10/10

Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki
by David Chadwick


This has to be one of the most entertaining and interesting books I've read. The approach is simple, how zen, and retains the complicated nature of Japanese culture and Zen culture. Though it may just be resonating with my interests in these two things, I appreciate the outside point of view of Suzuki-Sensei. Rather than bogging the reader down with too many Koans, or too much high-Zen theory, we can see the Zen of Chadwick's travels and learning of the way. I find that these types of discussions are far more resonating to the western audience, who are exposed to this type of narrative at an early age. The western P.O.V. is also more available than the Japanese, perhaps. Overall, the narrative, the goal of the book, and the subject matter are all things I love. Thus a 10/10 for this not so little book.