores Cannon and lots of others.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2020Listed as NEW and definitely not new. writing on the inside cover discoloration of cover and pages. However a great read!
Top reviews from other countries
- MooseReviewed in Canada on December 4, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book...
I read this about 4 times already...
- LAWYERReviewed in India on January 21, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
excellent
- damian hannanReviewed in Australia on April 14, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing as always
There is nothing as enjoyable as a Shirley MacLaine book. Her ability to envelop you in her worlds is life changing. Her candour and intelligence is only the beginning of an amazing read...
-
クコの実Reviewed in Japan on January 13, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars kindleで大きな文字だ。嬉しいな。
この本を再読するために、kindlepaperwhiteを購入しました。
分からない単語を選択すると、辞書機能が働いて意味が出てくるのはいいのですが、
発音も同時に聞けるといいなー。
半分ほど読みましたが、誤植?を2か所見つけました。
toが2つ等。
人生で何度でも読みたい作品です。
-
LUIZ ROBERTO S QUEIROZReviewed in Brazil on December 3, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Um livro que nos obriga a pensar
Um dos melhores livros de Shirley, tanto que achei importante ler novamente, 10 anos após a primeira leitura. Importante a coragem demonstrada em pesquisar de onde viemos e para onde vamos, a capacidade de mostrar ao mundo, sem vergonha, que aceitou a tese da reencarnação, explicar porque a aceitou e tudo escrito numa linguagem clara, precisa, que torna difícil largar o livro. A jornada interior revelada na obra só se compara a 'Camino', no qual descreve sua viagem, sozinha, pelo Caminho de Santiago.