Dinner with Buddha - Hardcover

Merullo, Roland

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1565129288 ISBN 13: 9781565129283

Publisher: Algonquin Books, 2015

Synopsis

If life is a journey--with detours, paths from which to choose, and myriad roadblocks to overcome--then Otto Ringling is most certainly on
the journey of a lifetime.  

The first fifty or so years of Otto's journey were pretty good. He felt he had it all until one day he didn’t.

Looking for answers, he calls on his enlightened brother-in-law, Volya Rinpoche, a wise man with Russian roots, a Tibetan heritage, and an international reputation as a spiritual teacher. The two men first got to know each other on a journey years before, during which they explored both the real and spiritual aspects of the world around them. Now Otto needs his brother-in-law’s wisdom once more, and this time it turns out that Rinpoche himself is also looking for guidance.

They embark on a road trip over highways and back roads across the middle of America, hoping to sort out what’s troubling them. They encounter a diverse cast of characters along the way as they look for answers to life’s mysteries.

With its highs and lows, their trip is, of course, a metaphor for life’s larger journey. But it is also a lesson in love and gratitude.The two travelers peer beneath the surface of things to seek a deeper purpose. Luckily, for them and for us, we never know what’s waiting around the next bend in the road.

“We, like Otto, find our cynicism worn away by Rinpoche’s gentle instruction in the simple but terribly difficult art of letting go, living each moment to the fullest, seeing the sacred in the everyday . . . This brave, meditative author has carved a unique niche in American literature.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

About this title

About the Author

Roland Merullo is the critically acclaimed author of five books of nonfiction and twelve novels, including the Revere Beach Trilogy, Golfing with God, Breakfast with Buddha, Vatican Waltz, Lunch with Buddha and Dinner with Buddha. He lives with his wife and children in Massachusetts. His website is rolandmerullo.com.

From the Back Cover

“We are all humanized by the spiritual journey of Dinner with Buddha.”*

If  life is a journey--with detours, paths from which to choose, and myriad roadblocks to overcome--then Otto Ringling is most certainly on the journey of a lifetime. His first fifty or so years were pretty good. He felt he had it all, until one day he didn’t.

Seeking understanding, he calls on Volya Rinpoche, a wise man and spiritual leader. A man who accepts the world as it comes to him, a man without pride or vanity. But Rinpoche, as it turns out, is experiencing his own time of doubt. In hopes of finding answers to life’s mysteries, the two embark on a journey through America, an amusing and enlightening road trip that becomes a lesson in love and gratitude.

“Diners, truck stops, Indian reservations, national landmarks, Las Vegas--all lead the duo down the road to both prayerful seeking and hilariousadventure . . . Likable Otto and wise Rinpoche lead readers on a thoughtful and memorable journey.” —Shelf Awareness for Readers, starred review

“Merullo offers keen insight into and intelligent assessments of modern American life, but it is his compassionate portrait of a grieving Otto in search of inner tranquility that is most affecting.” —Booklist

“Otto is such a full human, which is why we can empathize with his questions and immerse ourselves in his experiences." —*Spirituality and Practice

“We, like Otto, find our cynicism worn away by Rinpoche’s gentle instruction in the simple but terribly difficult art of letting go, living each moment to the fullest, seeing the sacred in the everyday.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Merullo masterfully depicts the struggles of practicing mindfulness moment by moment . . . [The] novel is full of nuanced, thoughtful prose and is an immensely satisfying conclusion to the series.” —Publishers Weekly

Edition details

• Publisher: Algonquin Books
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1565129288
• ISBN 13: 9781565129283
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320