Anne Cushman is the director of the Mindfulness Yoga and Meditation Training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in northern California, and teaches regular retreats and courses. Previously a contributing editor to both Yoga Journal and Tricycle- The Buddhist Review, she is the coauthor of From Here to Nirvana- The Yoga Journal Guide to Spiritual India.
A Booklist Top 10 First Novel of 2008
A Washington Post Media Mix Best of 2008 pick
"Each character is ripe for a little satire, which makes the novel
a fun read, especially if you're in on the joke (and even if you
aren't). Cushman also manages to capture the heart of their
teachings, which gives the book another level of meaning...When you
read between the lines for the wisdom that is woven throughout
Cushman's fun romp, this book serves as a call to enlightenment and
an introduction to yoga philosophy."
—Yoga Journal
“[A] bright new novel.”
—Marin Independent Journal
"If you’ve ever pursued enlightenment–or just toyed with the
idea–you’ll see a bit of yourself in this playful but introspective
first novel by Anne Cushman, a contributing editor to Yoga Journal
and Tricycle whose writing also appears regularly in the Shambhala
Sun. Enlightenment for Idiots follows Amanda, a prototypical
questing Californian with a passion for yoga and a weakness for
unreliable men. An unenthusiastic travel writer, Amanda finally
sees a chance to get it all together when she lands a job to
research and write a guide to spiritual sites in India. But the
actual pursuit of enlightenment–hunting gurus and chasing poses and
escaping irritating fellow seekers–turns out to be a bit mundane,
if not downright disappointing. It’s Amanda’s own life that demands
her attention, and as more chaos is heaped upon her, she’s forced
to look inside for the answers she has been seeking. Cushman’s
send-up of the New Age American dream is both thoughtful and
wise."
—Shambhala Sun
"Cushman’s engaging debut novel follows Amanda, a 29-year-old yoga
teacher in northern California, on a tumultuous journey to India
and back again as she researches a guidebook on finding inner
peace. Her quest becomes as much a personal journey as a writing
project as she attempts to shake her attachment to her fickle
photographer ex-boyfriend, Matt, and discover her own role in life.
While in India, Amanda meets Devi Das, a celibate hippie with
flowing dreadlocks who is looking for meaning in life following a
personal tragedy. Together, they travel to ashrams and yoga centers
from Bangalore to Mount Arunachala, all the while searching for
elusive enlightenment. Cushman brilliantly interweaves snippets of
Buddhist teachings with the mishaps and successes of their journey,
infusing the book with wisdom and humor. Devi Das, an amusing
philosopher-king who uses the royal “we,” helps her accomplish this
goal. As for Cushman’s protagonist, when unexpected circumstances
arise and Matt turns up in her life again, Amanda is forced to
reexamine her search for enlightenment and where it may take her.
Over the course of her quest, she realizes enlightenment may be
closer to home than she imagined."
—Booklist, Katherine Boyle
“You don’t have to know a Downward Dog from a cocker spaniel to
fall in love with Enlightenment for Idiots. Anne Cushman takes you
to India, offers up adventures both spiritual and earthbound with
characters that will make you laugh, then break your heart. And, in
her heroine, Amanda, she gives you a travel companion you’ll want
to bring home long after you’ve turned the last page. This
enlightening, entrancing novel is nirvana for smart readers.”
—Mameve Medwed, author of How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved My
Life and Of Men and Their Mothers.
“The amazing thing about this first novel is that you feel as
though you are reading about your own life. The details are so
honest; the writing so clear and sure-footed, sprinkled with great
humor. Kudos to Cushman--this is a wonderful debut.”
—Natalie Goldberg, author of Old Friend from Far Away and Writing
Down the Bones.
“Charming, honest, and laugh-out-loud funny, Enlightenment for
Idiots explores the very essence of what it means to be a seeker.
Anne Cushman has taken her considerable knowledge of the yoga world
and transformed it into a work of fiction as smart as it is
moving.”
—Dani Shapiro, author of Black & White and Family History.
“Equal parts Sex and the City and Eat, Pray, Love, Cushman's novel
sparkles with both sass and insight.”
—Debra Galant is author of Rattled and Fear and Yoga in New Jersey.
A Booklist Top 10 First Novel of 2008
A Washington Post Media Mix Best of 2008 pick
"Each character is ripe for a little satire, which makes the novel
a fun read, especially if you're in on the joke (and even if you
aren't). Cushman also manages to capture the heart of their
teachings, which gives the book another level of meaning...When you
read between the lines for the wisdom that is woven throughout
Cushman's fun romp, this book serves as a call to enlightenment and
an introduction to yoga philosophy."
-Yoga Journal
"[A] bright new novel."
-Marin Independent Journal
"If you've ever pursued enlightenment-or just toyed with the
idea-you'll see a bit of yourself in this playful but introspective
first novel by Anne Cushman, a contributing editor to Yoga
Journal and Tricycle whose writing also appears
regularly in the Shambhala Sun. Enlightenment for
Idiots follows Amanda, a prototypical questing Californian with
a passion for yoga and a weakness for unreliable men. An
unenthusiastic travel writer, Amanda finally sees a chance to get
it all together when she lands a job to research and write a guide
to spiritual sites in India. But the actual pursuit of
enlightenment-hunting gurus and chasing poses and escaping
irritating fellow seekers-turns out to be a bit mundane, if not
downright disappointing. It's Amanda's own life that demands her
attention, and as more chaos is heaped upon her, she's forced to
look inside for the answers she has been seeking. Cushman's send-up
of the New Age American dream is both thoughtful and wise."
-Shambhala Sun
"Cushman's engaging debut novel follows Amanda, a 29-year-old yoga
teacher in northern California, on a tumultuous journey to India
and back again as she researches a guidebook on finding inner
peace. Her quest becomes as much a personal journey as a writing
project as she attempts to shake her attachment to her fickle
photographer ex-boyfriend, Matt, and discover her own role in life.
While in India, Amanda meets Devi Das, a celibate hippie with
flowing dreadlocks who is looking for meaning in life following a
personal tragedy. Together, they travel to ashrams and yoga centers
from Bangalore to Mount Arunachala, all the while searching for
elusive enlightenment. Cushman brilliantly interweaves snippets of
Buddhist teachings with the mishaps and successes of their journey,
infusing the book with wisdom and humor. Devi Das, an amusing
philosopher-king who uses the royal "we," helps her accomplish this
goal. As for Cushman's protagonist, when unexpected circumstances
arise and Matt turns up in her life again, Amanda is forced to
reexamine her search for enlightenment and where it may take her.
Over the course of her quest, she realizes enlightenment may be
closer to home than she imagined."
-Booklist, Katherine Boyle
"You don't have to know a Downward Dog from a cocker spaniel to
fall in love with Enlightenment for Idiots. Anne Cushman
takes you to India, offers up adventures both spiritual and
earthbound with characters that will make you laugh, then break
your heart. And, in her heroine, Amanda, she gives you a travel
companion you'll want to bring home long after you've turned the
last page. This enlightening, entrancing novel is nirvana for smart
readers."
-Mameve Medwed, author of How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved
My Life and Of Men and Their Mothers.
"The amazing thing about this first novel is that you feel as
though you are reading about your own life. The details are so
honest; the writing so clear and sure-footed, sprinkled with great
humor. Kudos to Cushman--this is a wonderful debut."
-Natalie Goldberg, author of Old Friend from Far Away and
Writing Down the Bones.
"Charming, honest, and laugh-out-loud funny, Enlightenment for
Idiots explores the very essence of what it means to be a
seeker. Anne Cushman has taken her considerable knowledge of the
yoga world and transformed it into a work of fiction as smart as it
is moving."
-Dani Shapiro, author of Black & White and Family
History.
"Equal parts Sex and the City and Eat, Pray, Love,
Cushman's novel sparkles with both sass and insight."
-Debra Galant is author of Rattled and Fear and Yoga in
New Jersey.
Ask a Question About this Product More... |