If Gurdjieff's intention was to create the most abysmal and shockingly bad book in the history of writing, he succeeded on a scale that can only be described as gargantuan. The painful sounds that emanate from his ham-fisted attempts could only be endured by those with an absolutely tin ear for language, or those possessing the glazed, all-forgiving brain of the hypnotized zealot. There's a reason for Gurdjieff's endlessly convoluted style -- if he presented the useful information in a concise and lucid form, this massive tome would be a mere pamphlet -- one that could not yield the "fleecing" he required to maintain his lifestyle. If you have had the misfortune of reading this entire book, you shouldn't feel bad about the money you won't get back. However, you should be outraged at the time of which you've been robbed.