'Breakfast with Buddha' Insights

‘…that there was another dimension to this life as surely as the earth turned; that there were people, there had always been people, who sensed that dimension and made some kind of leap of faith to be in harmony with it’ - Roland Merullo, Breakfast With Buddha

Breakfast with Buddha is a light, introspective and enlightening read that I personally enjoyed. It reminded me of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love and for some relevant-to-subject-matter reason, I kept hearing the literary voice of Anthony Bourdain in the background. Perhaps quite understandably as the main character was also a food books editor from New York.

In a signature Roland Merullo fashion, this work enables one to explore the depths of spirituality, through the contrast between a very unlikely pair: a monk and a skeptical New Yorker.

Subtle yet powerful, it showcases the high-level understanding of what it truly means to internally connect with oneself, devoid of any pre-programmed religious, cultural, or external influences.

What is unique about this piece is that however simple the plot is, a road trip across America between two polar opposites, the interactions between the characters bring to the surface enriching insights about the most profound aspects of daily living. Family life, marriage, passion, carnal pleasure, food, the body, and the mind, all of which are given thought to through banter, dialogue, and reflections by the main character.

The whimsical simplicity of its narrative keeps the reader’s guard down, thus allowing one to accept the flow of ideas as they are. Written in such a way that discards judgment or impositions to how one interprets the philosophical insights of this work makes the reader receptive to its perspective — a, literary style that Merullo is indeed known for.

Deep, refreshing, and endearing, this book leaves the reader with a robust encouragement of viewing life with presence.