Monday, November 6, 2006
Left Coast Writers Literary Salon, 7pm
Perry Garfinkel
Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista, Corte Madera, CA
In the tradition of JEFF GREENWALD and WES (SCOOP) NISKER, an
evening with PERRY GARFINKEL is an event you don’t want to miss.
While JEFF GREENWALD treated us to spellbinding tales as he
shopped for the perfect Buddha and WES NISKER filled us with
wisdom and laughter as he shared pieces from his “The Big Bang,
the Buddha and the Baby Boom,” PERRY GARFINKEL will share his
worldwide hunt to discover the heart of Buddhism and the secrets he
learned about writing and self along the way.
“As John McPhee and Paul Theroux offer lush descriptions of
physical landscapes, Garfinkel surveys the internal world with
equal scrutiny…Fast enough for the beach yet dense enough for
the scholar’s library.” The Boston Globe
ABOUT “BUDDHA OR BUST” AND PERRY GARFINKEL
Why does an idea that’s 2,500 years old seem more relevant today
than ever before? How can the Buddha’s teachings help us solve
many of the world’s problems? Journalist Perry Garfinkel
circumnavigated the globe to discover the heart of Buddhism and
the reasons for its growing popularity–and ended up discovering
himself in the process.
Along the way he met a diverse array of Buddhist
practitioners—Thai artists, Indian nuns, Sri Lankan school
children, Zen archers in Japan, kung fu monks in China and the
world’s first Buddhist comic (only in America). Among dozens of
Buddhist scholars and leaders, Garfinkel interviewed His Holiness
the Dalai Lama, an experience that left him speechless—almost. As
just reward for his efforts, toward the end of his journey
Garfinkel fell in love in the south of France at the retreat
center of a leader of the engaged movement, the Vietnamese
Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh—a romance that taught him as much
about Buddhism as all the masters combined.
In this original, entertaining book, Garfinkel separates Buddhist
fact from fiction, sharing his humorous insights and keen
perceptions about everything from spiritual tourism to Asian
traffic jams to the endless road to enlightenment.
Check out Perry’s website to see scenes from Perry’s worldwide
journey in the footsteps of the Buddha:
