In Search of P. D. Ouspensky: The Genius in the Shadow of Gurdjieff Book

A fantastic book which explores the enigma of the student-guru relationship between two very individual, unique and equally independent thinkers of the early-to-mid 20th century. Ouspenky's contribution to intellectual thought, I believe, is more palatable than Gurdjieff's obscure works. I also particularly enjoyed the atmosphere generated around the time Ouspensky and others discussed the fourth-dimension in St. Petersburg's cafe, The Stray Dog. Lachman evokes a sense of intense intellectual development and gives a wonderful insight into the zeitgeist of the times.

Lachman presents Ouspensky as an interesting and pioneering philosopher in his own right; cementing Ouspensky as an important figure on his own terms, rather than being merely the first port of call for anyone who wants to understand Gurdjieff's 'System'. The author of Tertium Organum and A New Model of the Universe is here presented as a genuine visionary and an honest seeker of higher-states of consciousness. I found this to be one of Lachman's most literary and evocative of biographies that I've read so far.