An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World

Spanning centuries, covering the globe, and encompassing politics, philosophy and religion, The End of Suffering is both unprecedented in its scope and immaculate in its execution. An accomplished and impressive history of the Buddha, it separates the man and his beliefs from the many myths and ideologies that have since become synonymous with his name. On a more personal level, Mishra describes his travels in search of the Buddha and, in doing so, offers glimpses into his own quest for enlightenment, from childhood to September 11, from family background to friends met and made, from lessons learned to achievements as a writer. The End of Suffering also provides an account of India's post-colonial past -- and hope for its future. A moving and occasionally horrifying description of a country in chaos, the India that emerges in Mishra's writing is one struggling to forge an independent identity for itself amid talk of revolution, amid the legacy of imperialism, the violence and brutality of an oppressive caste system, and the continued influence of the West. In so combining stories of the Buddha, India and Mishra himself, the latter reveals the parallels between their respective jou