Eckhart Tolle , born Ulrich Leonard Tolle, February 16, 1948, is a German-born writer, public speaker, and spiritual teacher. The New York Times has called him "the most popular spiritual author in the nation". He is the author of the bestsellers "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth".

Tolle had an unhappy childhood in Germany and Spain. His depression reached its peak during early adulthood in England, until he underwent what he calls an "inner transformation". He then spent many years as a vagrant, "in a a state of deep bliss", he says, before becoming a spiritual teacher. He eventually moved to North America where he began writing his first book. He currently lives in Vancouver, Canada with his wife, Kim Eng.

Eckhart Tolle's message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. And while this message may not seem stunningly original or fresh, Tolle's clear writing, supportive voice and enthusiasm make this an excellent manual for anyone who's ever wondered what exactly "living in the now" means. Foremost, Tolle is a world-class teacher, able to explain complicated concepts in concrete language. More importantly, within a chapter of reading this book, readers are already holding the world in a different container--more conscious of how thoughts and emotions get in the way of their ability to live in genuine peace and happiness.

Tolle packs a lot of information and inspirational ideas into The Power of Now. (Topics include the source of Chi, enlightened relationships, creative use of the mind, impermanence and the cycle of life.) Thankfully, he's added markers that symbolise "break time". This is when readers should close the book and mull over what they just read. As a result, The Power of Now reads like the highly acclaimed A Course in Miracles--a spiritual guidebook that has the potential to inspire just as many study groups and change just as many lives for the better. --Gail Hudson