When his sister tricks him into taking her guru on a trip to their childhood home, Otto Ringling, a confirmed skeptic, is not amused. Six days on the road with an enigmatic holy man who answers every question with a riddle is not what he’d planned. But in an effort to westernize his passenger–and amuse himself–he decides to show the monk some “American fun” along the way. From a chocolate … factory in Hershey to a bowling alley in South Bend, from a Cubs game at Wrigley field to his family farm near Bismarck, Otto is given the remarkable opportunity to see his world–and more important, his life–through someone else’s eyes. Gradually, skepticism yields to amazement as he realizes that his companion might just be the real thing.
In Roland Merullo’s masterful hands, Otto tells his story with all the wonder, bemusement, and wry humor of a man who unwittingly finds what he’s missing in the most unexpected place.
A sequel, entitled Lunch with Buddha, is now available. In a starred review, Kirkus magazine called this novel which continues the journey of Otto and Rinpoche, “a beautifully written and compelling story about a man’s search for meaning that earnestly and accessibly tackles some well-trodden but universal questions” and a “quiet meditation on life, death, darkness and spirituality, sprinkled with humor, tenderness and stunning landscapes.”
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A superb read. Very enjoyable. Not what I expected at all. A roadtrip narrative with many twists and turns.
Enjoyed this journey immensely!
Makes you wonder how you can adapt the philosophy to your own life!
Delightful! An easy way to learn a bit more about Buddhism, but the chuckles may only be available to those who are somewhat informed on that subject.
This was the first book I read by this author, and then, he had me and my husband. It is a great read and one that inspired us to go looking for more.
Travels with Charlie, only Charlie is an odd zen monk. Loved it
We are reading this as a book club selection. I learned a lot, was entertained and the message was inspirational. I am looking forward to reading more of his books.
A quirky little read that tells the story of a man’s growth and development on his road to enlightenment.
I loved this book! I gave copies of it to several of my friends. It was chock-full of a realistic and attainable love. It filled me with hope and happiness. I only gave it four stars because I reserve five stars for perfection. But I highly recommend.
I thoroughly enjoyed the read. a great fresh story that differentiates itself from the usual spirituality ramblings.
I loved this book so much that I bought the others in the series. The story surrounds a brother and his sister, plus a buddha-like guru. The brother and his sister start out in very different philosophical corners but gradually…well…you’ll see. Not only is this book a great road trip story but there’s lot to learn along the way.
Really enjoyed this book. Funny and entaining
It gave me a lot to think about without being too “preachy.”
I enjoyed this little road trip book. Very thought provoking at times.
It was really enjoyable and a page turner. While characters seemed far fetched, they resonated with some of the people I have come across in my circle. Also enjoyed the different spiritual perspectives.
I liked this book very much. I was actually life changing as were the other books in the series. I view the world a little differently now and take more time to appreciate and observe it. I found the characters delightful. I smiled, laughed, teared up, and felt a sense of peace while reading this book. I highly recommend this book and the others that follow.
I read this book years ago, and it has stayed with me…there are not too many books that I can say that about. Really worth reading.
This is a terrific book about finding and becoming your best self, releasing expectations, looking for the unexpected. It changed my life.
Loved it – have read the next four!!
A great and thoughtful read.
I plan to read it again.