Todd Lewis

I felt that the book gave a very uneven picture of Buddhist practitioners. It covered the era of Gotama's lifetime with two biographies, both of monks. Buddha's early work was supported by some interesting lay people, these were ignored. The picture of American Buddhism was especially mind-boggling; a Beat jpoet, a punk rocker, a Buddhist priest, a deceased English scholar, etc. Where were the people I used to see in American Buddhist centers?....the men and women with jobs, with kids, etc?

This book is a collection of essays by people in higher education, and I think that accounts for the fact that so many are "exotic" when compared to the great mass of people who practice Buddhism every day and have very ordinary lives.

I would skip this book, unless you want to read a borrowed copy.… (mehr)