Petersburg, Sergei journeys across a harsh land seeking his place in the world. With nothing to cling to but the memory of his grandfather and the promise of a gift buried near St. When a sudden death forces Sergei to flee, he escapes into the wilderness. Sent to an elite military academy at the tender age of four, Sergei Ivanov (Socrates) comes of age training to protect a way of life he doesn't understand. Here is a brief glimpse into the story: In nineteenth-century Tsarist Russia an orphaned child born of Jewish and Cossack blood grows up in a land of wealthy aristocrats, struggling peasants, and growing discontent. My research took me across the worm to Russia, where I trained with the Russian Special Forces at a camp that had never before been opened to foreigners. I devoted four years of my life to the project. In writing his story, I set out on my own voyage of discovery, to see if my study and practice in the craft of writing would enable me to write an engrossing story with depth and substance.

In the course of his journeys, Socrates-whose real name was Sergei Ivanov-meets unusual mentors on his quest for belonging, family, and his place in the world. In The Journeys of Socrates, the Way begins in this story of courage, faith, and love as a boy becomes a man, a man becomes a warrior, and a warrior finds peace. Now I share the long-awaited odyssey that forged the character and tempered the spirit of my old mentor. A quarter century ago, I wrote a book that has since found its way into millions of homes and hearts: Way of the Peaceful Warrior-my adventures and awakenings under the guidance of a mysterious old service station attendant I called Socrates.

The Journeys of Socrates by Dan Millman