Happiness Becomes You

November 16, 2020
Legendary singer Turner (My Love Story) shares her spiritual life in this simple yet affecting memoir. “I sincerely believe that you can change anything for good by weaving an awareness of your inherent Buddha nature into the fabric of your daily life,” she writes. A practicing Buddhist, Turner details how her involvement with Sokka Gakkai International, an international network of Nichiren Buddhists, changed her life—and name-drops a few famous friends involved along the way, such as jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, whom Turner leaned on and even performed Buddhist chants with during times of stress. Turner also expounds on personal tragedies she has endured, including recent serious health problems (a stroke, intestinal cancer, and liver failure) and the loss of her eldest son to suicide in 2018, and how she pulled herself out of darkness through her devotion to the teachings of Nichiren, a 13th-century Japanese philosopher. Along the way, Turner’s tales coalesce into an uncomplicated manual (with a peppering of inspiration quotes and a useful glossary) for practicing her particular method of finding peace. Music fans and spiritualists alike will find much to appreciate in this revealing work.