Do I have to read Carlos Castaneda?

[Carm]

I know a Carlos Castaneda.... Not THE Carlos Castaneda author.
and NO.

Joe Carm

[Anthony]

IMHO, Yes.

Regardless of your opinion of whether it's real or not, of his books I've read, it's a gripping and sometimes poignant story of a man and his teacher, and his struggle with himself to uncover the nature of reality.

[what4]

There's a curious disjunction between the character Carlos in the books, who presents himself as a naive bumbler, and Carlos the writer of the books, who is canny and perceptive and, especially in the later books, manipulative. Once you start watching this, you find you are dealing with something that is so artistically sculpted that it cannot be true in the simple sense it purports.

[anonymouse1]

Please, do tell us more about Sufism. Are you talking about the Mevlevis, or the Rifai, or the Shadhilliya, or the Naqshbandi? Which of these would you call a cult, and why?

August West wrote:
I'm not sure that I can agree that Castenada's writings form the basis for a cult and Sufism doesn't.

[hal]

A consensus! NOT

oh well, I think I'll give the first one a go just so I know what it's about... I was given the set of he first 4 years ago - didn't realize that it went on forever...

[haikuman]

Have fun hal... reading is something special . Your own perception is what matters.

Rudie

[OWC Jamie]

I thought they were a hoot.
Resounding yes, go for it.

At least book 1.

Fictional anthropological possibilities are as much fun as .