A review by melimelimiele
Buddha by Karen Armstrong

5.0

This was just the primer I was looking for to learn a little more about the context of Buddhism, and the Buddha himself. I'm not sure if others had this problem, but for me it was difficult to find a biographical historical book on the Buddha because, as the saying goes, "if you see the Buddha, kill the Buddha." In other words, Buddhism is not about person worship. However, to me it is helpful to learn the history of something before delving in more deeply; this book provides that base. Karen Armstrong takes you through the Buddha's spiritual quest, from seeking an alternative path as Gotama, to his various trials with groups of Monks and different ways of life, to his great awakening, and beyond. She also explains, but not in too great of detail, the Four Noble Truths and other foundational components of Buddhism. What I enjoyed most was his story alongside what was happening in history around this time; namely the Axial age. This was a period where many people in the world were turning to religion for understanding. I found this to be a fascinating side story. This book was also a graciously easy read.