It is a compilation of the lectures of P. D. Ouspensky at London and New York City between the years 1921 through 1946, published posthumously by his students in 1957.

[3] Ouspensky was given the task of bringing these ideas to a wider audience in an unadulterated form by Gurdjieff.

The Fourth Way is considered to be the most comprehensive statement of Gurdjieff's ideas as taught by Ouspensky.

The book consists of adaptations of Ouspensky's lectures, and the accompanying question and answer sessions.

This way is to be followed under the ordinary conditions of everyday life, as opposed from the three traditional ways that call for retirement from the world: those of the fakir, the monk, and the yogi, which Gurdjieff maintained could only result in partial, unbalanced development of man's potential.