. I. Gurdjieff (January 13, 1886? - October 29, 1949) explains that this book is a continuation of an earlier work, Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson, and also a segue to a planned third work, all of which he intends to publish in order to give to the world his complete set of ideas, insights, wisdom, and directions for humankind to live better lives. His followers published this book ten years after his death.