Philip Hensher

The phoney mystics who fooled the West

Mick Brown describes the many charlatans over the past century who promised naive westerners spiritual enlightenment and greatly enriched themselves in the process

The Beatles with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi before their relationship soured. [Schweitzer-Hecht/ ullstein bild via Getty Images]

  • The Nirvana Express: How the Search for Enlightenment Went West

    Mick Brown

    Hurst, pp. 400, £25

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