The Way of Zen

Though Zen is supposed be understood through practice, a beginner can't resist reading up on its storied history, and thanks to the Way of Zen, this is now much easier. Tenshin Fletcher, abbot of a Zen center, and David Scott, a lay practitioner, have brought the whole sweep of Zen into clear focus--from the Buddha's core ideas to the Chinese assimilation, from the role of the cook to Zen in the martial arts. The authors, a Zen priest and a lay practitioner, cover the spectrum of Zen existence, including sections on monasteries as well as the basics of sitting meditation. Encyclopedic in scope but succinct in presentation, Way of Zen is the beginner's way to go. --Brian Bruya