Meetings with the Archangel

by Stephen Mitchell

Centering on the narrator's own spiritual growth, this unique, warmly humorous look at the search for enlightenment examines such questions as what or who God is, what love is, how people should live, and how they can overcome evil. Tour.

Genres: Fiction, Religion

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Stephen Mitchell was educated at Amherst College, the Sorbonne, and Yale University, and de-educated through intensive Zen practice. He is widely known for his ability to make old classics thrillingly new, to step in where many have tried before and to create versions that are definitive for our time. His many books include The Gospel According to Jesus, The Second Book of the Tao, two books of fiction, and a book of poetry.

Mitchell’s Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke has been called “the most beautiful group of poetic translations [the twentieth] century has produced.” William Arrowsmith said that his Sonnets to Orpheus “instantly makes every other rendering obsolete.” His Book of Job has been called “magnificent.” His bestselling Tao Te Ching, Bhagavad Gita, and Gilgamesh—which are not translations from the original text, but rather poetic interpretations that use existing translations into Western languages as their starting point—have also been highly praised by critics, scholars, and common readers. Gilgamesh was Editor’s Choice of The New York Times Book Review, was selected as the Book Sense 2004 Highlight for Poetry, was a finalist for the first annual Quill Award in poetry. His translation of the Iliad was chosen as one of the New Yorker’s favorite books of 2011. He is a two-time winner of the Harold Morton Landon Translation Award from the Academy of American Poets.

His books for young readers include The Wishing Bone, winner of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award as the best book of poetry for children published in the United States in 2003, and Jesus: What He Really Said and Did, which was chosen by the American Library Association’s Booklist as one of the top ten religious books for children in 2002.

He is also coauthor of two of his wife Byron Katie’s bestselling books: Loving What Is and A Thousand Names for Joy. www.thework.com

You can read extensive excerpts from all his books on his website, www.stephenmitchellbooks.com.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is likely a good book for someone who, when someone else says that they are spiritual but not religious, is prompted to laugh out loud. This is Stephen Mitchell's first work of fiction but it is not exactly a novel. Subtitled "A Comedy of the Spirit," it is a first-person account of a Berkeley college professor who becomes so exasperated by the puerile cutesy pop-religious fad and fascination with angels that he writes a best-selling diatribe called "Against Angels." Mitchell himself is a highly literate man, educated at Amherst, the Sorbonne and Yale, who translates and adapts classical texts for the modern reader: Tao Te Ching, The Gospel According to Jesus, Bhagavad Gita, the Book of Job, the Gilgamesh, the Iliad. His narrator is also his alter ego. The book is of three parts: (1) the story of how a Jewish professor finds his way spiritually through Hasidism, chemically-induced mysticism and Zen Buddhism; (2) the story of "Against Angels," its outline and some excerpts therefrom; and (3) the story of how this man met the Archangel Gabriel in his Northern California back yard. I suppose it is fair to call this book an allegory or perhaps an extended parable; for some, it might function as a koan. Can a book which explores serious spiritual themes be giddy, zany or quirky? Mitchell proves one can. Why do you think the Dalai Lama laughs so much?

[Ava Olender · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is quite awesome. It is fun, adventurous, and a little all over the place (in the best way possible). This book reviewed some essential topics, challenged some of my beliefs, and made me laugh along the way. First 1/3 was awesomely addicting. Second 1/3 (about the book itself) bored me/went over my head. Last 1/3 was interesting. Overall, this book was solid. Mitchell is funny. The overall vibe was weird though because some parts were funny and others (especially the dialogue) were so densely packed. The change up made it kind of hard to get a flow while reading.

[Evelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite parts were the actual meetings with the archangel. I also enjoyed his visit to the many levels of heaven and who he chatted with there.

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

"A Comedy of the Spirit"? I don't think so....

So this Jewish guy, Stephen (how convenient using his own name), who is in to Buddhism has written a bestselling book "Against Angels" and much to his consternation Archangel Gabriel appears.... They talk, Gabriel shows Stephen a few things about heaven & angels.......

But this fiction book really isn't about Angels, it is about Stephen's personal journey to "enlightenment". How booooooooooooooooor-ing! His journey & angst, and the part where in a vision/meditation he becomes Hitler & wants to kill the Jews, is so (I'm rolling my eyes here) just so over the top, boring & insipid.....

So here's the thing; I'm sure isn't fiction at all... it sounds like the author's personal narration of his angst & being meshuggah & searching for whatever it was he was searching for.

If you like Christopher Moore & you think you might like this book...... I suggest you Forget About It.... Doesn't even come close.

[Nick Manicone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended. Best were the chapters (composing about 3/4 of the book) dealing with the narrator's evolution from a dabbler in Kabbala to accomplished Zen practitioner. Here the writing flows with a minimum of fuss, and I blazed these parts with great interest. The chapters that describe the narrator's meetings with Archangel Gabriel are much less successful - alternately switching between obscure metaphysical discussions (in which the author seems to lose all his Zen clarity) to things like a description of sex with an angel (like most earthy encounters, more fun for the narrator than his audience). Highly recommended for those with an interest in Zen.

[J.L. Aarne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love most of Stephen Mitchell's translations, his Rilke collection is one of my very favorite books and by far the best translation I've ever read. So, I thought, sure, I'll see what this is about. I'm still not sure what this is about, honestly. It's absolutely up there near the top of the list of 10 weirdest things I've ever read, though.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great! The only reason it got four stars instead of five is that there were a few structural problems, as if the author wasn't used to writing in novel form. However, the content is incredibly interesting.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the joys of this book is his vision of the many heavens and the different authors, composers, and artists he locates in them. I find myself going back to the book as a source for other books to read. Of course he loves Rilke and Blake but some surprises.
This book is a delight.

[Robert Wechsler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of this novel of ideas is about the protagonist̕s Zen studies, and about his two masters. What the novel is, refreshingly, is a varied, humorous look at spirituality: Zen, Christian, Jewish (Mitchell grew up Jewish), Rilkean, and other. A true joy. Hard to describe.

[Diane McPhail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Mitchell is one of my favorite poets, translators, and generally wise men. His writing in this book is surprising, unexpected, always ahead of anywhere you can anticipate. And engaging and original writing. One I intend to re-read again and again.

[Kitty · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is a Zen angel. Which is not bad in and of itself. But half the book annoyed me. The other half was very good examination of reality from a zen perspective.

[Sreedevi Jagannath · Rating 2 out of 5]

The language is, no doubt, free-flowing although a tad too flowery; the off-putting part was the not-so-refined wording on emotions of a sexual nature.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mitchell imagines what it would be like to meet an archangel in this book about a seeker for enlightenment.

[Derrick McCluskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fast read and fun ride. A good intro for people who might be trying to, "figure it all out," but an antidote for those who think they already, "Have it all figured out."