The Unknowable Gurdjieff

New York, NY: Samuel Weiser. Near Fine. 1973. First Edition Thus; First Printing. Paperback. First Edition Thus (1973) . Appears to be the First Printing of the First Paperback Edition. Near Fine in Wraps: shows several very faint soil spots to the top edge; a hint of shelf-soiling to the bottom edge of the text block; the binding is square and secure; the text is clean. Free of creases to the panels. Free of creases to the backstrip. Free of creased or dog-eared pages in the text. Free of any underlining hi-lighting or marginalia or marks in the text. Free of any ownership names dates addresses notations inscriptions stamps plates or labels. A handsome nearly-new copy structurally sound and tightly bound showing minor unobtrusive cosmetic imperfections. Quite clean. Corners sharp. Very close to 'As New'. NOT a Remainder Book-Club or Ex-Library. 8vo. (7.35 x 5 x 0.7 inches) . Sparsely illustrated with duotone portrait photographs. Language: English. Weight: 9.2 ounces. Amber Wraps with a duotone portrait drawing of Gurdjieff at the front panel and printed information on a white background field at the rear panel. Quite attractive. Paperback. George Ivanovich Gurdjieff (c.1867 – 1949) was a philosopher, mystic, spiritual teacher, and composer of music. Gurdjieff taught that people are not conscious of themselves and thus live their lives in a state of hypnotic "waking sleep", but that it is possible to awaken to a higher state of consciousness and serve our purpose as human beings. The practice of his teaching has become known as "The Work" (meaning work on oneself) and is additional to the ways of the fakir, monk and yogi, so that his student P. D. Ouspensky referred to it as the "Fourth Way". Gurdjieff's teaching has inspired the formation of many groups around the world. This small volume represents a very intimate portrait of Gurdjieff by a devoted follower. There are anecdotes that will not be seen anywhere else, so even if one has many books related to Gurdjieff, this one may provide further insight into the teaching he brought to the West, and especially insights into the man himself. The book tries tries to give the impression of her meetings with Gurdjieff and communicates her sense of the mystery about him. The author is not a systematizer or proponent of "the Work" primarily, but more a seeker who found something authentic in Gurdjieff that she did not expect. Well worth the read. ; 12mo 7" - 7½" tall; ix, 212 pages .