3. This novel is an autobiograpichal self-help book which
published in 2006 by a Physician James R. Doty, the
director of Stanford University’s Center for Comparison ad
Alturism Research and Education (CCARE).
4. Summary
James R. Doty who usually call by Jim or Doty, is a 12 years old
boy lives in Lancaster, California. It is a small city and
looked like a dessert. He is growing in such a mess family.
His father is an alcoholic, who often going back to jail and
his mother is suffering form depression and often attemp
to suicide. He hates the fact that he is poor and hungry.
On summer day, when he is looking for her brother who
hasn’t come back home, he sees a magic shop, he was
wondering if it sells a plastic thumb, because he lost it. He
meets an elderly woman named Ruth, mother of the
owner shop. She promises Jim to teach a different kinds of
magic if he willing to comeback everyday.
5. Ruth teaches him 4 magic tricks
1. Relaxing your body and try to control your breath
2. Taming the mind
3. Opening your heart
4. Clarifying your intent
Through this magic tricks, Jim is able to manage himself and
enroll a unviversity and graduate, then going to medical
college. He got scholarship from army to become a
neurosurgeon, share and learn science of the relationship
between brain and heart.
6. Unfortunately, he had a car accident that almost takes his life
when he was a neurosurgeon in Army. He has to enter the
operating room twice. Later on he become an
enterpreneur. A misguided business decision involving th
medical device that let him to the brink of bankruptcy,
losing all his $75 million.
By recalling Ruth’s magic trick, opening your heart, Jim is able
to regain his momentum again in his career. He reflects
and forgive all the mistakes that he had done. He has a
millions dollar left that he gives up all to the charity.
7. After through all of that, Jim final destination is always
evolving through life.
8. Moral Value
Proving that you can overcome adversity and achieve a
meaningful success.
Try to visualize something in the future, but only your heart
that can tell what’s worth creating.
9. What’s I’ve learned from
the book?
– Mindfulness and visualization,vare wonderful techniques for getting quiet,
eliminating distraction, and journeying inward. They can increase focus and help
us make decisions more quickly, but without wisdom and insight (opening the
heart) the techniques can result in self-absorption, narcissism, and isolation.
– The ultimate insight that the only way to truly change and transform your life for
the better is by transforming and changing the lives of others
– The greatest and most real magic there is—the power of compassion to not only
heal each of our own wounds of the heart but the hearts of those around us.
– When our brains and our hearts are working in collaboration—we are happier,
we are healthier, and we automatically express love, kindness, and care for one
another.
