Reviews on On the Road, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Hardcore Zen coming soon!
Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner
OK, I know that being Buddhist is kind of the "trendy" thing right now, and that reading this book makes me seem like one of the masses, but honestly this book has made a huge impact on my view of God, Buddhism, and life in general. Brad Warner, the author, is this amazingly funny guy who used to be in a hardcore punk band in the 80s. He moved to Tokyo to make low-budget monster movies and became very interested in Buddhism, eventually becoming a Zen master. In this book, he explains Buddhism in a way that makes so much sense. He breaks the stereotype of the robed, tranquil, wise old Zen master. He explains Nirvana, which is something that a lot of the trend following "Buddhists" seem to have major misconceptions about. He also tells you about the Buddhist way of life, and about meditation, and about the common misconception that LSD is an intrical part of Buddhism. Interspersed throughout the book are stories about his punk days and he amazingly relates the "punk" frame of mind to the Buddhism frame of mind. I recommend giving this book a try even if you're not interested in Buddhism. It'll give you an open mind and it's also just really funny and entertaining. This is one of the best books I've read this year.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
Frankie gave me this book to read a long time ago, so it's not really fresh enough in my head to write a really good review about it, but I'll give it a go. I really, really liked it. Um, I wish I had better words to describe it. Let's just say that the last couple of pages blew me away. I was just sitting there, jaw on the floor. If you've seen the movie, you know it's amazing, and as usual, the book is just that much better.
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
This is one amazing book. It's about a guy who gives up everything he has and just hitchhikes back and forth across the U.S. He describes the people he meets and the affect they have on him and what life "on the road" is like. He's constantly drawn to people like himself, lonely and lost and searching for something. It's a book about freedom and loneliness and experience. And it's beautiful.
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