Johanne's Reviews > The Way of Zen

I have read this book in the hopes of gaining some background knowledge on Zen Buddhism, to help me in my studies of Japanese Art. Although the book is indeed very thorough and supplies a wealth of knowledge of the origin of Zen and of Buddhism as a whole, before moving on to the specifics of its appliance to the arts in China and Japan, it is written in such a way that is often hard for the uninitiated to follow and understand. Buddhism being as it is foreign to most Westerners, the Indian vocabulary that goes with it is an obstacle for many, and this book, although excellent for the quality of its information, does a poor job at vulgarizing it for lay people.

Worth a read if you're interested in the subject, but be prepared to make a focused reading.