About this Item
A second printing of the true first edition, published as an academic work by the University of California Press in 1968. ***Near fine in dark grey cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The gilt is still beautifully bright. The boards are clean and unmarked. No bumps or creases. Corners sharp. Top edge and fore-edge of page block slightly foxed. Internally very clean, with no creases or tears. No ownership details and no annotations. Dark green textured endpapers. Very slight lean to the binding but spine tight. ***In a very good typographically printed dustwrapper, that has not been price-clipped, retaining the original publisher's printed price of $5.95. The thin dustwrapper is complete with no chips, creases or tears. Extremities of dustwrapper just slightly rubbed and creased, mainly at the head and tail of the spine, with very slight loss at the head of the spine. Small nicks and slight creasing to the extremities. No fading even to the light green colour on the spine. Dustwrapper bright and clean. ***235mm x 160mm. 196 pages. ***'Mr. Castaneda, a young anthropologist, records here his experiences during five years as a pupil of don Juan, a Yaqui Indian shaman. In a series of remarkable dialogues he sets forth his partial initiation into don Juan's perception and mastery of "non-ordinary reality." He describes how peyote and other plants sacred to the Mexican Indians are used as gateways to the mysteries of "dread," "clarity," and "power." Although he must deal with alien phenomena, often with matters of terrifying and fantastic order, Mr. Castaneda writes pragmatically and simply, allowing the events to carry their own drama. His account will leave the reader with the strongest impression of the nobility, depth, and authority of don Juan and of his teachings. This unprecedented and strangely beautiful book, which is assured a place in the literature of ethnology, will even more remain a living document of the spirit. Taoism, Yoga, Vedanta, and Zen--the ancient "ways of liberation"--belong root and branch to Asia. It has been assumed that the West has produced no way of spiritual knowledge comparable to the great system of the East. The present book is accordingly nothing less than a revelation.' (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***The second printing (published in the same year as the first) of the true first edition of the first book by Carlos Arana Castaneda (1925 - 1998), the Peruvian-American author and student of anthropology. Castenada's now famous work was first published as an academic / anthropological work by the University of California Press, and as such, the first and second printings were almost certainly produced in very small print runs, and consequently, the work is very scarce in either printing. It soon gained something of a cult following, with a third printing being produced by the University of California Press in 1971. Castaneda's later works were then picked up by mainstream non-academic publishing houses, and his books have remained immensely popular, introducing ideas of shamanism and native spirituality to a broad western readership. A book that became a cult classic, and very hard to find in the original format - especially in the UK. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 8383x
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