Yogananda, considered by many to be the father of modern yoga, has had an unsurpassed global impact thanks to the durability of his teachings, the institutions he created or inspired and especially his iconic memoir, Autobiography of a Yogi. But it doesn't tell the whole story.

Much of Yogananda's seminal text is devoted to tales about other people and it largely overlooks the three vital decades he spent living, working and teaching in America. Huge chunks of his life – challenges, controversies and crises; triumphs, relationships and formative experiences – remain unknown to even his most ardent devotees. In this captivating biography, scholar and teacher Philip Goldberg fills the gaps, charting a journey that spanned six decades, two hemispheres, two world wars and unprecedented social changes. The result is an objective, thoroughly researched account of Yogananda's remarkable life in all its detail, nuance and complex humanity.