If THIS guy is the "Godfather of Green" its NO WONDER that, the eco-movement has made little to NO concrete progress with protecting the environment and reversing, halting, or even just slowing down climate change since the first Earth Day in 1970 — and not only that, but in some/many ways has even GONE BACKWARDS since then!

I got this book thinking that it would be about environmental protection, living green, and eco-activism, but instead, most of this book seems to be a baseless fawning over a religious charlatan, Baba Muktananda, (who, by the way, was a predator that physically & sexually abused several people [tinyurl.com/babamuktananda AND tinyurl.com/muktananda1 AND tinyurl.com/muktananda2] over the course of his life) and how he and his girlfriend & eventually, wife, Elle spent (or rather WASTED) days, weeks and months chanting, meditating, praying and slaving physically & financially at Baba Muktananda's ashram. Incidentally, I'm curious to know how much money Jerry and other followers gave to this guy that COULD have gone to protecting/fighting for the environment.

In any case, I've gone through about 40%-50% of the book so far and I've had to skip most of it because this blind adoration of this con-artist (albeit charismatic) pervert cult leader, Baba Muktananda is SICKENING — and I'm seriously considering NOT squander any more time to read the other 50%-60% remaining in this book. Because even though I'm at the part AFTER Baba Muktananda has died, that is STILL not the end of it, since in addition to his continued devotion to the late Baba, now instead, the author has turned his infatuation to a new "Messiah", Baba's successor, Swami Chidvilasananda, more commonly called "Gurumayi"!

This book is NOT what I thought it would be. Rather than being a guide to living green, or even a book about environmental advocacy as I assumed it would be, instead, it seems to be more an "Ode to Baba Muktananda and "Gurumayi" Swami Chidvilasananda" than anything else.

Even though I am very into (and learning about) eco-friendly living, renewable energy, the back-to-the-land movement, urban/suburban farming & homesteading, alternative housing (cob homes, hempcrete homes, earthships, etc.) and other "crunchy granola" hippie subjects, before I read this book, I had NEVER heard the name Jerry Yudelson. That makes me wonder if he is REALLY the "Godfather of Green" or if that's just a title he's given himself, maybe just because he was among the attendees of the first Earth Day in 1970, I dunno.

But if Jerry Yudelson really IS the "Godfather of Green" and is supposed to be the representative of the eco-movement, then its NO SURPRISE that this country has lost so many PRECIOUS & CRUCIAL YEARS actually DECADES of progress on environmental protection, while he (Jerry Yudelson) and other guys like him frittered away valuable time chanting, meditating and doing arati in the ashrams rather than taking the steps to fight for & achieve REAL & CONCRETE, PERMANENT change, and countries like Costa Rica, Germany and Denmark have far surpassed us in renewable energy development & usage and other ecological standards.

In short, this book was an almost complete disappointment, and there are only 2 reasons I'm giving it 2 stars rather than the 1 star I'm tempted to give it. and those are:

1.) I haven't finished the book yet (if I will finish it at all — I'm sick of hearing about Muktananda and Gurumayi. I got this book to learn more about environmental protection and activism, NOT to be preached at/about [and indoctrinated into] a religious cult) and if the other 40%-50% is better than what I've read so far, I'll come back and raise the rating. But I'm not optimistic given the book so far!

2.) In between all the religious preaching & cult adoration, there ARE some useful facts/trivia and tidbits of information about the history of the environmental state and its protection.

Other than that, I have not found anything else redeemable about this book. If this guy truly is the "Godfather of Green" then he is a fraud, like his idols, Muktananda & Gurumayi, or at best, he is a dilettante, and this book was a total let-down. I used to respect Ed Begley Jr. for his environmental activism, but now I question even his judgment in endorsing this clearly brainwashed cult following sheep, Jerry Yudelson and writing the foreword for this book!

I do NOT recommend this book!