The Path: A New Look At Reality

By Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson's bestselling novel, What Dreams May Come, the basis for the hit movie starring Robin Williams, touched numerous readers with its convincing portrait of life after death, based on years of research and personal reflection. Like that earlier book, The Path is a work of inspirational fiction that comes straight from Matheson's own deeply held beliefs about spirituality and true nature of existence. The story of one man's encounter with an enigmatic stranger who imparts to him ten lessons about the true reality of the soul; The Path is not so much a novel as a philosophical dialogue about life and the afterlife.

Everyone who read What Dreams May Come and wants to know more about Matheson's personal philosophy should take a walk along . . . The Path.



At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Jun 12, 1999
• ISBN: 9781466826236

Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson was one of the great writers of modern science fiction and fantasy. A New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter, his novels included I Am Legend, The Incredible Shrinking Man and many others. Stephen King called Matheson 'the author who influenced me the most as a writer'. A Grand Master of Horror and past winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement, He also won multiple other awards including the Edgar, the Hugo, the Spur, and the Writer's Guild awards. Richard Matheson passed away in June 2013.

Book preview

The First Walk

WHEN I WENT FOR A WALK on the day I met the man, my state of mind was dark.

In addition to the problems of my own life, conditions in our country and the world had thoroughly depressed me.

If I had been asked that morning to comment on the meaning of life, my response would have been, "What meaning?"

Life, in general, seemed virtually meaningless to me.

*   *   *

There is a path I follow when I walk. Several miles in length, it winds through the community I live in.

I had barely started along the path that morning when I saw a man ahead of me.

He was strolling so leisurely that I overtook him in less than a minute.

As I began to pass him by, he spoke. Good morning, he said.

I grunted disparagingly. Not very, I responded.

Why do you think that? he asked.

I had no desire for conversation. Nothing specific, I answered, starting to move away from him.

May I walk with you? he asked.

My inclination was to say in a curt, dismissing manner, "No; please don’t."

But his tone of voice was so disarming that I didn’t have the heart to do it.

I wouldn’t be much company, I warned him.

Not so, he said. I think you’ll be very interesting company indeed.

I had no idea why he would say such a thing, not knowing me at all. But I shrugged and made a submissive sound. It’s up to you, I said.

Good. The man sounded so genuinely pleased that it made me feel guilty for my unfriendly behavior toward him.

He extended his hand as we walked on together. Delighted to meet you, he said.

That I didn’t understand at all. Why should meeting me delight him?

I let it go and, briefly, grasped his hand, looking at him.

He was approximately my height, which is six-foot two, his age somewhere in the middle or late forties, I estimated. He had brown hair and light blue eyes and was wearing an outfit predominantly white—shirt, trousers and jacket. He was a handsome man but it wasn’t that which struck me most. It was the expression on his face which took me by surprise.

He seemed the most deeply serene-looking man I had ever met in my life, as though he was possessed of such an inner knowledge and tranquillity that nothing in this world could touch him, much less harm him. I could not help but feel a sense of awe in his presence.

You live around here? I asked.

No. He smiled and shook his head. This is the first time I’ve been here.

I presumed that he was staying with someone in the community and said no more. To be truthful, I wasn’t interested.

So, he said. What is it about the morning that makes it not very good?

I made a scoffing noise. What is there that makes it good? I challenged.

A beautiful day? he suggested.

In a country where one out of every five of our thirty-one million adolescents has at least one serious health problem and can’t get basic care? I said. "In a country where the yearly cost of basic pre-natal care, nutritional guidance and counseling for all prospective mothers can be spent on one day of war?"

You read that article in the morning paper, the man said.

Yes, I answered, glumly. "I read the newspaper every morning while I’m having coffee. I don’t know why I bother. All it does is anger and depress

Reviews for The Path

[ladyblossom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A thought provoking book...............................