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Book: Mutant Message from Down Under
Author: Marlo Morgan
Publisher: Harper Collins

Review:
If you haven't heard about Mutant Message from Down Under or the controversy surrounding it, you are in for a shock. At least, I was shocked when I did a little bit of research on this poorly written pile of junk.

It began with finding a used copy of this book in its first incarnation, a privately published, poorly illustrated account of a woman's experience living with Australian Aborigines. It claimed to be about a spiritual journey. It claimed to contain an important message for mankind. If this is an important message to mankind, I think I'll lie down and shoot myself now.

The book was a quick read about the experience Ms. Morgan claimed to have had living for four months with a tribe of Aboriginals called the "Real People." She travels barefoot and hatless through the Australian desert while experiencing a personal epiphany as the tribe members teach her about the ills of western society. Yes, you did read that right. Four months in the desert. No hat. No shoes. Pale skinned white woman. Does anyone see a problem here, yet?

If not, maybe you'll see a problem in her description of Aboriginal life, which includes such fascinating things as making dream catchers, tribe members having names like "Female Healer," and communicating primarily through telepathy. Sound like a sick twisted description of a white woman's perception of Native Americans? That's pretty much what it is.

Or maybe you'll see a problem in the "Real People" tribe calling non-tribe members "Mutants." Marlo never pauses to tell us just when the "Real People" decided to study genetics so that they could understand words like "mutant."



Because you see, we don't know if Ms. Morgan actually ever set foot in Australia, because her description of that country is so ridiculously wrong. In her version of Australia, people use quarters to make phone calls (Aussies don't even have a 25 cent piece... and they sure as hell don't call any of their coins quarters) and Australians didn't know what fly screens for windows were until she introduced them to the country in 1986. So, since she had no idea what Australian Aboriginal culture was like, she just kinda...made it up.

Making things up is okay, especially when you are writing fiction. But from the start, Ms. Morgan claimed that what she was writing was emphatically not fiction. In fact, she claimed to be the appointed spokesperson for Australian Aboriginals. Her little privately-published heap of twaddle was picked up by Harper Collins and became a best seller everywhere -- except in Australia...fancy that. And Ms. M began the lecture circuit as the "spokesperson" for Aboriginal concerns.

Australian Aboriginal groups have been protesting the book since it was first published. Because despite the book now being classified as fiction by Harper Collins, and despite the general outcry from Aboriginal leaders amid demands for her to stop calling herself their "spokesperson," this presumptuous, ridiculous woman still claims that the events did indeed happen. (Never mind that not one Aboriginal group in Australia will admit to even meeting her.)

So, what attracts people to this book? Is it the writing style of the author, the riveting tale she tells, the message that her book provides? None of the above, thanks. Ms. Morgan has the writing skill of a stoned 16 year old. Her book consists of incredibly simple sentences and the charming habit of writing the dialog of the "Real People" in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Who needs quotation marks when you have the SHIFT key on your keyboard? Not Ms. Morgan.

If you can get around the completely stupid details that she throws in to, I assume, give her story veracity (stating that her feet became "hoof-like" from walking in the desert, describing being buried in sand to rid her of personal body odor, claiming that a flood that roared across the desert made her lose all of the items she gained during her journey) you are still stuck with a stereotypical tale of "white woman learning native ways" told in a charmless manner. With completely weird claims about Aboriginal peoples thrown in for good measure (they speak telepathically, can heal broken bones in one day with their minds, and are hiding an intricate cavern filled with ritual items somewhere in the desert).

And as for the message, well, I can sum up the message: "Western society bad, living communally good. White men's ways are not the right way. Stop hurting our planet." Truly, an eye opening statement for the masses. It's been said before, with more heart, more insight, and without the intention of stealing a group's culture for profit and fame.

You'll notice that this review doesn't have an Amazon link to the book. That's because I would hate myself if I helped anyone to hand her money by purchasing a copy of this book. If you must read this terrible excuse for a book, please buy it second hand.

If you want more information on the inaccuracies of the book, or the attempts by Aboriginal leaders to prevent Marlo Morgan from further robbing them of their culture, follow the links below:

Morgan's Mutant Fantasy
Mutant Exposed!
Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation's report on Mutant Message
Leatherwood Trail's Mutant Message Page

72 comments:

Dalim said...

You have go to be Kidding me! This rubbish is still around?? Why hasn't someone got all these books and BURNED THEM in a bid to rid the world of crap!!!
OMG this sounds like a terrible waste of time effort and natural resources.
"I got a witch, let burn her"

Vincent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dougals said...

I am assigned to write about this book for an English class in an American UNIVERSITY! I'm not joking! Luckily, we are allowed to criticize it, but we're still supposed to focus on the message that Western, "civilized" culture is not so enlightened as it would like to think it is, and how it needs to understand its connection with the rest of the world. I really wish we could write about that topic without this degrading piece of trash.
I HATE this book more than any I've ever read. It has the cultural depth of an Indian casino with the wisdom of a fortune cookie.

Yakaru said...

Well written run down of the book! I'm Australian and I live in Germany, where apparently 1 in 15 households has a copy of this stupid book.

There's a good Wikipedia article about it now, showing that Morgan was only in Australia for four months and her movements are fully accounted for. No time left to rewrite the laws of physics and biology.

From accounts I've heard of her behaviour from people who have met her, it sounds to me like she is suffering from a clinically identifiable psychotic disorder, possibly Bi-polar or some such.

If so she is to be 1% forgiven and is obviously living in misery with a severe form of it. Whatever the case, her fans are beyond pathetic.

I also know university lecturers who use the book - in ecology and anthropology!

Excellent work by the reviewer here - it's not an easy book to review because it is so full of hysterical surrealistic gibberish and offensive racist trash and atrocious writing that it's hard to know where to start. The reviewer here has done a great job of covering it succinctly with much less histrionic ranting than I can manage to limit myself to in this comment.

Anonymous said...

Constance, I think I have a crush on you. I love your description of yourself! I had to stop reading Mutant Message about 3/4 of the way through because I feared it was bamaging my drain - erm, I mean, damaging my brain. It was one of the most horrid books I've ever read. I would never have voluntarily read this book, but a friend (whom I will now keep at arm's length) gave me her copy to read and breathlessly told me how great it was. I would have stopped reading in the first few pages, because I could see straight away that it was very poorly written. But, I felt compelled to soldier on because I was kind of 'supposed' to read it. Then it got to be a bit like reading about a slow motion car wreck, so I kind of got into all the ridiculous claims in the book. The one that really killed me was the compound fracture of a leg, miraculously healed in five days with dried women's..... oh reader, you don't want to know - but, believe me, it's disgusting. Ewwww. I need to take a shower now. Well, rock on, and keep on doing your thing. cheers, Parker

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Anonymous said...

Yes, it may be poorly written. It may be totally fake and made up. Consider this, what are most people doing with their free time? Watching TV...and what are they watching? Hmmm...lets see...reality shows like Keeping up with the Kardashians and other garbage. I'd rather the average American read this book, at least it has a message worth pondering. At least it forces the reader to evaluate their lifestyle.

Anonymous said...

stupid idiots

Jolene said...

Very cool list. Could you also include every book written about the so-called Native Hawaiian spirituality of "Huna"? This is not a Hawaiian religion or spiritual philosophy but one made up by Westerners eager to cash in on the new age/metaphysical movement. To learn more, I invite you to the Facebook page, Huna Is Not Hawaiian.

Sharon Jackson said...

Worse than Marlo Morgan was Lynn Andrews who, in the 80's wrote a slew of books about indigenous women's cultures from all over the world. These women apparently chose a dyed blond, silver and turquoise bedizzened American to share their spiritual secrets with the world. She made several millions lying to new age people trying to find a new paradigm. By the way, a bunch of the comments on this blog are spam..viagra and the like and do your blog's credibility no good!

Anonymous said...

She has hurt both the Aboriginis and deceived readers and so many others. Shame on her.

I look forward to reading your other reviews, thank you.

Anonymous said...

I really loved the book. It was an amazing read. Too bad you can't see what the books about.
You probably don't believe in god either. Oh Well..

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I liked the book then read about the controversy, and now, I would like to know some actual facts. Not opinions. WHAT Aboriginal groups protested? Where? What exact date and location? Names dates facts news articles, any facts or sources for your information?? Not saying I disagree, I had many questions myself but did enjoy the book as a positive message and simple entertaining story. I also could understand WHY she would publish as fiction- if this exact group of people she spent 4 months with is really one of the last groups of aboriginal people who actually live how they used to before white people came to austrailia then they wouldnt be in a census, of course they would have secret places to keep historic/spiritual things etc.. i need some real facts about the controversy and also aboriginal history..

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