iPad Vook Review: Sages and Scientists

I was given an opportunity by Rachel Balik of Vook to review one of their latest titles, Sages and Scientists. I’ve written about Vook in the past and like what they’re doing in the publishing space. For the record — I have no formal ties with Vook and this review is completely voluntary.

About Sages and Scientists

Sages and Scientists by Deepak Chopra and the Chopra Foundation is a small collaboration of writings and mini video interviews with some of the world’s most brilliant scientific minds. The title was catchy enough to attract someone like me who really digs transcendentalism…but also happens to really suck at science.

Each chapter — there are 11 total (nice prime number, by the way) — contains a short but powerful treatise on the connection between science and metaphysical consciousness. Unlikely, I know, but that’s what makes the vook so intriguing.

What worked so well were the personal perspectives offered by each scientist that challenges our understanding of modern science. Many of them call it ‘old science,’ which regards human existence as the realm of zero direction, zero purpose and zero meaning in the world. Again, I’ve always struggled with science—perhaps this is why.

A New, Better View of Science

These views of ‘new science’ regard the human experience as something far more holistic and deeply transcendental. In the words of Larry Dossey,

…leads to the notion that in some dimension of consciousness all minds come together and for the universal or the one mind.

Pretty profound stuff indeed. This kind of science I can relate to.

But it goes even further than that: the vignettes speak of Gandhi, fractal resonance, the mystery of water, past lives and some healing experiments conducted at North Hawaii Community Hospital, which is about a mile from where I’m writing this post.

Recommended? Definitely

Let’s say good things come in small packages.

If you crave to learn about what’s really going on in the Universe (gee shouldn’t this be everyone?), I can’t think of a better, quicker and cheaper way to get primed than with the Sages and Scientists vook.

For the low price of $6.99, you get a tiny but very powerful lesson on science and spirituality. Click here to buy it.

Comments on the Vook Itself

A vook is a blend of video + book. Vook publishes their products in flash-based website, iPhone and iPad apps formats. Their titles are diverse (Three Little Pigs to Woman’s Day Cookvook) and prices range from $.99 to $14.99.

Sages and Scientists was my first experience with a vook on a mobile device (iPad), and I must say: vooks and iPads are like peas in a pod. The single-task environment of the iPad eliminates all distractions, leaving you in the sacred space of a fully engaged vook experience.

Each chapter has a crisp, professionally-produced video featuring a monologue of each scientist. The videos are no more than 2 minutes long, resizeable to full screen and easily embeddable in an email (I tested this feature and it’s awesome — you just play the video right in your inbox). There are also controls for night mode (black background with white text) and text enlargement.

All good stuff, but I have one HUGE request for Vook to make: a bookmarking/notation feature akin to the Kindle. Readers need this! Admittedly, there’s a way to select some text to email, tweet or post to Facebook (yes I know it’s the social web thing to do), but this doesn’t even come close.

In fact, I would have saved myself significant time writing this review if I could have bookmarked and taken notes within the app. Other vook reviewers have requested the bookmarking and notation, so I hope Vook is listening.

Another idea for Vook: make one single Vook app and let readers access titles from there. Reader data collection is a mighty powerful thing. Just ask Seth.