Initially I took the books for real - like the student being in earnest pursuit of the wisdom or otherwise behind shamanism. Then got into a big discussion with my then very much alive husband, who had also read them and he thought them rubbish. Years later I bumped into the same man who lent us the books initially, asked for them again - realised then, because I had done some background checking that a) the guy had been taking drugs and b) the books are pure fiction - still brilliant and well researched - but fiction by 'Castaneda'.
