Breakfast with Buddha

"Breakfast with Buddha" by Roland Merullo
published 2007 by Algonquin Books

Enlightening. I have to say it. Somehow Merullo managed to create a fictional character who embodies a plethera of true mystical and religious beliefs. And he wrote a novel that didn't shock me or frighten me or depress me at the end!

In this book, the protagonist is tricked by his sister into taking a holy man on a cross country trip. What makes this trip memorable isn't just the religious growth of the protagonist through conversation, meditation, and the occasional yoga pose, but the true-to-life side trips that the pair embark upon. A culinary oasis in the middle of Dutch Pennsylvia, an artchitectural tour of Chicago, a speedo-clad dip in a family-friendly lake, etc. All touched upon with a subtle and sincere dose of humor.

Merullo asks the reader to look at their own beliefs, to think about what is truly important in life, but he never gets preachy. This isn't a guide for the path to enlightenment. It isn't a handbook to Buddhism. It is simply the story of one's man's journey and how keeping an open mind made all the difference.