Enlightenment for Idiots A Novel
“Enlightenment for Idiots A Novel” by Anne Cushman is a first edition published by Shaye Areheart Books in 2008, featuring 371 pages in English. The story follows Amanda, who, nearing thirty, grapples with her identity as an ex-nanny and aspiring yogini while writing travel guides. Her life takes a turn when she embarks on a journey to India, hoping her new assignment will lead her to the serene existence she desires. However, her experiences at an unconventional ashram challenge her expectations and force her to confront the realities of her life.
Readers will find Amanda navigating a series of unexpected encounters, from a yoga master who injures her to a guru with a penchant for fashion models. The narrative explores her misadventures, including a tantra party at the Taj Hotel and a ten-day silent retreat, all while she seeks a deeper understanding of herself. Along the way, she forms a friendship with Devi Das, a unique character who adds depth to her journey. This novel delves into themes of self-discovery and the complexities of spiritual pursuits, offering a humorous yet insightful look at the quest for enlightenment.
Official synopsis Publisher
Nearing age thirty, Amanda thought she’d be someone else by now. Instead, she’s just herself: an ex-nanny yogini-wannabe who cranks out “For Idiots” travel guides just to scrape by. Yes, she has her sexy photographer boyfriend, but he’s usually gone—shooting a dogsled race in Alaska or a vision quest in Peru—or just hooking up with other girls. However, she’s sure her new assignment, “Enlightenment for Idiots,” will change everything; now she’ll become the serene, centered woman she was meant to be. After some breakup sex, she’s off to India to find a new, more spiritual life.
What she finds, though, is an ashram run by investment bankers, a yoga master who trashes her knee, and a guru with a weakness for fashion models. She escapes a tantra party at the Taj Hotel, has a nasty argument outside the cave where the Buddha used to meditate, then agonizes through the ten-day silent retreat that’s supposed to make her feel better.
No, India is not what she had pictured. But she finds a friend in Devi Das, a redheaded sadhu who refers to himself as “we.” And when a holy lunatic on the street offers her an enigmatic blessing, Amanda realizes a new life may be in store for her—just not the one she was expecting.
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