#Book Review: "A Desert Journey" by Dr. Jerry Burgener

About the Author: Jerry Burgener grew up in Illinois. He spent most of his career as a forensic psychologist and is now in private practice. 

Book Description: Reeling from yet another relationship failure, Jerry travels to the American Southwest to spend a couple of months riding his horse, savoring the warm weather, and finding respite from the daily grind. But what begins as a simple escape to the wide-open spaces of Arizona soon becomes a powerful odyssey of self-discovery. When Jerry comes upon an Indian named Tom in the middle of the Superstition Mountains, he senses that the meeting is no casual encounter. Wise and unreserved, Tom speaks to Jerry with a knowingness that both unnerves and captivates him.
Jerry is compelled to return to the mountain again and again to accept Tom’s challenges, exercises, and assignments for living in the moment, tuning into the love all around him, and honoring a connection to Spirit. With Tom as his guide, Jerry uses dreams and visions of his own past lives to make sense of his modern reality. Tom’s lessons cause Jerry to question long-held beliefs, but they also afford him the insight he needs to move beyond pain and make his metaphysical journey toward inner peace and enlightenment.


My Impressions: While 'Desert Journey' is labeled fiction it reads as though it is spoken from experience. The main character is named Jerry like the author. I later found out that much of this story is indeed from experience with liberties taken to aid in storytelling. Jerry leaves it up to the reader to decide how real of a character Tom is... I enjoy this shroud of mystery a great deal and I must say, I wonder with a childlike curiosity.

This book certainly struck a chord with me. First of all, it reminded me quite vividly of a dream I had last year. In this dream I was travelling through the desert on a journey with my best friend. Near the end of the dream we had come to a point between two cliffs (much like the cover image) where a veil separated and as we passed through we entered a land where colors shone vividly with an incomparable depth.

I enjoyed reading this book so much that it has already begun cycling through my friends. I read most of this book on a blanket in my dining room in a lovely patch of sun one morning. It was a beautiful and thoughtful experience.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Desert Journey by Dr. Jerry Burgener in exchange for my honest opinion. This review was originally posted on my primary blog Music and Mommies.