AN OPEN HEART - HHDL

RATING - B

Another of HHDL's gems – I must have read a couple of dozen of his books by now. I recall having once read this when borrowed from Wollongong library and put it on my 'read again some day' list. Finally, I have my own copy and can re-read it as much as I like.

Having personal difficulty with compassion in that it comes easily in regard to animals, birds, bugs – but with more difficulty in relation to people, I am searching the book for help and guidance. Some of the structured practices appeal and some little bits and corners fell into place along with reinforcement of previously obtained knowledge.

Covering the basic Buddhist beliefs as well as a detailed structure to progress through, the book will be helpful throughout multiple stages of practice – therefore is recommended for anyone interested rather than JUST Westerners OR beginners OR advanced OR avidly practicing Buddhists....

YOU ARE HERE – THICH NHAT HANH

RATING - C-

 

It is very different to the books I have been reading and Buddhism I have been working on of late, and is therefore somewhat confusing. Suited more to the average Westerner than to one who never fit the system to begin with,I would recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring Buddhist principles – if they were a Westerner with a Westerners' mind.

Personally, I find it very hard to follow, as I have to firstly remember how I am supposed to think, act, and live, and then take the advice suited to that and transfer it back into my own way of being as I do not think, act, or live in this way, so it is not of as much help to me as to the conventional Westerner.

I did however locate several gems hidden amongst the confusion with which to update my outlook.

DAKINI'S WARM BREATH – JUDITH SIMMER-BROWN

RATING: B

With a dry start, this book became increasingly interesting as it progressed. There is a lot of information about dakinis contained within the book, covering every aspect thinkable from the 'what' to 'who' to 'how' to 'when' and 'where'. If you have never heard of a dakini, or are not exactly sure what they are/might be, this book covers everything you need to know to fix your knowledge gap. Specifically of interest to me were the latter chapters, dealing with human dakinis and encounters with dakinis.

Thorough research is evident from the multiple references, making it a trustable source of information. Now, why don't they have a book like this for EVERY Buddhist oddity, from devas and deities to hungry ghosts, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas....

A Guide To The Bodhisattva Way Of LIfe - Santideva

RATING: B

The second version of this classic book enters my collection and eyes. Whilst 'study-reading' the other version, I 'read thru' this one to see how similar they were. Actually, there were quite a few differenhces, and this book does seem to bring out different points, so it shall go into my 'study read' list for a re-read some time down the track - when I run out of new books/old study ones.

(This was the version of the book originally reccommended to me, that I could not purchase initially but have been able to obtain since.)

In contrast to the other version that I have ben studying over the past months, I find the notations easier to locate and the chapter on wisdom easier to comprehend in this version.

THE ART OF HAPPINESS - HHDL & H. C. CUTLER

RATING: B+ 

This is not the first time that I have read this particular book; in fact, it is my third or fourth read through. The first time I ever heard of it was wayyyyyy back in the mid 00's before I had read anything Buddhist-related at all. A friend of mine mentioned the book in a blog or email - or somewhere - and it stirred up my curiosity. I could not locate the book at the local library, but picked up another 'art of' book from HHDL. This actual book was within the first 10 Buddhist-related books that I ever read, however.

Much more recently, I moved overseas from my previous well-stocked library to a village without any Buddhist literature at all. I began to buy in a few books. This book was one of these, as I knew it was worth a re-read several times.

One thing that stood out in my current read-thru was the question of 'what is the purpose of life' being twisted into the question 'what makes life meaningful'. I have never ever asked the first, but have asked the second on multiple times over the past 44-5 years. It has only been over the past 2-3 years that I have actually found the answer from personal experience.

Another outstanding point is the final meditation - starting on page 262 - this meditation is something that came too easy to bother with previously - but, due to a change of lifestyle, continent, family situation, etc, I have lost touch with the ability to just live that way all the time - so this meditation reminds me to take at least some time out of the day to try to shut the c-word up in that head of mine.

The Kundalini Yoga Cookbook by Ek Ong Kar Singh and Jacqueline Koay

RATING: B-

It may be odd to add a cookbook to a reading list - but I have genuinely read the book right through - not skipping any recipes- even those with beetroot in - though I would NEVER try those!

I have taken this book out from the library several times in the single year that I have lived locally - it is their best book! I have not only learned 3-4 new, exciting and healthy recipes, but a bunch of others that I was able to 'adapt'.

I find it jolly useful for encouraging my mind to invent new ideas in the kitchen and also a relief to find a single book that covers such a wide range of foods that I can eat. Most cookbooks, vegetarian or not, tell me to use a blender or a microwave - THIS beauty tells me to use my hands! I love it! I want a copy for Christmas.....anybody?

Stephen Fry in America by Stephen Fry

RATING D

I found the title exciting, the fact he was going to cover all of the states exciting, and the fact he was supposedly going to meet 'real life' style Americans rather than celebs exciting - but the book itself was dull.

I quite often had to skip a paragraph or two that covered fishing or hunting style items and found the book lacking in both scope of coverage and interest. I probably learned one or two minor facts from reading it, but not a lot - and I did not appreciate the guy's attitude much. I found him rather 'cough behind the hand' for my liking and do not think he brought out the real American lifestyle at all - not if my real life American friends are anything to go by.