Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.8 / 5.0

Universality Particularized:

While the book is organized for the most part chronologically, I have enlisted three major themes
-Matthiesen's personal spiritual quest
-Matthiesen's first-hand experience of formal Zen teachings
-A brief historical biography of past Zen masters

Matthiensen's long road to being a Buddhist monk takes him through many trials and tribulations and sometimes mixed with a sense of relief and surprise. In summary, it delves into the greater purpose of spiritualism for humanity: the particularity of... more info

Simply the Best Book on Zen Buddhism:

I believe this work by Matthiessen is simply the best written, most accessible and enlightening work on Zen Buddhism out there. For those who disagree, please post your own recommendation. It's a huge challenge (if not a Mission Impossible) to write a powerful, poetic and insightful autobiography on Zen Buddhism. We are very fortunate to have someone of Matthiessen's genius to introduce Zen to the Western world in a such powerful way. I am very grateful to the author for this treasure of a book.

Clear and compelling - a must buy:

Matthiessen's prose is clear and his story compelling. His Zen journals, from 1969 to 1982, tell the story of his Zen journey, without any of what the author might describe as, the breathless prose of the sincere seeker, but with great humility, depth, simplicity and beauty. Whether you like biograpy, travel books, or are interested in Zen or Buddhism, do yourself a favour and buy this book.

Similar Products:

The Snow Leopard (Penguin Nature Classics) by Peter Matthiessen

Zen and the Writing Life by Peter Matthiessen

The Birds of Heaven: Travels with Cranes by Peter Matthiessen

Far Tortuga : A Novel by PETER MATTHIESSEN

The Cloud Forest: A Chronicle of the South American Wilderness (Penguin Nature... by Peter Matthiessen

?