Scan barcode
2000ace's review against another edition
4.0
George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff attracted a number of talented people to his circle, not the least of whom was Jean Toomer. Toomer spent time in Sparta, Georgia as a school principal, in Washington, D.C., and New York. He was an early pupil at the Prieure, a school Gurdjieff founded outside Paris, where Toomer studied the Work ideas and the movements. When Gurdjieff disbanded the school, Toomer moved back to New York where he became a well-known figure of the Harlem Renaissance. He is best known for his novel, Cane, which is considered by many critics to be ahead of its time in its inventiveness. He presaged the race riots of the 1960s in other writings.
Although Toomer spent other periods of his life with Gurdfieff, the years covered in this book were his most productive. Part of the reason was that race was not a consideration in Gurdjieff's selection of pupils, and he forbade any type of racial discussion in his groups. In this rarified atmosphere, Toomer felt most free to pursue his literary aspirations. This is a fine book, and I highly recommend it.
Although Toomer spent other periods of his life with Gurdfieff, the years covered in this book were his most productive. Part of the reason was that race was not a consideration in Gurdjieff's selection of pupils, and he forbade any type of racial discussion in his groups. In this rarified atmosphere, Toomer felt most free to pursue his literary aspirations. This is a fine book, and I highly recommend it.
More...