This biography tells Werner Erhard's early life story and the creation of the est Training which he designed to provide people with access to their own transformational experience.

[4] William Warren Bartley, III, professor of philosophy at California State University, Hayward from 1973, prior to writing his biography on Erhard, had authored The Retreat to Commitment (1962), on the epistemology of Sir Karl Popper; Wittgenstein (1973), a biography of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein; edited (1977) Lewis Carroll's Symbolic Logic of 1896; and authored a book titled Morality and Religion (1971).

"[16] Life story The book recounts how Erhard's childhood events, job positions and self-education led to the development of the est training.

[2] Instead of pursuing his plans for higher education, he took on a variety of jobs including meat-packing, heating and plumbing, estimating and selling cars.

During this period Erhard moved frequently to different parts of the US as dictated by the demands of the job, finally settling in San Francisco.

According to Grolier vice-president John Wirtz the intention of appointing Erhard was that he would bring "integrity, honesty and straightforwardness" to their sales practices.

[19] Creating the est training Bartley recounts a revelation that Erhard said he had experienced in March 1971 while driving into San Francisco, California to work at Grolier Society.

The first promotional seminar was held in September with over one thousand attendees, and the first est training took place in October 1971 in a San Francisco hotel.

In October 1972, while leading an est session in New York, Erhard realized that the time had come to reconnect with his family after an absence of 12 years.

These chapters contain Bartley's scholarly overview and analysis of the various disciplines that Werner Erhard explored before founding the est training.

[25][26] Given Bartley's previous work, Lieberson stated, he might have made an ideal interpreter of Erhard, but he found this expectation "disappointed [although] the book is nevertheless instructive".

[31] Stephen Goldstein, in a Washington Post review, said Bartley had made it "obvious from the start that he cares about his subject and his own est experience" and had told "a rather simple, straightforward story that pretty much lets you draw your own conclusions [about Erhard] or keep the ones you have already reached.

"[33] The Los Angeles Times commented that "[Bartley's] philosophical justification of est as a mishmash of totalitarianism, hucksterism and existentialism makes this book more a public relations product than an objective study.

"[3] A Chicago Tribune review described the book as a "painstaking ... act of devotion" that nevertheless failed in its mission: "No one reading it is likely to agree with Bartley that the founder of est is a philosopher and spiritual leader of Gandhian magnitude except the already convinced.

[37] A review in The Evening Independent described Bartley as Erhard's "friend and admitted booster", telling his "often-sordid story in detail.

[38] Dennis acknowledged that the book gave "the full details of Erhard's 'soap opera,' often in his own words," but was critical of Bartley's writing, saying he cast "a Freud's-eye-view on his subject's youthful failings, but after the famous 'transformation' his tone becomes almost reverential.

"[38] Dennis stated that the book failed to ask important questions, but that large public libraries should carry a copy, given its status as an "authorized" biography.