Carlos Castenada's work is very popular among those seeking a more intense and personal spiritual quest. His work is a collection of stories that center around his experiences with a Mexican Native Shaman during and after his life.
I was on such a quest years ago and I was close to a few Natives that were knowledgable of the "old ways". They recommended the books to me as a way of understanding their way to spirituality and to help explain what I was experiencing.
Like you, Carlos Castenada's work drew me like a magnet and I devoured three or four of his books. The best way I can describe his work is that it is like a gateway to spirituality through intuition. If you've never experienced this, it is very difficult to explain. I do remember though, that a door opened for me through his books and my world was never really the same since. The world does not work as advertised and we are not alone or without helpers in this life.
Read the book and you'll see what I mean.
Cheers! 
