Guruji - A Portrait of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois by Guy Donahaye and Eddie Stern I have so enjoyed reading this book about Pattabhi Jois as witnessed through the eyes of his students, of many years. It is a great insight into the life and personality of the man known as Guruji. Thirty of Guruji’s students offer their own experience of practising Ashtanga yoga under his guidance. The passion that was shared from guru to student is one of the wonderful themes throughout the book; as is the family man or householder that Pattabhi Jois was. It is clear from this book that family played a big role in this man’s life. There is plenty of humour; I found the David Swenson and Guruji “Hari Krishna” story really funny. I loved reading about the experiences of the women who practiced with Guruji, especially in the early days, when western women were not the norm in the Shala. I highly recommend this book to everyone who practices Ashtanga yoga.

This yoga manual is a fantastic reference book for both yoga teachers and students. The author - H. David Coulter - has a ph.D in anatomy and has been a long-standing yoga practitioner, and has trained and studied with a number of yoga Swamis. I think this book is really insightful and clearly links the relationship between the practice of yoga and the human anatomy. It is full of information; including the mechanics of breathing techniques, Asana, Mudra and Bandha from both a Western and yogic perspective. I have not found another book that crosses into both areas in quite the same way as this one does. My husband who does not practice yoga, but does have an MSc in Sports Medicine also thought it was a great comprehensive reference book. Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for Students, Teachers and Practitioners by H. David Coulter