I was not able to get into this book despite trying.

A clear and warm picture of the practice of Buddhist philosophy.
I highly recommend this book for people interested in knowing, understanding and applying in their lives the principles of Buddhist philosophy. It is written in a very enjoyable, well structured, all concepts are well explained and detailed enough, contains a useful section of Q & A and glossary. The style of the author is very clear and warm, it mixes the richness of information with the beauty of this philosophy to be applied by anyone and benefit from their practices.
I believe that Buddhism is a great philosophy, of high level of consciousness and love, with great beauty and coherence, that guarantees freedom from suffering if it is practiced properly and with perseverance. It is a book that can be read by all people to be part of their universal cultural education. The self-development and personal growth that these practices provide are being researched scientifically, and the beneficial impact it brings is becoming increasingly well known. Self-knowledge and the development of compassion are key elements for achievement, success, healthy and joyful relationships, sustained balance and happiness, and a more coherent life.
My gratitude to the Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review the book

The Buddha Journey – Questions and Answers for the Awakening Mind was written by Quang Tri. This book is a great introduction to what Buddhism is and how it is practiced. This is the first book on Buddhism I have read and I was not very familiar with the details of Buddhism prior to this book. I think I have learned quite a bit from this one book and it really did answer some of my questions.

The format of the book made it easy to read and it would be easy to look up particular sections, if you have questions about certain subjects. The beginning chapters give the reader an overview of the history of Buddhism. We learn who the Buddha was; he started life as Prince Siddhartha Gautama in 623 B.C. His life was pretty easy at first, living in luxurious palaces and wanting for nothing. He was 45 years old when he ventured out of the palace and saw things that he’d never seen before. This causes him to reexamine his life and all that he knows. He flees the palace and lives on his own for the first time in his life. From there, he learns the lessons that later became the wisdom of Buddhism. His life story is fascinating!

The second part of the book begins showing the reader what Buddhism is. We learn of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. There is a chapter on the Twelve Links of Dependent Organization, and then a chapter on Karma. I did not know that there were different kinds of karma, but the book details all of them. Then, there is a section on meditation, which is very important to Buddhist practices.

The third part of the book talks about compassion and loving-kindness, core precepts of Buddhism. There are sections in these chapters with what you might call frequently asked questions. The question is asked and the author gives a detailed answer so that the learner can see how a Buddhist would handle that particular situation.

There are many more chapters and sections, covering a wide range of topics. All have a similar format. The beginning of the chapter explains the concept. Then, that is followed by a section of frequently asked questions, with the answers given.

There is a comprehensive glossary of Buddhist terms at the end of the book to help you with any terminology you don’t understand. As for myself, since I was not at all familiar with Buddhist except for a very rudimentary knowledge, this section was very helpful to me.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who is curious about Buddhism. It will also be useful to experienced practitioners of Buddhism who have questions. The writing is easy to understand and terminology is all explained so that laypeople can get it. It is an excellent overview and introduction for those of us seeking to learn more, but also contains details for those who already understand Buddhism but want to take their studies deeper into more detail.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.