Overview

The captivating story of the West’s love affair with Indian spirituality—from the orientalism of the British Empire to modern counterculture. In 1897, an Indian yogi exhibited himself at London’s Westminster Aquarium, demonstrating yoga positions to a bemused audience. Four years earlier, Hindu philosopher Swami Vivekananda spoke at the first World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, where Annie Besant extolled the ‘exquisite beauty’ of his spiritual message. The Victorians were fascinated by, yet suspicious of, Indian religious beliefs and practices. But within two generations, legions of young Westerners were following the ‘hippie trail’ to the subcontinent, the Beatles meditating at the feet of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Journalist Mick Brown’s vivid account charts this eccentric history of Western obsessions with Indian faith, through a curious cast of scholars, seekers, charlatans and saints. From bestselling epic poems on the Buddha to murder plots, magic and the occult, The Nirvana Express is an exhilarating, sometimes troubling journey through the West’s search for enlightenment.

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9781805260790

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Reviews

"'An absolutely fascinating and absorbing study of an under-explored subject. Written with great verve, insight and clear-eyed authority--a definitive and enduring book.' -- William Boyd 'What a wonderful cast of characters: dreamers, poets, charlatans and love-struck British ladies. Why has no one told this story before? Mick Brown does so with just the right mix of cool objectivity and forgiving warmth. An enthralling read.' -- Edward Stourton, BBC Radio 4 'Spectacular. Mick Brown's masterful storytelling brilliantly charts the West's encounter with Eastern spiritualism. Drawing on a rich seam of characters ranging from charlatans to spiritual masters and their disparate devotees, he never misses a beat in this globe-spanning magical mystery tour.' -- John Zubrzycki, author of 'Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic' and 'Dethroned: The Downfall of India's Princely States' 'A well-written, fascinating and entertaining romp through the gurus who brought Indian philosophy to the Western world.' -- Susan Shumsky, author of 'Maharishi & Me' and 'The Inner Light: How India Influenced the Beatles' 'Mick Brown has produced a deeply researched account of the encounters of Indian spiritualists with the West over the past century and a half. Wonderfully written and hugely informative.' -- Jairam Ramesh, author and Indian MP 'Brown takes us along a familiar path--the century-long story of the modern West's fascination with India's holy men, from Arnold's ""The Light of Asia"" to the sunset of Rajneesh--and renders its sights anew: colourful, compelling and a bit psychedelic.' -- Anya Foxen, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, California Polytechnic State University, and author of 'Inhaling Spirit: Harmonialism, Orientalism, and the Western Roots of Modern Yoga' 'With a keen and humorous eye for detail, Mick Brown traces the golden age of gurus through interconnected stories of the individuals whose followers changed the way we think about religion, faith and otherness in their quests to attain enlightenment.' -- Patricia Sauthoff, Assistant Professor in the Department of History, Hong Kong Baptist University, and author of 'Illness and Immortality: Mantra, Mandala, and Meditation in the Netra Tantra'"

Author Information

Mick Brown is a journalist for 'The Daily Telegraph'. His books include 'The Spiritual Tourist: A Personal Odyssey Through the Outer Reaches of Belief'; 'The Dance of 17 Lives: The Incredible True Story of Tibet's 17th Karmapa'; and 'Tearing Down The Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector'.

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