Zeniä Karmalla Ja Suklaakastikkeella: Seksistä, Kuolemasta, Avioerosta Ja Todellisen Zenin Etsinnästä... (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
Ok, Brad. I feel bad now that I was trying to save a tree by buying a used copy of "Zen" and you gave me grief about it on Facebook. Well, I don't feel too bad because I did save a tree, but, I do feel I owe you the royalties you deserve (and so openly lobbied for throughout the book, good job!)! "Zen" really is a story dipped in chocolate, or so it seemed as I was quickly addicted and had to keep sneaking back for another nibble whenever I got the chance. When the final page was turned and the last morsel was gone I must admit I was pretty forlorn, with a twinge of sugar withdrawal. Despite his hard candy-coated exterior, Brad truly has a heart of cocoa. It was easy to fall in step with him as he opened up his most personal experiences and shared the lessons learned and the mistakes made. I cheered for his every accomplishment and for every Converse-clad foot which cleverly tripped any nay-sayer flat on their face. Brad's story has its sad and challenging moments, as do most personal experiences, but it's also filled with a strong sense of carefree belief that everything is what it is and so be it. There's good, there's bad, it is what it is. Keep your faith and work with what you've got. It's the best any of us can do. It's almost cheerfully depressing, or maybe that depressingly cheerful.Some people live with the intent to practice. To me Brad is practicing with the intent to live. In other words, there is nothing deliberate or awkward about his practice, it's effortless and natural. He lets life lead him where he's supposed to go, he doesn't fight it, he works with it. A lesson many of us could learn from. After reading his first book I skipped the second one and moved on to this, because the local library didn't have the second book. Although I enjoyed the first book better than this one I really think my review for that fits here as well; (3rd book addition)"An interesting book for any 20-38yr old reader wanting to learn about Buddhism (specifically Zen), although I would recommend reading other books on the topic first to get a grounding but this book should be on your list somewhere. Warner sometimes comes across as believing that Zazen is the only way to find 'the way' and everything else is half-cocked, however you could find plenty of lines in this book that would discount this. (and he explicitly address that at the beginning of this book) All and all it was worth the read and I will likely be reading this again in the future"
What do You think about Zeniä Karmalla Ja Suklaakastikkeella: Seksistä, Kuolemasta, Avioerosta Ja Todellisen Zenin Etsinnästä... (2009)?
This is the only book by Brad Warner I have read. I lent my copy and never got it back. I've bought it for several people as a gift and recommended it to others. What I like about it is that it shows how a person practices Buddhism in the course of everyday life and tremendous challenges -- the death of a parent, the end of a marriage. It's funny and fun to read, and sometimes it's almost heartbreaking -- but the main thing is Warner's demonstration of how to walk, how to stand, and how to compose your thoughts. Watch and learn.
—mel
The book is ok. It started off promising a lot but ended up being laid back to the point of being counter-productive. I mean the title of the book was picked off from a Yoplait commercial.There were some nuggets of wisdom thrown in there and the general impression I got is that the dude would be an awesome guy to sit back and have a few beers with (Oh wait, but he doesn't drink). The book felt extremely honest though and that was refreshing.Verdict: It wasn't a complete waste of my time reading this book.
—geekykiki
I'm looking forward to reading more by Brad Warner. I pick up what he's throwing down in a big way.
—nery
“As for enlightenment, that's just for people who can't face reality.” 'Nuff said.
—bluebrolly
The book looked interesting and so far it is, I love the honesty.
—Karimikonda
