Buddhist Book Reviews

Buddhist Book Reviews and Recommendations

How Love Wins

Written by Buddhist Books

How Love Wins: The Power of Mindful Kindness by Doug Carnine is a book which is intended to give the reader instruction on how to develop the three Buddhist qualities of mindfulness, compassion and wisdom, but without using Buddhist terminology. The author chose not to write this book in overtly Buddhist language so that the teachings it contains would have the opportunity to reach the largest possible audience.

Doug has spent a lot of time working in partnership with prisoners, as described in his previous book, Saint Badass, so the secular approach which is adopted here makes a lot of sense. It also makes How Love Wins a very good title to share with non-Buddhists who might still want to develop the qualities of mindfulness, compassion and wisdom – which are, after all, universally beneficial – in their own lives.

>> Look inside this book at Amazon <<

The book opens with an introduction which puts forward the case for mindful kindness, explaining the benefits of both mindfulness and kindness, describing the intimate relationship between them, and highlighting their impact on our happiness. Having established that foundation, the author then takes the reader through Twelve Steps for Change, with each of the following chapters focusing, in turn, on one of those twelve steps.

Each chapter provides a good overview of the topic being discussed (such as why it is important to Face Up to Your Unkind Habits, or Set Your Kindness Goals), with the author drawing from his own wealth of experience as a Buddhist teacher – including his work with prisoners – as well as sharing relevant findings from scientific and spiritual communities. Along the way, the author provides plenty of exercises and practical instructions which allow the reader to apply the steps to their own lives.

The language used in this book is refreshingly straightforward, and the voice of the author is very much like that of a friend who is sharing ideas that he knows will work. This makes How Love Wins a joy to read, and instils in the reader a desire to actually follow through with the exercises provided in order to realise the many benefits that are described. A list of useful Resources for Mindfulness and Kindness is provided at the end of the book so that the reader can continue their journey of personal development and exploration.

In conclusion, How Love Wins is a book that will prove invaluable to all who spend time with it, regardless of whether or not they call themselves Buddhists. All human beings can benefit from developing more mindfulness, compassion and wisdom in their lives, and this title not only explains how they can do that, but it also takes them by the hand and leads them every step of the way. We are therefore very happy to give How Love Wins our highest recommendation.

Buy How Love Wins: The Power of Mindful Kindness from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

Saint Badass

Written by Buddhist Books

Saint Badass: Personal Transcendence in Tucker Hell by Doug Carnine is based on a series of letters which were exchanged between the author and four prisoners at Tucker Maximum Security Prison in Arkansas. Doug is a meditation teacher and lay minister in the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, and he began writing to the prisoners when his daughter – who was already in communication with them – asked if he would mind answering a few of their questions about Buddhism.

More than 700 letters were exchanged over a period of seven years, and Saint Badass is based on that wealth of communication, presenting many direct excerpts which allow the reader to hear the experiences of the prisoners – Cody, John, Roy and Tad – in their own words.

>> Look inside this book at Amazon <<

Those experiences are not always easy to read about. The four prisoners were sent to Tucker Max for incredibly serious crimes – three of them for murder and one for an alleged rape – and their letters to Doug don’t gloss over very much. On the contrary, they openly describe not only how they came to be in Tucker in the first place, but also how difficult prison life is for them.

Whilst their individual stories are quite different, the four prisoners all look to Buddhism to try and find some peace in their lives, and later, to try and spread that peace to other inmates. Doug supports them in those efforts, not only by offering compassionate guidance about the Buddhist path, but also in very practical ways, such as by sending supplies to help them develop and share their practice.

Over the course of this narrative, the tone of the letters slowly changes. The prisoners, who initially have so much guilt, shame, regret and personal pain, discover in the practice of Buddhism a peace which enables them to transform their lives despite being incarcerated. Doug’s life is also changed by the ongoing relationships with the prisoners, and he emerges with an even deeper appreciation of the transformative power of compassion and kindness.

Make no mistake, Saint Badass is an incredibly gritty read which is often uncomfortable, but that is also its great strength. No punches are pulled, the prisoners are allowed to speak their minds without censorship, and that makes the resulting transformations even more compelling – and inspiring – than they would have been otherwise.

Whilst readers won’t always like what they read in Saint Badass, they cannot fail to be transformed by it. We commend Doug for the encouragement and guidance that he has given to his Tucker Max correspondents, and we thank him – as well as Cody, John, Roy and Tad – for sharing their experiences in this book.

Buy Saint Badass from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk