The Star Spangled Buddhist

May 13, 2013
As Buddhism grows in America, it can be difficult to keep track of the different schools that have penetrated the culture since they began proliferating during the 20th century. Ourvan, a Buddhist practitioner, attorney, and literary agent, offers a succinct but illuminating overview of Zen, Tibetan, and Soka Gakkai Buddhism. Organized in sections by the Three Jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha), the book tracks the historical and theoretical development of these three different Buddhist schools, their introduction into American culture, and the way they view their place in our society today. Ourvan’s experience as a Soka Gakkai practitioner testifies to the transformational effect of meditation that increasing numbers have come to know in recent years. This highly informative book is especially suited to the reader who lacks a background in Buddhism, though it is also a satisfying refresher course for anyone with prior knowledge. Agent: Jennifer Lyons, Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency

Starred review from August 1, 2013

Attorney and literary agent Ourvan has written an endearing field guide to the major sects of Buddhism in this country: Zen, Tibetan, and Soka Gakkai International, in which he himself was a senior leader for a time. At once a slice of memoir and an informal but well-researched history of Buddhism's remarkable and growing success in the United States, Ourvan's brief account touches upon personalities, events, and doctrines. VERDICT An accessible history of modern Buddhism in America, Ourvan's book fills a crucial gap, and deserves to attract many academic and nonacademic readers.

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