The Eagle's Gift (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Although I am an anthropologist, this is not strictly an anthropological work; yet it has its roots in cultural anthropology, for it began years ago..." (more)
Key Phrases: Silvio Manuel, Nagual Juan Matus, Juan Tuma (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Carlos Castaneda takes the reader into the very heart of sorcery, challenging both imagination and reason, shaking the very foundations of our belief in what is "natural" and "logical." His landscape is full of terrors and mysterious forces, as sharply etched as a flash of lightning on the deserts and mountains where don Juan takes him to pursue the sorcerer's knowledge--the knowledge that it is the Eagle that gives us, at our births, a spark of awareness, that it expects to reclaim at the end of our lives and which the sorcerer, through his discipline, fights to retain. Castaneda describes how don Juan and his party, left this world--"the warriors of don Juan's party had caught me for an eternal instant, before they vanished into the total light, before the Eagle let them go through"--and how he, himself, upon witnessing such a sight, jumped into the abyss.

About the Author

Born in 1925 in Peru, anthropologist Carlos Castaneda wrote a total of 15 books, which sold 8 million copies worldwide and were published in 17 different languages. In his writing, Castaneda describes the teaching of Don Juan, a Yaqui sorcerer and shaman. His works helped define the 1960's and usher in the New Age movement. Even after his mysterious death in California in1998, his books continue to inspire and influence his many devoted fans.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press (December 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067173251X
• ISBN-13: 978-0671732516
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #140,295 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent and fascinating work from Castaneda, July 23, 1999

By A Customer

What disturbs me about these reviews is that there seem to be two kinds of reviewers: the skeptics, who (mistakenly) call Castaneda a con man, and the believers, who usually can't spell worth a hoot and often have all kinds of wacky comments indicating that they are barely capable of understanding the concepts Castaneda presents. To the skeptics, I wish to say this: I am convinced that Castaneda has accurately described the world as it is today, in a way that our society cannot accept, but which is actually more practical and holistic than our steadfast denial of the existence of "forces which shape and control our lives." There is more to life than we know, and society is responsible for our blindness.

To the true believers and self-styled shamans who love to converse about this stuff as if they were experts, I say: Learn to spell and your credibility will be greatly enhanced.

Thank you for your attention.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Eagle's gift: the ultimate man's challenge, July 1, 1998

By A Customer

Carlos Castaneda's "The Eagle's gift" is the best and most important book I have ever read. It makes me sad to read about other people's skepticism which, in my opinion, is dictated solely on the base of prejudice or shallow knowledge on the subject. Those who have met Carlos Castaneda know that there is nothing invented in his books, as strange as it may seem. Unfortunately, when one is confronted with something that does not fit in our dayly reality, we immediately discard it as "fake" or "absurd", so that before giving up to stupidity or bigotry, one should first have a deep knowledge about what he is criticizing. "The Eagle's Gift" opens untapped possibilities for all human beings who have enough courage and are enough open-minded to venture into the magic world that Carlos Castaneda presents us with. This world is a magic realm that we can experience right in our own realities and lives. Finally, because there are no words to express my admiration and gratitude, I will just say that I recommend this book to anyone who wants more from life that just being drift through it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars absurd and not absurd, January 12, 2006

By	JF (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

of course to any everday rational person, the world of castenda is absurd. how could it be otherwise? nevertheless, read this book with disbelief suspended, and its a great read. for those who have persevered through the previous volumes of carlos' introduction to the ways of 'power', now comes the nub of the argument. the heart of the matter. all that power-plant taking, ally-mongering and what not of the previous volumes is left behind. what was the purpose of don juan's elaborate rituals in the ways of 'power', painstakingly taught to a dense, exasperating carlos? nothing less than a quest for freedom. the practices are not important; what is important is the effect on the practitioner. the world of don juan is entirely re-interpreted for the reader. a completely new framework must be understood. not familiar with the world(s) of don juan and carlos? never mind: this volume, more novel-like and fast moving than the others, reads well as fiction in and of itself, whether or not the reader cares to believe casteneda. comprehending the framework of what casteneda describes is a bonus. casteneda is a quietly skilled writer, who bears re-reading. i recommend reading and understanding all the books in this series, in order. the payoff is for thos who persevere. as for the now eternal question of whether this is true, real, logical, etc., how can the average reader ever know? why worry? as carlos himself was led this way and that by his benefactors, always in a certain direction, tending towards a finer understanding of their realm, so can the reader be led by casteneda.