BUDDHA

This fascinating biography discusses the life of Buddha and his quest for Nirvana, truth, awareness of self, and inner peace. Most interesting is Armstrong's placement of Buddha within the historical, religious, and philosophical contexts of his time. The fifth century BCE was an era of great change, as illustrated in the lives and teachings of Socrates, Plato, Confucius, and Zoroaster. Armstrong uses these developments, along with those in India, to bring Buddha and his inner struggles to life. Kate Reading superbly moves along the text, keeping pace with Armstrong's ideas and hypotheses. Indian words are enunciated clearly with intonation that sounds authentic. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 01]