Space, Light, and Harmony: The Story of Crystal Hermitage

This is a gorgeously presented smaller-sized 'coffee table' book with beautiful photographs. Written in an easy, chatty style, I found myself poring over it a half-hour after I opened it, not realizing that I had been completely magnetized to the story. It's fun to see how the dreams of a young man with no money but lots of inspiration came true. The story of J. Donald Walters (also known as Swami Kriyananda - a direct disciple of the yoga master Paramhansa Yogananda, and author of numerous spiritual books) is impressive. Starting in the 1960s with $300 and a simply-built geodesic dome for a home, his current residence, now called the Crystal Hermitage, is a landmark and spiritual center (Ananda Village) in the California gold country out of Nevada City, California. Stunning views of the Yuba River valley, resplendent gardens, Hindu antiques and statues, a true-to-scale facsimile of the St. Francis chapel at Assisi, are just a few of the treats which grace the property now. I found this book definitely enjoyable. It would make a nice gift showcasing local color of the region.