Product Description

In this refreshing new take on spirituality, bestselling author Deepak Chopra uses a fictional tale of a comedian and his unlikely mentor to show us a path back to hope, joy, and even enlightenment—with a lot of laughter along the way.

Meet Mickey Fellows. A successful L.A. comedian, he’s just a regular guy, with his fair share of fears, egocentricities, and addictions. After his father’s death, Mickey meets a mysterious stranger named Francisco, who changes his life forever. The two begin an ongoing discussion about the true nature of being. Reluctantly at first, Mickey accepts the stranger’s help and starts to explore his own life in an effort to answer the riddles Francisco poses. Mickey starts to look at those aspects of himself that he has hidden behind a wall of wisecracks all his life. Eventually Mickey realizes that authentic humor opens him up to the power of spirit—allowing him to finally make real connections with people.

After taking the reader on a journey with Mickey, Chopra then spells out the lessons that Mickey’s story imparts to us: ten reasons to be optimistic, even in our challenging world. Chopra believes that the healthiest response to life is laughter from the heart, and even in the face of global turmoil, we can cultivate an internal sense of optimism. Rich with humor and practical advice, Why Is God Laughing? shows us without a doubt that there is always a reason to be grateful, that every possibility holds the promise of abundance, and that obstacles are simply opportunities in disguise. In the end, we really don’t need a reason to be happy. The power of happiness lies within each of us, just waiting to be unleashed. And Mickey Fellows’s journey shows us the way.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #267017 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-03
• Released on: 2008-06-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780307408884
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
“Why is God laughing? Good question. Deepak takes us halfway to an answer, to a line in the sand. Then, after we’ve contemplated the parable of Mickey Fellows, we cross that line and arrive at the liberating answer on our own. What is it? I ain’t telling. Read the book yourself!”
—Dan Aykroyd, actor and comedian

“Why Is God Laughing? deserves a standing ovation; I couldn’t put it down. Deepak Chopra has written another life-changing book that I will definitely recommend to everyone.”
—Mike Robles, Emmy Award–winning comedian; creator and executive producer of Que Locos and Loco Comedy Jam

“If you’re skimming these quotes to see whether you’re going to buy this book, don’t bother. Just read a bit of chapter five!”
—John Cleese, actor and comedian


From the Hardcover edition.

Review
“Why is God laughing? Good question. Deepak takes us halfway to an answer, to a line in the sand. Then, after we’ve contemplated the parable of Mickey Fellows, we cross that line and arrive at the liberating answer on our own. What is it? I ain’t telling. Read the book yourself!”
—Dan Aykroyd, actor and comedian

“Why Is God Laughing? deserves a standing ovation; I couldn’t put it down. Deepak Chopra has written another life-changing book that I will definitely recommend to everyone.”
—Mike Robles, Emmy Award–winning comedian; creator and executive producer of Que Locos and Loco Comedy Jam

“If you’re skimming these quotes to see whether you’re going to buy this book, don’t bother. Just read a bit of chapter five!”
—John Cleese, actor and comedian

About the Author
DEEPAK CHOPRA is the author of more than fifty books translated into over thirty-five languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers in both the fiction and nonfiction categories. Chopra’s Wellness Radio airs weekly on Sirius Satellite Stars, Channel 102, and focuses on the areas of success, love, sexuality and relationships, well-being, and spirituality. He is founder and president of the Alliance for a New Humanity.

www.deepakchopra.com

Customer Reviews

Maybe Because He Gets the Joke?
"Either you're a person wondering if you have a soul, or you're a soul who knows that being a person isn't real." - From the book

For comedian Mickey Fellows, life is about to get very interesting.

On the heels of his father's death, Mickey meets a mysterious stranger named Francisco on the beach. Tucking riddles in his clothing, posing profound questions and inviting Mickey to engage in some potentially embarrassing--even dangerous--situations will forever alter the jaded comedian.

Who is Francisco? Out of all the people in L.A., why did he pick Mickey for an enigmatic "process"? Will Mickey have to trade his sense of humor--his very livelihood--in order to become fearless? Or is it like Mickey's dead father says: God is laughing...always?

So what is it that God's laughing about? What does Mickey's dead father know now that he's on the other side--and wants desperately to communicate to his son? And what does spirituality have to do with off-color jokes and humor in general?

In the novel Why Is God Laughing, prolific author, spiritual teacher and medical doctor Deepak Chopra offers readers an entertaining parable about one man confronting his deepest fears during his unusual interactions with a man named Francisco. As he begins to ask questions about life and his reason for being, Mickey echoes the musings of millions in these hectic times.

Originally, I had bought Why Is God Laughing? as a Father's Day present for my husband, especially since he enjoys Chopra's storytelling in both his fiction and non-fiction books. Turns out, though, that *I* ended up devouring it before my husband could even begin reading!

And a thoroughly enjoyable read it was--especially as it's filled with hilarious jokes!

Here are a few of the interesting passages I highlighted throughout the book as I was reading:

* "Death is life on another frequency. The music doesn't end just because someone can't hear it."

* "Fear cannot be trusted."

* "You will correct the mistake that lies at the very root of victimization: a belief that the movie controls you, instead of the other way around."

* "Once you have authorship of your self, you come out of silence into activity to write your own story."

* "Whatever captivates you is also trying to wake you up."

* "So how does God want us to grow, in what direction, according to what guidelines? None. You get to grow the way you want to, by following your own desires...The things that deeply interest you play the role of God."

* "...take your place inside the drama with confidence. Everything is as it should be. The role assigned to you is right and proper. It is tailor-made for you, for your complete self."

In the tradition of Father Joseph Girzone's Joshua series, Why Is God Laughing? presents gentle challenges from a humble stranger. Timeless and universal truths are shared in a non-threatening way throughout the story, and Chopra shares invaluable spiritual insight at the end with ten transformational principles that--if understood and applied--can be a powerful catalyst for real change.

Do you wonder what happens when people die? Do you fear death? Does fear paralyze you from doing what you love--or from taking risks to find out? Do you wonder if life on Earth is "all there is"? Have you bought into the idea that there is sacred and profane, that there is a literal hell and a literal heaven? Does God even care what you do here on Earth?

And why, oh why, is God laughing?

Join comedian Mickey Fellows on an journey that illuminates some possible answers to those questions--and to discover how to fearlessly be the best "you" possible!--through the engaging book Why Is God Laughing?

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present

Standard Chopra Themes, But Doesn't Work as Fiction
I picked up this book with high hopes. I generally like Chopra's work, although I am not a hard-core fan, and I love to laugh. I also believe humour is a key companion to spiritual growth - when you can laugh at yourself, you probably have hit on some self-truth. And Mike Myer's Foreword seemed to be heading in the right direction, quoting Lenny Bruce's equation for comedy as "laughter = pain + time", and noting that Chopra would call the 'plus time' detachment. Enlightenment and comedy share that in common.

Unfortunately Why is God Laughing? doesn't quite follow-through on its promise, although it has some nice moments. The main problem for me is that the book seems more like an outline, and a derivative one at that. It doesn't evoke any powerful emotions, because we don't have enough time with the main character, Mickey, to feel invested in him. The entire book feels rushed, more like a premise for hitting certain spiritual points, chapter by chapter. These points, or lessons, drive the book's progression more than the character's inner growth. This is often a problem when non-fiction writers cross over to fiction, but I thought Chopra had solved it after his last fiction effort, Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment (recently released in paperback, and which I highly recommend.)

Chopra's epilogue is interesting, as he lays out his own ideas on how to embrace joy and optimism while living in a scary, fear-based culture. If the story doesn't grab you, you can always jump straight to the epilogue for a good Chopra fix. The bottom line is, the themes of this book are true to his usual message, and clearly presented - it just doesn't work as a novel. So you probably won't be deeply disappointed, but you won't be deeply moved either. If you don't want to risk it, just buy Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment instead.

For my full review, go to [...]

"Laughing" is contagious!
We're each on a journey in this life, and our passions help us to get there. The lead character in this story, Mickey, is a comedian, and so he gets to where he needs to go through humor. Ultimately, we're all headed in the same direction, to re-discover who we are. We learn from each other, and we can certainly learn from Mickey. Deepak is a gifted writer. The story unfolds with a series of riddles, and jokes sprinkled throughout. And then almost as a bonus, we get the lessons, the messages, so that we are guided along in our own journey. Sweet, and profound. Another terrific book from Deepak Chopra.