About the Author

Michelle Goldberg is a journalist and the author of Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, a New York Times best seller that was a finalist for the New York Public Library s Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism, and The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power, and the Future of the World. A senior contributing writer at The Nation, she has also written pieces for The New Yorker, the New York Times, Newsweek, The New Republic, Glamour, and many other publications. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and children.
www.michellegoldberg.net"

Reviews

An elegant and richly drawn biography. . . . With a jeweler s eye for detail, Goldberg presents a singular woman. A quasi feminist ahead of her time. . . . The Goddess Pose canters through landmark events from India s independence to the American invasion of Panama. . . . There is much to enjoy in Goldberg s cleareyed view of Devi s life, and there is also a lesson: While (for some) yoga as a discipline may be infallible, the gurus who teach it never are. The New York Times Book Review
[A] groundbreaking biography. . . . Goldberg s impressive research is . . . far-reaching. . . . Her clear prose illuminates the forces of war and social change and reveals the complex roots of our country s yoga boom. . . . The Goddess Pose builds to a thrilling conclusion, exposing the power struggles and sex scandals within Sai Baba s inner circle, a tale reminiscent of recent bad behavior by other male gurus. San Francisco Chronicle
The story of how Devi came to embrace yoga and spread its gospel in America is as fascinating as it is unlikely. . . . A remarkably coherent, fascinating narrative. . . . Goldberg refuses to moralize her goal in writing The Goddess Pose seems to have been not just chronicling the life of one of the world s great iconoclasts, but also providing a history for how hatha yoga went from an Indian spiritual tradition to an everyday part of western lives. She succeeds admirably on both counts, writing with understanding and a healthy sense of skepticism. The Guardian
Captures Devi s Forrest Gump-like propensity to live parallel to some of the most important moments of the previous century. . . . Indra Devi died in 2002, just weeks shy of her 103rd birthday. For much of her life, Goldberg writes, Devi s only goal had been to make yoga known to the West. Today, 20.4 million, or 9% of all American adults, have practiced yoga in their lifetime. She certainly succeeded. New York Post
Goldberg s book is lots of fun, running through the Russian Revolution, the Weimar Berlin nightlife, Indian independence, 1950s Hollywood and 1960s counterculture. . . . Even if you don t care enough about yoga to hold a pigeon pose for the length of time it takes to say [the] title, Indra Devi, born Eugenia Peterson in 1899 in Riga, Latvia, remains no less a fascinating character: Constantly searching as she moves from Eastern Europe to India to Shanghai and the United States, she changes names, marries twice, acts and dances finally making it big about halfway through her century-long life as a yoga teacher, author and lecturer. Richmond Times-Dispatch
Most stories of yoga s journey to the United States have a male protagonist but not this one. . . . The book tracks [Devi s] fascinating path through multiple countries (China, Mexico, Argentina), two marriages, and Hollywood fame as a teacher to the stars. Devi lived fearlessly until her death in 2002 at age 102, but her story and influence live on in this can t-miss memoir. Yoga Journal
It s hard to believe that the life of Indra Devi, the Zelig who helped turn yoga into the plaything of midcentury Hollywood, Noriega s Panama, and the rest of the world, hasn t been made into a blockbuster film, never mind a fascinating work of nonfiction. Without idolizing or condemning her, Goldberg evokes Devi s complicated nature as deftly as she does the Russian Empire, Weimar Berlin, occupied Shanghai, and so many of the other places where Devi worked, loved, and proselytized before her life ended at 103, not long after the century she helped define. New York Magazine, 7 Books You Need to Read This June
The Goddess Pose, Michelle Goldberg s yes, audacious new biography of Indra Devi, is not just an investigation of one of the twentieth century s most fascinating and fearless iconoclasts, but a celebration of female freedom and everything it can bring: an appetite for adventure, fearlessness in the face of challenge, and, most important, discovery and assertion of self. Anna Holmes, founding editor, Jezebel
Goldberg s account of Devitakes the reader through three chronicled, influential centuries of the yogi, actress, and fearless voyager's life which will leave you with a better understanding of how westernized Yoga differs from its roots plus a deep respect for the iconic Devi s ruthless dedication, and a major doseof inspiration to get you on the way to your next blissed-outsavasana. Nylon (Summer Books Preview)
[A] terrific new biography. . . . As Michelle Goldberg capably illustrates in The Goddess Pose: The Audacious Life of Indra Devi, the Woman Who Helped Bring Yoga to the West, yoga has always been a bizarre blend of Eastern and Western tradition, particularly in the U.S. . . . As spectacular a figure as Devi obviously was, Goldberg wisely devotes a lot of her book to yoga itself: the development and popularization of not simply a physical activity, but also a philosophy. For anyone interested in the practice, The Goddess Pose offers an irresistible story of yoga s unlikely and, yes, even audacious origins. BookPage
In The Goddess Pose, Michelle Goldberg brings Indra Devi, a complicated and incredible woman, to life in Technicolor brilliance, as she bops, Zelig-like, through some of the most important events of last century from the Russian Revolution to the rise of Nazism, to the JFK assassination. I ll never think of yoga the same way again and neither will you. Even if you ve never uttered the word namaste, you won t be able to put this book down. Susannah Cahalan, New York Times best-selling author of Brain on Fire
Whether you re a student of yoga, a history buff, an armchair adventurer, or just a reader in search of an unputdownable story that happens to be true, you ll love this fascinating biography of one of the twentieth century s boldest, most influential women. Michelle Goldberg gets us as close to unveiling the mysterious Indra Devi as anyone is likely to get. Brava! Katha Pollitt, author of Learning to Drive: And Other Life Stories
Michelle Goldberg s masterful engagement with her astonishing subject and with the diverse political, spiritual, and physical worlds she inhabited is evident on every page of this terrific book. The Goddess Pose is a surprising adventure from beginning to end. Rebecca Traister, author of Big Girls Don t Cry
Fascinating and groundbreaking. . . . Inspired by her interest in yoga, journalist and author Goldberg gives us a highly readable biography of the so-called first lady of yoga, an eccentric personality who has also been called a female Forrest Gump because of the wide-ranging nature of her experiences. Born Eugenia Peterson in czarist Russia, the self-proclaimed Indra Devi (1899 2002) reinvented herself many times over as she traveled throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the United States over the course of her century-long life. . . . This painstakingly researched book is more than mere biography, however. It helps readers to understand where yoga, as we practice it in the West, came from and how it differs from its roots. . . . Highly recommended for general readers and cultural historians alike. Library Journal(starred)
Most stories of yoga s journey to the United States have a male protagonist but not this one. . . . The book tracks [Devi s] fascinating path through multiple countries (China, Mexico, Argentina), two marriages, and Hollywood fame as a teacher to the stars. Devi lived fearlessly until her death in 2002 a age 102, but her story and influence live on in this can t-miss memoir. Yoga Journal
Goldberg fluidly explores the extraordinary life of Indra Devi (1899-2002), the woman who helped transform the ancient Indian discipline of yoga into a worldwide phenomenon. . . . [Her] book, which uses material she uncovered about Devi on four continents, is not only thoroughly researched; it also offers insights into a magnificently elusive figure, the culture she loved, and the yogic practice she bequeathed to the West. Fascinating reading about an intriguing woman. Kirkus Reviews
Investigative journalist Goldberg, by dint of ardent research, adept synthesis, and narrative pizzazz, tracks her chimerical subject around the world to chronicle Devi s intrepidly improvised, nomadic, and seemingly charmed life with awe and skepticism. . . . Throughout this whirlwind biography, Goldberg provides fresh and enlightening insights into the evolution of modern yoga while Devi, who lived to be 102, forever at the spinning center of thing, shimmers provocatively in her almost supernatural charisma, ambition, contrariness, and resilience. Booklist (starred)
Curious about the roots of yoga, journalist/author Goldberg began digging for clues to the connections between the yoga of India and its Americanized version. She came across the obituary of 102-year-old Indra Devi (nee Eugenia Peterson), often called the First Lady of Yoga. This fascinating biography delves deeply into Devi s life (she was born in Latvia in 1899 to a family of Russian aristocrats) while chronicling a wider history: Devi, a Zelig-like figure who was a student of the legendary sage Krishnamacharya, seemed to show up wherever the action was. Her life story, which touches three centuries (she died in 2002), goes from the Russian Revolution, Weimar Berlin, the Indian independence movement, and Japanese-occupied Shanghai to Hollywood, Vietnam, Mexico, Argentina, and Panama, where she was spiritual advisor to Noriega s second-in-command. Goldberg painstakingly renders the details of Devi s kaleidoscopic journey and also explores the underpinnings of her outlook. . . . Though the text will be of particular interest to practitioners and teachers of yoga, this sparkling tale of a remarkable trailblazer should enlighten and inspire every reader. Publishers Weekly"

[A] groundbreaking biography. . . . Goldberg s impressive research is . . . far-reaching. . . . Her clear prose illuminates the forces of war and social change and reveals the complex roots of our country s yoga boom. . . . "The Goddess Pose "builds to a thrilling conclusion, exposing the power struggles and sex scandals within Sai Baba s inner circle, a tale reminiscent of recent bad behavior by other male gurus. "San Francisco Chronicle"
The story of how Devi came to embrace yoga and spread its gospel in America is as fascinating as it is unlikely. . . . A remarkably coherent, fascinating narrative. . . . Goldberg refuses to moralize her goal in writing "The Goddess Pose" seems to have been not just chronicling the life of one of the world s great iconoclasts, but also providing a history for how hatha yoga went from an Indian spiritual tradition to an everyday part of western lives. She succeeds admirably on both counts, writing with understanding and a healthy sense of skepticism. "The Guardian"
Captures Devi s Forrest Gump-like propensity to live parallel to some of the most important moments of the previous century. . . . Indra Devi died in 2002, just weeks shy of her 103rd birthday. For much of her life, Goldberg writes, Devi s only goal had been to make yoga known to the West. Today, 20.4 million, or 9% of all American adults, have practiced yoga in their lifetime. She certainly succeeded. "New York Post"
It s hard to believe that the life of Indra Devi, the Zelig who helped turn yoga into the plaything of midcentury Hollywood, Noriega s Panama, and the rest of the world, hasn t been made into a blockbuster film, never mind a fascinating work of nonfiction. Without idolizing or condemning her, Goldberg evokes Devi s complicated nature as deftly as she does the Russian Empire, Weimar Berlin, occupied Shanghai, and so many of the other places where Devi worked, loved, and proselytized before her life ended at 103, not long after the century she helped define. "New York" Magazine, 7 Books You Need to Read This June
"The Goddess Pose, "Michelle Goldberg s yes, audacious new biography of Indra Devi, is not just an investigation of one of the twentieth century s most fascinating and fearless iconoclasts, but a celebration of female freedom and everything it can bring: an appetite for adventure, fearlessness in the face of challenge, and, most important, discovery and assertion of self. Anna Holmes, founding editor, "Jezebel "
Goldberg s account of Devitakes the reader through three chronicled, influential centuries of the yogi, actress, and fearless voyager's life which will leave you with a better understanding of how westernized Yoga differs from its roots plus a deep respect for the iconic Devi s ruthless dedication, and a major doseof inspiration to get you on the way to your next blissed-outsavasana. "Nylon" (Summer Books Preview)
[A] terrific new biography. . . . As Michelle Goldberg capably illustrates in "The Goddess Pose: The Audacious Life of Indra Devi, the Woman Who Helped Bring Yoga to the West, "yoga has always been a bizarre blend of Eastern and Western tradition, particularly in the U.S. . . . As spectacular a figure as Devi obviously was, Goldberg wisely devotes a lot of her book to yoga itself: the development and popularization of not simply a physical activity, but also a philosophy. For anyone interested in the practice, "The Goddess Pose "offers an irresistible story of yoga s unlikely and, yes, even audacious origins. BookPage
In "The Goddess Pose, "Michelle Goldberg brings Indra Devi, a complicated and incredible woman, to life in Technicolor brilliance, as she bops, Zelig-like, through some of the most important events of last century from the Russian Revolution to the rise of Nazism, to the JFK assassination. I ll never think of yoga the same way again and neither will you. Even if you ve never uttered the word namaste, you won t be able to put this book down. Susannah Cahalan, "New York Times "best-selling author of "Brain on Fire "
Whether you re a student of yoga, a history buff, an armchair adventurer, or just a reader in search of an unputdownable story that happens to be true, you ll love this fascinating biography of one of the twentieth century s boldest, most influential women. Michelle Goldberg gets us as close to unveiling the mysterious Indra Devi as anyone is likely to get. Brava! Katha Pollitt, author of "Learning to Drive: And Other Life Stories "
Michelle Goldberg s masterful engagement with her astonishing subject and with the diverse political, spiritual, and physical worlds she inhabited is evident on every page of this terrific book. "The Goddess Pose "is a surprising adventure from beginning to end. Rebecca Traister, author of "Big Girls Don t Cry
" Fascinating and groundbreaking. . . . Inspired by her interest in yoga, journalist and author Goldberg gives us a highly readable biography of the so-called first lady of yoga, an eccentric personality who has also been called a female Forrest Gump because of the wide-ranging nature of her experiences. Born Eugenia Peterson in czarist Russia, the self-proclaimed Indra Devi (1899 2002) reinvented herself many times over as she traveled throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the United States over the course of her century-long life. . . . This painstakingly researched book is more than mere biography, however. It helps readers to understand where yoga, as we practice it in the West, came from and how it differs from its roots. . . . Highly recommended for general readers and cultural historians alike. "Library Journal"(starred)
Most stories of yoga s journey to the United States have a male protagonist but not this one. . . . The book tracks [Devi s] fascinating path through multiple countries (China, Mexico, Argentina), two marriages, and Hollywood fame as a teacher to the stars. Devi lived fearlessly until her death in 2002 a age 102, but her story and influence live on in this can t-miss memoir. "Yoga Journal"
Goldberg fluidly explores the extraordinary life of Indra Devi (1899-2002), the woman who helped transform the ancient Indian discipline of yoga into a worldwide phenomenon. . . . [Her] book, which uses material she uncovered about Devi on four continents, is not only thoroughly researched; it also offers insights into a magnificently elusive figure, the culture she loved, and the yogic practice she bequeathed to the West. Fascinating reading about an intriguing woman. "Kirkus Reviews"
Investigative journalist Goldberg, by dint of ardent research, adept synthesis, and narrative pizzazz, tracks her chimerical subject around the world to chronicle Devi s intrepidly improvised, nomadic, and seemingly charmed life with awe and skepticism. . . . Throughout this whirlwind biography, Goldberg provides fresh and enlightening insights into the evolution of modern yoga while Devi, who lived to be 102, forever at the spinning center of thing, shimmers provocatively in her almost supernatural charisma, ambition, contrariness, and resilience. "Booklist "(starred)
Curious about the roots of yoga, journalist/author Goldberg began digging for clues to the connections between the yoga of India and its Americanized version. She came across the obituary of 102-year-old Indra Devi (nee Eugenia Peterson), often called the First Lady of Yoga. This fascinating biography delves deeply into Devi s life (she was born in Latvia in 1899 to a family of Russian aristocrats) while chronicling a wider history: Devi, a Zelig-like figure who was a student of the legendary sage Krishnamacharya, seemed to show up wherever the action was. Her life story, which touches three centuries (she died in 2002), goes from the Russian Revolution, Weimar Berlin, the Indian independence movement, and Japanese-occupied Shanghai to Hollywood, Vietnam, Mexico, Argentina, and Panama, where she was spiritual advisor to Noriega s second-in-command. Goldberg painstakingly renders the details of Devi s kaleidoscopic journey and also explores the underpinnings of her outlook. . . . Though the text will be of particular interest to practitioners and teachers of yoga, this sparkling tale of a remarkable trailblazer should enlighten and inspire every reader. "Publishers Weekly""

"The Goddess Pose, "Michelle Goldberg s yes, audacious new biography of Indra Devi, is not just an investigation of one of the twentieth century s most fascinating and fearless iconoclasts, but a celebration of female freedom and everything it can bring: an appetite for adventure, fearlessness in the face of challenge, and, most important, discovery and assertion of self. Anna Holmes, founding editor, "Jezebel "
In "The Goddess Pose, "Michelle Goldberg brings Indra Devi, a complicated and incredible woman, to life in Technicolor brilliance, as she bops, Zelig-like, through some of the most important events of last century from the Russian Revolution to the rise of Nazism, to the JFK assassination. I ll never think of yoga the same way again and neither will you. Even if you ve never uttered the word namaste, you won t be able to put this book down. Susannah Cahalan, "New York Times "best-selling author of "Brain on Fire "
Whether you re a student of yoga, a history buff, an armchair adventurer, or just a reader in search of an unputdownable story that happens to be true, you ll love this fascinating biography of one of the twentieth century s boldest, most influential women. Michelle Goldberg gets us as close to unveiling the mysterious Indra Devi as anyone is likely to get. Brava! Katha Pollitt, author of "Learning to Drive: And Other Life Stories "
Michelle Goldberg s masterful engagement with her astonishing subject and with the diverse political, spiritual, and physical worlds she inhabited is evident on every page of this terrific book. "The Goddess Pose "is a surprising adventure from beginning to end. Rebecca Traister, author of "Big Girls Don t Cry
" Fascinating and groundbreaking. . . . Inspired by her interest in yoga, journalist and author Goldberg gives us a highly readable biography of the so-called first lady of yoga, an eccentric personality who has also been called a female Forrest Gump because of the wide-ranging nature of her experiences. Born Eugenia Peterson in czarist Russia, the self-proclaimed Indra Devi (1899 2002) reinvented herself many times over as she traveled throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the United States over the course of her century-long life. . . . This painstakingly researched book is more than mere biography, however. It helps readers to understand where yoga, as we practice it in the West, came from and how it differs from its roots. . . . Highly recommended for general readers and cultural historians alike. "Library Journal"(starred)
Goldberg fluidly explores the extraordinary life of Indra Devi (1899-2002), the woman who helped transform the ancient Indian discipline of yoga into a worldwide phenomenon. . . . [Her] book, which uses material she uncovered about Devi on four continents, is not only thoroughly researched; it also offers insights into a magnificently elusive figure, the culture she loved, and the yogic practice she bequeathed to the West. Fascinating reading about an intriguing woman. "Kirkus Reviews"
Curious about the roots of yoga, journalist/author Goldberg began digging for clues to the connections between the yoga of India and its Americanized version. She came across the obituary of 102-year-old Indra Devi (nee Eugenia Peterson), often called the First Lady of Yoga. This fascinating biography delves deeply into Devi s life (she was born in Latvia in 1899 to a family of Russian aristocrats) while chronicling a wider history: Devi, a Zelig-like figure who was a student of the legendary sage Krishnamacharya, seemed to show up wherever the action was. Her life story, which touches three centuries (she died in 2002), goes from the Russian Revolution, Weimar Berlin, the Indian independence movement, and Japanese-occupied Shanghai to Hollywood, Vietnam, Mexico, Argentina, and Panama, where she was spiritual advisor to Noriega s second-in-command. Goldberg painstakingly renders the details of Devi s kaleidoscopic journey and also explores the underpinnings of her outlook. . . . Though the text will be of particular interest to practitioners and teachers of yoga, this sparkling tale of a remarkable trailblazer should enlighten and inspire every reader. "Publishers Weekly""