Call Me by My True Names

March 5, 2001

A Buddhist monk, poet and Zen master, Hanh fled his native Vietnam during the war and became a peace activist, eventually settling in France. He now has followers throughout the world. On this tape—based on a visit Hanh made to San Francisco—he answers questions about his calling and his life, stating his beliefs matter-of-factly, in heavily accented but easily understood English. The second of the two cassettes presents a recording of Hanh's appearance at Grace Cathedral, where he recited poetry, occasionally accompanied by singers, and explained his vision of the world. Sometimes he's quite funny; he says that people should breathe deeply and meditate when they hear the ringing of a phone, rather than immediately answering it. His poetry usually deals with life trials such as the rape and murder of villagers. He is an articulate and emotional speaker, but this audio book will appeal primarily to people who are already familiar with Hanh's work, since those listening to Hanh for the first time may find this disjointed audio an underwhelming introduction to the Zen master. Based on the 1993 Parallax hardcover.