Profound and amusing, this book provides a viable approach to answering the perennial questions: Who am I? Why am I here? How can I live a meaningful life? For Asma, the answers are to be found in Buddhism. Stephen T. Asma will be the first one to tell you he is not your typical idea of a Buddhist. He thinks gurus are screwballs. He eats meat. He drinks too much. He's not interested in giving up sex. If a guy like him can be a Buddhist, so can you. In WHY I AM A BUDDHIST, Asma argues the case for Buddhism. He is iconoclastic and unapologetic. Too often he asserts Buddhism is confused with the more faddish elements of California culture. Being a Buddhist does not require extreme vegetarianism, relentless meditation or a variety of smells and bells. In seven chapters, Asma presents a hard-headed and thoroughly entertaining case for the Buddhist way. Some of his topics include Buddhism and family life, Buddhism and art, Buddhism and global concerns and Buddhism and Eros. His take on Buddhism is refreshing and it will make you want to find out more about dharma, karma and everything in between.
Author Biography
Stephen T. Asma is professor of Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Humanities at Columbia College in Chicago. He has written books published by OUP and Harper. He is an established academic, part-time musician (he has done back-up work for Bo Diddly and Buddy Guy), and a pop culture critic. His fans include the Beastie Boys.
