Let me preface this by saying I have read a lot of naysayers about the following authors and I can agree to a point, but the books still provided points of view and outlooks toward self development that meant a lot to me when I was developing my identity. I really attribute much of who I am to “Zen an the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”. My whole attitude and approach to situations has come from this book.I am unafraid of things that are new and unknown and welcome the challenge. I am less specific about Carlos Casteneda’s series of books as to what I have received from them. I do believe they had a great effect on my spiritual development.