Dena was a busy midwife trapped on the hamster wheel of working motherhood. Adam was an eccentric Buddhist yogi passing as a hard-working dad. Bella was fourteen and wanted to be normal. Sophia was up for anything that involved skipping school. Together, they shouldered backpacks, walked away from their California life of all-night births, carpool schedules, and Cal Skate, and criss-crossed India … India and Nepal for eight months—a journey that led them to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the tree where the Buddha sat, and the arms of Amma the Divine Mother. From the banks of the Ganges to the Himalayan roof of the world, this enthralling memoir is an unforgettable odyssey, a moving meditation on modern family life, and a spiritual quest, written with humor and honesty—and filled with love and awe.
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I really enjoyed reading this travel memoir. The author’s family spend six months traveling through the India. During their travels they also have a spiritual journey and learn how to live as a family again. The writing is very good and the author does a wonderful job with taking you on her travels. Enjoy the journey
I loved this book. I don’t read a lot of travel memoirs, but I happened to hear her read when I was going to hear another author, and the story sounded so inspirational that I bought the book and basically devoured it in a few days, it has everything: Action, adventure, heart-warming moments with children, inspiration, a spiritual quest and also some very realistic marital drama… all set against such a vibrant, and for me, exotic local. Even though she took an adventure that was so much bigger than anything I’ve ever done- I could relate to her so much- and it made me think… maybe I could go on a huge adventure? Or at least a spiritual quest…
“Buddhists believe that the karma you make in this life affects the conditions of your future lives.”
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This was such a mesmerizing memoir & so beautifully written! I truly enjoyed following this quirky/brave family’s journey of living in another country and immersing themselves completely so they could truly understand & experience their true spiritual path. I’ve always been curious about Buddhism & this book really answered so many questions for me & helped me to understand & appreciate all it has to offer. Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours & @denamoeswriter for giving me this opportunity to read such a fascinating book! Great for bookclub discussions as well, I definitely recommend!
The Buddha Sat Right Here by Dena Moes is a wonderful memoir. This book drew me in from the first page and kept me turning the pages well into the night I could not put this book down. This book is very well written, the descriptions are so vivid you feel you are right there traveling the 8 months with the Moes family. When the author describes the countryside you can see it in your mind, when she describes the food you can almost taste it. I really enjoyed the honesty about the trials and tribulations and the way each of the family members found themselves. I love that she let her daughters have a voice in this book, at one point Dena shows a letter written by her younger daughter who is dyslexic untouched and left just as her daughter wrote it. This book will make you laugh and it will make you cry but you will never forget it. I will definitely be reading this book again.
This book takes you on a vivid journey with a woman, her two children and her husband, as they spend eight months traversing India and Nepal, pursuing the spiritual destinations and teachers of their Buddhist beliefs. We never lose sight of the American perspective of our author. As we witness India through her eyes, the beauty and the filth, the lavish and the impoverished, the crowds and the vast wilderness, we experience the kindness and generosity of the Indian people and the strong sense of community that touches them. And along with this adventure, we watch the relationships within the family unfold in their emotional journey of change.
A well written and beautiful book.
WOW! Dena Moes, “The Buddha Sat Right Here” “A Family Odyssey Through India and Nepal,” writes a unique memoir, and vividly describes and writes about her family, their travels, the landscape, the food and the people in India and surrounding areas. At times I forgot that this was a memoir, especially when she described her family. I appreciate all the memories that Dena has written about traveling in India, sharing her most private thoughts, and those of her family. What is impressive is that there are excerpts from her daughter writing her impressions and most private thoughts as well.
I felt like I had purchased a ticket and was traveling with the Moes family. Dena writes both about the beauty and ugliness, the wealth and the poverty, and the religion and beliefs in India. The author has a way of writing to appeal to the senses, I could smell, feel, touch, taste, hear and feel many things. For example, when Dena spoke about food, she described how some dishes tasted, smelled like, look like, felt like and hear what was going around.
I do admire the Moes family for traveling for months as a family, which seemed to be a wonderful learning experience for the children. The family was in tight quarters most of the time, and Dena has great insight into what has made her unhappy. Dena is a Midwife/Nurse and has delivered many babies, takes care of her home, has the responsibilities of her family and has little time left for her. She questions why.
In India, she sees that there is a sisterhood that helps one another in times of need. This was an extremely well-written book, and I recommend that you read this to learn the cultural differences and a families’ journey into traveling and learning about themselves.
Part “Eat Pray Love,” part “Family Vacation,” this bold and beautiful memoir is must read for every mother who every wonders if there’s another way (which means every mother almost every day)!