The Mother of Invention: The Legacy of Barbara Marx Hubbard and the Future of You

by Neale Donald Walsch

            A biography unlike any other, The Mother of Invention  tells the story of every human being now on the earth . . . through  the telling of the life story of futurist and visionary Barbara Marx Hubbard.  We are all moving through the same process, the book and its subject declare. It is the process of the birthing of our species.              In what may very well be a new literary style, this biography begins in the future ,  unraveling Barbara’s story  from December 22, 2012, to the date of her birth. Throughout the book are special sections inviting us to explore how we may directly apply what Barbara has observed and learned during her remarkable 80-year journey . . . to our own daily lives.             On this journey, we will witness Barbara as she became one of the first women ever to have her name placed in nomination for the vice presidency of the United States by a major political party, traveled to Russia as a cultural ambassador for peace, visited the Oval Office and asked the President a question that he could not answer, and developed a deep acquaintanceship with the American space program. Today, we continue to find her at the leading edge of contemporary thought and innovative action regarding our construction of the future.       In a very real sense, the story of Barbara Marx Hubbard is the story of the future of all of us, rendering it one of the most relevant and compelling modern biographies of our time.

Genres: Nonfiction

271 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Neale Donald Walsch is a modern day spiritual messenger whose words continue to touch the world in profound ways. With an early interest in religion and a deeply felt connection to spirituality, Neale spent the majority of his life thriving professionally, yet searching for spiritual meaning before beginning his now famous conversation with God. His With God series of books has been translated into 34 languages, touching millions of lives and inspiring important changes in their day-to-day lives.

In addition to authoring the renowned With God series, Neale has published 16 other works, as well as a number of video and audio programs. Available throughout the world, each of the CwG dialogue books has made the New York Times Bestseller list, Conversations with God-Book 1 occupying that list for over two and half years.

The With God Series has redefined God and shifted spiritual paradigms around the globe. In order to deal with the enormous response to his writings, Neale created the Conversations with God Foundation, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to inspiring the world to help itself move from violence to peace, from confusion to clarity, and from anger to love.

Neale's work has taken him from the steps of Macchu Picchu in Peru to the steps of the Shinto shrines of Japan, from Red Square in Moscow to St. Peters Square in Vatican City to Tiananmen Square in China. And everywhere he has gone-from South Africa to Norway, Croatia to The Netherlands, the streets of Zurich to the streets of Seoul, Neale has found a hunger among the people to find a new way to live, at last, in peace and harmony, and he has sought to bring people a new understanding of life and of God which would allow them to experience that."

Reviews

[Freed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara Marx Hubbard - shouldn't she have been known wide and far? Unfortunately she died on April 10 2019, 89 years young. Her long time vision of a Peace Room as sophisticated as a war room is not yet realised, but was prominently voiced by the 2020 US president candidate Marianne Williamson, a friend of hers. Barbara herself was a vice president nominee in 1984 under Mondale (Ferraro). Neale / Barbara describe exactly how this happened, now documented in this book to learn and get inspired from. - An essential part of the book is the climax, inventively placed at the beginning. 22 December 2012 was Barbara's 83rd birthday, and contrary to the Doomsday scenarios for the end of the world by the misunderstood Mayan calendar a day earlier, she declared it Birth 2012, the birth of a new species. Alas, she happened to be in Byron Bay Australia that day, and the expected worldwide mass media coverage (which happened for 24 hours at New Year 2000 in all the time zones live via CNN and others) was absent. I only knew about it because I had signed up for her online training 'Agents of Conscious Evolution' nr. 6 running in the second half of 2012. A little earlier, I also was fortunate to meet both Barbara and Neale live -in May 2012- in Toulouse (France) presenting together, and they were so charming to each other. Well worth to see that video on youtube (by Editions Ariane).

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are One. Please read this book if you know this, or need to know.

[Miz Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neal Donald Walsch has written what he calls a biography of Barbara Marx Hubbard, visionary, futurist, and one-time vice presidential candidate. It is a biography, however, only in the most generous and vaguest of definitions of that word. It is certainly about Barbara Marx Hubbard but her life story is presented more as teaching tool to encourage the personal self-actualization of the reader. In this way, it is far more accurately a self-help or metaphysical book. Walsch's "research" is limited to Barbara's own words, oral and written. No outside sources or family or friends are consulted. His format is certainly unique as well. Barbara's life story is told in reverse-order, starting with an event that hasn't actually happened yet (on December 22, 2012), in order to demonstrate the way the events of one's life happen for a reason and build one upon the other. Walsch further breaks up Barbara's story by continuously inserting himself into the text with reflective chapters about what we've just read. These over-the top new age-y sermons serve to bludgeon the reader with the significance of Barbara's life stories to our own life stories, just in case we are too stupid to get that point on our own. Despite that annoyance, however, Barbara's life and work is quite fascinating. This book proved to be a particularly interesting companion to Paul Gilding's The Great Disruption in my reading journey. Both books suggest we are on the verge of a major evolutionary shift as a species spurred by our living beyond the capacity of our planet. Paul Gilding takes an extremely rational approach. Barbara Marx Hubbard takes an extremely metaphysical approach. They act as interesting counter-balances to each other.

Book Pairings: Paul Gilding's The Great Disruption, of course. I'm inclined to want to proceed to some of Barbara Marx Hubbard's works as well, such as Conscious Evolution.

[Barbara P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this book, or was led to it, at Barnes & Noble when I had a 15% discount coupon. This is the story of Barbara Marx Hubbard, a visionary who has followed her dream to help create a good and peaceful world. She is no slouch but extremely bright, at one time tried to get on the ballet to run for Vice President of the U.S. She actually was visiting President Dwight Eisenhower with her father when she was, I believe, 12 years old. She asked the President what power would bring in Good in the world. The author begins the book with a December 22, 2012 date when Hubbard will announce the above intentions. The author writes the book starting with that date and going back through her life citing 25 happenings that led her to the place she is in. Hers is an amazing life as she followed her inner calling and life purpose. Each happening became preparation for the next happening. She will be 83 on 12/22/12, her birthday. I resonated with her life and journey, in that I have always felt I was guided and led. Often this was difficult but I tried to be faithful to the Spirit's movement. Not everyone will resonate with this book but I certainly did and it gives me pause when I think of this season of my life.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Applause to Walsch's wisdom to have put Barbara Marx's life in a reverse order as a hindsight reflection on how one's lifetime is always interconnected and many problems are merely catalysts for our soul's progression and evolution. From Barbara Marx's story, readers with myself included can easily find the usually-omitted lesson and wisdom in every encounter in life. Sometimes, what happens does contain more meaning than a mere transpiration. Bravo, Neale Donald Walsch, for his masterful account of a meaningful life.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very unusual book, due in part to the way it was written. You start at the end and work your way back to the beginning. Underlying all that was a very thought provoking series of messages that will keep playing over and over in your mind. I really enjoy reading books that shake up the myths we've been told about humanity, our history and our future.

[Kathy Leistner · Rating 1 out of 5]

a little strange