--- product_id: 11663346 title: "Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda" price: "€ 57.69" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.fr/products/11663346-sorcerers-apprentice-my-life-with-carlos-castaneda store_origin: FR region: France --- # Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda **Price:** € 57.69 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda - **How much does it cost?** € 57.69 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.fr](https://www.desertcart.fr/products/11663346-sorcerers-apprentice-my-life-with-carlos-castaneda) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description S orcerer’s Apprentice opens with Amy Wallace’s first meeting with Carlos Castaneda, the infamous anthropologist-turned-shaman, whose books described meetings with Yaqui Indian spiritual teacher don Juan. Castaneda’s rise was meteoric in the late 1960s as he wrote massive bestsellers, inspired many to experiment with psychedelics, and was dubbed “the Godfather of the New Age.” The possibility that Castaneda’s experiences may have been fabricated did little to compromise his legend.As the daughter of best-selling novelist Irving Wallace, Amy was rarely shy around famous people. When her father insisted she meet Castaneda, she at first demurred. Little did she know that a delightful first meeting would begin a 20-year friendship, followed by her descent into the dramatic and deeply troubled affair chronicled in this book. Sorcerer’s Apprentice unblinkingly reveals the inner workings of the “Cult of Carlos,” run by a charismatic authoritarian in his sixties who controlled his young female followers through emotional abuse, mind games, bizarre rituals, dubious teachings, and sexual excess. Wallace’s story is both specific and universal, a captivating cautionary tale about the dangers of giving up one’s power to a tyrant–and about surviving assaults on body and spirit. Review: Strange, Unorthodox and Compelling - This is a strange personal account of an enduring relationship between one of the world's most mysterious and famous shamans in the last two centuries, and a young and sensitive woman, the daughter of a popular author, Irving Wallace, and her attempt to honestly relate the insanity, trauma and psychological abuse that those who've had the misfortune of belonging to a genuine cult, will understand all too well. The texts of Carlos Castaneda have influenced and continue to affect millions of reader's across the world. Regardless if these books are pure fabrication or the literal truth is somewhat irrelevant: the philosophy of the Way of the Warrior, opening awareness to things and events in the world, that we normally do not see, the notion that there is a path to "true" knowledge, and a prescribed method to "total freedom", is an alluring proposal. Most of us living our mundane day-to-day lives, getting up every day to just make a living, the idea that there is "magic" in the world, and that it can be tapped and used for self betterment is compelling, and touched the 60's generation at exactly the right time. As most readers of Castaneda well know, his philosophy is anti-authority, breaking from the chains of our incessant social conditioning, (smashing the ego to bits) and becoming the beings we were meant to be - warriors of impeccability. Nonetheless, the proof is in our actions, our fruits, which begs the question, has anyone, including Castaneda, achieved the warrior's goal, and leaped into the abyss of infinity with her/his eyes wide open? After reading Amy Wallace's book, a nagging doubt remains. It is without question that Castaneda was a highly charismatic and enormously persuasive individual. Those who actually met the man, celebrities, politicians and writers all agree on this point. Amy Wallace, though, fell in love with the man, in the romantic sense, became his constant companion, and contributed to the creation of his organization. She became a member of his inner circle of witches, kicked out and let back in again far too many times. She had to experience untold psychological abuse, and the appalling insanities of Castaneda's endless sexual exploits with a platoon of women that would make the most highly promiscuous wince in disbelief. The politics and backstabbing between his inner circle of witches reminded me of the petty games of adolescent girls, with their jealousies and drama, all vying for the father's attention. As the central method to impeccability of a sorcerer is the abolishment of the ego, ridding the personality of "self importance", these so-called witches failed on every count. Amy Wallace managed to survive her experience in this cult, though had to undergo most of the psychological pain of separating from it, and the death of her lover: post-traumatic syndrome, grief, longing and thoughts of suicide, finally in the end, it seems, achieving her psychological separation, as she proposes, through the writing of this book. Amy is a good writer, as one can feel her pain as she examines the lies, betrayal, and endless abuse from Castaneda and his closest cohorts. Because the most dramatic and real love affairs in one's life remain with you, Wallace continues to respect and feel affection for the man despite their long and tumultuous past. Personally, this story does not dissuade me from Castaneda's teachings. His books are highly influential and changed my views of the world in positive ways, too numerous to mention. A recommended read for those needing to know some of the workings of the inside of his strange and unorthodox world. Review: Insightful revelations - Amy Wallace bares her soul in this themed memoir about her relationship with author Carlos Castaneda. At times, her focus wanders and she doesn't always write in the detail that you'd expect, so some parts of the narrative are hazy and frustrating to read, but some parts are quite lucid and revealing. The memoir is well worth a read if you're researching the enigma of Castaneda and his private life in the two decades after he dropped out of public view. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #337,038 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #183 in Religious Cults (Books) #213 in Shamanism (Books) #1,533 in Religious Leader Biographies | | Customer Reviews | 4.0 out of 5 stars 186 Reviews | ## Images ![Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71kolczGhqL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strange, Unorthodox and Compelling *by C***N on March 13, 2006* This is a strange personal account of an enduring relationship between one of the world's most mysterious and famous shamans in the last two centuries, and a young and sensitive woman, the daughter of a popular author, Irving Wallace, and her attempt to honestly relate the insanity, trauma and psychological abuse that those who've had the misfortune of belonging to a genuine cult, will understand all too well. The texts of Carlos Castaneda have influenced and continue to affect millions of reader's across the world. Regardless if these books are pure fabrication or the literal truth is somewhat irrelevant: the philosophy of the Way of the Warrior, opening awareness to things and events in the world, that we normally do not see, the notion that there is a path to "true" knowledge, and a prescribed method to "total freedom", is an alluring proposal. Most of us living our mundane day-to-day lives, getting up every day to just make a living, the idea that there is "magic" in the world, and that it can be tapped and used for self betterment is compelling, and touched the 60's generation at exactly the right time. As most readers of Castaneda well know, his philosophy is anti-authority, breaking from the chains of our incessant social conditioning, (smashing the ego to bits) and becoming the beings we were meant to be - warriors of impeccability. Nonetheless, the proof is in our actions, our fruits, which begs the question, has anyone, including Castaneda, achieved the warrior's goal, and leaped into the abyss of infinity with her/his eyes wide open? After reading Amy Wallace's book, a nagging doubt remains. It is without question that Castaneda was a highly charismatic and enormously persuasive individual. Those who actually met the man, celebrities, politicians and writers all agree on this point. Amy Wallace, though, fell in love with the man, in the romantic sense, became his constant companion, and contributed to the creation of his organization. She became a member of his inner circle of witches, kicked out and let back in again far too many times. She had to experience untold psychological abuse, and the appalling insanities of Castaneda's endless sexual exploits with a platoon of women that would make the most highly promiscuous wince in disbelief. The politics and backstabbing between his inner circle of witches reminded me of the petty games of adolescent girls, with their jealousies and drama, all vying for the father's attention. As the central method to impeccability of a sorcerer is the abolishment of the ego, ridding the personality of "self importance", these so-called witches failed on every count. Amy Wallace managed to survive her experience in this cult, though had to undergo most of the psychological pain of separating from it, and the death of her lover: post-traumatic syndrome, grief, longing and thoughts of suicide, finally in the end, it seems, achieving her psychological separation, as she proposes, through the writing of this book. Amy is a good writer, as one can feel her pain as she examines the lies, betrayal, and endless abuse from Castaneda and his closest cohorts. Because the most dramatic and real love affairs in one's life remain with you, Wallace continues to respect and feel affection for the man despite their long and tumultuous past. Personally, this story does not dissuade me from Castaneda's teachings. His books are highly influential and changed my views of the world in positive ways, too numerous to mention. A recommended read for those needing to know some of the workings of the inside of his strange and unorthodox world. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Insightful revelations *by K***N on June 22, 2024* Amy Wallace bares her soul in this themed memoir about her relationship with author Carlos Castaneda. At times, her focus wanders and she doesn't always write in the detail that you'd expect, so some parts of the narrative are hazy and frustrating to read, but some parts are quite lucid and revealing. The memoir is well worth a read if you're researching the enigma of Castaneda and his private life in the two decades after he dropped out of public view. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sometimes the Truth is Painful *by G***A on February 7, 2011* Shidoshi: The Four Ways of the Corpse When I started reading Amy Wallace's account of her years with Carlos Castaneda, I had some trepidation about her motivation for writing the book. I had written my Master of Arts thesis on Castaneda's writings and have always been opposed to those who merely try to prove that what Carlos said was worthless. Some have even built an entire career on debunking Castaneda, rather than contributing something of value of their own making. Less than a page into Amy's account, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this heartfelt recapitulation is neither too much praise for her former lover and "nagual" or a self-pitying and mean-spirited attack on everything that relates to Castaneda or the "witches" in his entourage. Amy tells it like it was and makes it clear that her motivations are her own healing and to offer a cautionary tale for others who blindly follow (or obsess in any way about) another person's path. I found the book riveting and exceedingly useful. I highly recommend it for anyone who calls themselves a serious student of Carlos. However, keep in mind that even Amy Wallace, as with many of us, still finds a great deal of power and beauty in the words of Carlos Castaneda. --Gordon Richiusa ## Frequently Bought Together - Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life With Carlos Castenada - The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way Of Knowledge --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.fr/products/11663346-sorcerers-apprentice-my-life-with-carlos-castaneda](https://www.desertcart.fr/products/11663346-sorcerers-apprentice-my-life-with-carlos-castaneda) --- *Product available on Desertcart France* *Store origin: FR* *Last updated: 2026-09-08*