I didn’t like the translation, it is impossible to read or understand anything, I certainly do not recommend buying this book. Although the topics are interesting it’s unreadable.I am very sorry about this.

If you struggle with reading Gurdjieff's books due to his style and the often unsatisfactory result of translation, you will find these very different. The format very easy to digest, the situations very easy to follow. A reading of things pertaining to Gurdjieff's ideas is improved by having a relatable setting and group of people, and ideas presented in the Question and Answer format which was his preferred and more appropriate method. Instead of a linear and often rambling lecture on ideas, we have a discussion of ideas, prompted by genuine questions from his guests. Like those in the room, you may take away points according to your needs and according to your nature. I personally found more applicable ideas in these conversations than in his self authored works, and at the same time found it more interesting and engaging. Understanding the situation under which these conversations took place in occupied France at a time of immense upheaval, anxiety and deprivation makes them all the more pertinent to mankind's confused and perilous condition.

So after all the turmoil, he taught his system and fed the people of Paris

The material in this book belongs to all who seek to make sense of themselves and who wish to find a genuine mode of being in modern life.

Libro interessante per chi studia Gurdjieff per chi non lo conosce non è molto interessante

These transcripts, from late in Gurdjieff's life, are helpful to someone "in the Work." Others might find them perplexing. The Gurdjieff "Work" is shown here to be only for those who can stand the sight of their own blood. His replies are always practical, useful and sometimes direct enough to cause the reader to flinch. This book ought not to be the first one reads about, by or of Gurdjieff. From my perspective, having extensively studied the brain, to a lesser extent the body and been a Work practitioner for many years, Gurdjieff was the greatest psychologist ever to set pen to paper. Not only did he understand his students, he pushed each one in a manner especially suited to that person's nature. Many of us, he said, are "candidates for a lunatic asylum" and, in my experience, that statement is truer now than when he regularly repeated it. Gurdjieff centers may or may not reflect his teachings accurately as it is an easy method to distort and to corrupt. Nevertheless, in Beelzebub's Tales, he commends other spiritual paths still available to a true and sincere Seeker. This book provides a more intimate view of him with students, "Working" under less than favorable conditions, to and for their benefit, providing they could manage to assimilate the feedback he provided. He has shown us, clearly, that "man's ego is not his friend" to quote Swami Rama. What we do about that is up to us but, he says, doing something effective is the only way out of our "prison."

The words of Gurdjieff, wherever genuinely reported like in this book have a much higher and different impact than all other books written by those who came after him. And this is an invitation to read Gurdjieff own books before any other in order to get a better picture. Others have just helped building the frame. Now there are too many frames. A great book to open quite often as to remember!

Great book of early talks.

If you know about Gurdjieff and are interested in his teaching, you'll enjoy this book. I did.

Amazon EEUU: ¡Buen Día! Hoy -05-Octubre-2015-, aproximadamente a las 12.15 P.M.; el libro llegó a su casa -expresión. ¡Muchísimas gracias por ello! Juan R.

The best edition I have seen yet of the translations Solita Solano left in her papers at the Library of Congress. Apparently during the meetings of a group in Paris during WWII Mr. Gurdjieff allowed someone to transcribe the proceedings, maybe in shorthand. I presume, on the basis of no real evidence other than they ended up in her material at the LofC, that after 1945 Solita Solano had access to these transcripts, and translated into English for the benefit of her friends, the "Ladies of the Rope." A remarkable portrayal of Mr. Gurdjieff and his French students near the end of his life.

Excellent book for 4th Way Students. I only wish it were longer and more complete ... but then again ... considering these meetings occurred in Paris during WW2 it is amazing we have this book at all. One must understand that these transcripts were never meant to be published as a book ... they are verbal advice given personally by Gurdjieff to his students ... yet much of it applies to any 4th Way student. Wartime Meetings gives deeper insight to Gudjieff's other books. I have only read it once so far ... but will likely re-read it several times to absorb everything in it.

An exceptional book. Some aspects of the Work are uniquely discussed here. Gives a very clear feel of how Gurdjieff dealt with his pupils in real life situations.

Interesting insight and casual speaking about working within our lives while in occupied France

This is an essential book for those who wish to catch a glimpse as to how Mister Gurdjeff work with individual pupils. And during World War 2, those who went to Mister Gurdjeff took their lives in their hands during the Nazi occupation because there was a 10 PM curfew after which you would be shot on sight. Since Mister Gurdjeff People in his apartment till 2 AM hours later, these people were taking their very lives in their hands to visit this simple man,who knew everything. This guidance is impeccable and designed for the individuals he is speaking to but also for others. Interestingly I have a different copy of the same book totally black cover and in the last meeting or the next to last meeting Mister Gurdjeff actually begins to teach them the Nadi paths connected with awakening the kundalini rather than the Kundabuffer. This has to be one of the meetings from his esoteric group of 15 students who he formed during the last 6 years of his life and gave special exercises to. Although I know many of the exercises you cannot take them from the book because they are not given in the book. The closest you can get is to listen to this man's sage advice and take it to your own heart. This is essential reading for the Gurdjeff student.

Excelente

Helpful book for anyone following the path to enlightenment.

This book is only to be recommended to those who are already steeped in Gurdjieff's teachings. The advice contained within the pages is aimed at particular students with particular questions, aims and difficulties. Those untutored in the ideas will gain little from the records and those with experience will still need to be alive to the possibility of inappropriate application of specifically-directed counsel.

The exchanges are valuable to one who follows the Gurdjieff teaching because they represent his voice and not the interpretations of others. One has to assume they were accurately recorded, and given the personal nature of the exchanges, it seems they were. A wonderful book ......

Of all the literature written on the subject, this is perhaps most revealing into the methods and teaching of a truly remarkable man. Here we see a warm and sensitive side hitherto unavailable to the reader of other books dealing with Mr. gurdjieff and his methods. Here we see a patient and remarkable understanding of the questions posed him. Remarkable because of his spot-on-insight of the puples real question not spoken, but kept deep inside... Over and over he repeats the essential message: Self Remembering, not accidental but consciously done.

Transcriptions of down to earth meetings in G.'s Paris flat. Clean notes without an aura of mystification... Much material for thought in the vein of 'Views From the Real World'... Recommended for those solidly connected with the Work.

These transcripts, now in book form after 62 years, are some of the most authentic we can come across from Mr. Gurdjieff. His own books were translated, edited and re-edited during his life and also after he died. The transcripts are a translation from French and what Mr. Gurdjieff said in these meetings was also during the meetings themselves translated to French. A careful study of these texts can be rewarding. Some years ago I was warned (by a senior member of a respected "official" Gurdjieff organisation) about publishing the texts on my website. (His words were an answer to my question why the transcripts had not been published.) I repeat the warning. He had three main arguments against publishing: * that there are enough authentic writings from Mr. Gurdjieff already available * that those reading the transcripts will think that they have understood something and therefore not make the efforts to work * that what was said was meant for those present and can easily be misunderstood by reading them I don't have to explain why I was truly amazed at this and disappointed! To understand is wrong, to misunderstand is also wrong and to add to the couple of thousand pages already published of authentic material from Mr. Gurdjieff is also wrong! Nevertheless - back to the book: to read anything it is wise to read slowly and like Mr. Gurdjieff advised about reading his main work

In this book you will find 32 Transcripts of Meetings with Gurdjieff, already published in "Voices in the Dark", by William Patrick Patterson and at the Homepage of J. Walter Driscol. It contains only the Transcripts, no Foreword, no Comment etc. Publisher is a "Book Studio London" no more Information is given. For the Content: Invaluable for everyone who is interested what a real teaching may be and what was Gurdjieffs special art to talk to his pupils. A lot of what he is saying touches one even today, but one must not forget that it was intended for the pupils then, with their specific personal background.