Another ambrosial gift is delivered with clarity and fluidity by this wonderfully talented author. Seido Oda is instructed to leave the sanctuary of his Japanese temple to introduce his particular sect of Buddhism to the people of Brooklyn. Oda, knowing great sadness and perhaps hiding from reality, is forced to face himself when thrust from peaceful serenity into the maelstrom of a bustling noisy New York. It feels as though a friend is telling you his life story, these memorable, expressive characters could be just about to bump into you as you walk around a corner. Morais has the very great gift of taking everyday life and describing it with such simplicity, compassion and beauty that it becomes a little piece of heaven. If you love this, dive straight into The Hundred Foot Journey, another completely huggable read by Morais.
As he approaches his fortieth birthday, the introverted monk Seido Oda is ordered by his superior to leave behind his peaceful, quiet refuge in the remote mountains of Japan and set up a temple in Brooklyn's Little Calabria. There Oda is confronted with an uphill struggle to get to understand the ways of his new host country, and finds his patience and beliefs tested by a motley crew of misguided American Buddhists - a shock which will enable him to come to terms with painful memories of his past and finally experience that sense of belonging he has always sought.
Richard C. Morais's debut novel, The Hundred-Foot Journey, is the international best-seller that has sold in 21 territories around the world. His first book, an unauthorized biography of Pierre Cardin, was published by Bantam Press in 1991 to critical acclaim. He currently lives in New York, where he is also the editor of Barron's Penta, a quarterly magazine and website offering insights and advice to affluent families. An American born in Lisbon and raised in Zurich, Morais lived in London for 17 years, where he served as Forbes magazine's European Bureau Chief. His second novel Buddhaland Brooklyn is also published by Alma Books.
