Shopping for Buddhas [Paperback]

Jeff Greenwald (Author)

Book Description

Series: Travel Literature | Publication Date: September 1, 1996

There was a need for non-attachment, to be sure; but also a prerequisite of knife-like resolve. Here in this exotic land, we were compelled to raise the art of shopping to an experience that was, on the other hand, tinged with desperation, like shopping at Macy's during a one-day-only White Sale.

Shopping for Buddhas is Jeff Greenwald's story of his obsessive search for the perfect Buddha statue. In the backstreets of Kathmandu, he discovers more than he bargained for...and his souvenir-hunting turns into an ironic metaphor for the clash between spiritual riches and material greed. Politics, religion and serious shopping collide in Jeff Greenwald's witty, thought-provoking account of his experiences in Nepal.

Jeff Greenwald is the author of the best-selling travelogue The Size of the World.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Waist-high snow, a flying lama and the first escalator in Kathmandu are among the many attractions Greenwald experienced during his stays in Nepal. His often flip tone belies a serious purpose, and his account of shopping for just the right statue of Buddha illuminates various aspects of Nepalese culture. He discusses some of the gods and beliefs of Hinduism and proposes his own list of possible bodhisattvas, whom he describes as people who "recognize . . . their peculiar function" in life (including Mother Teresa and John Lennon). He learns of the Nepalese concept of perfect art, seeks the advice of a guru who wears Ray-Bans and faces the maneuverings of shopkeepers who cater to foreign buyers. Nor does Greenwald overlook the darker side of this country, now undergoing political upheavals. Nepal has been the site of documented human rights abuses, its royal family exploits the country's resources and may be central to promoting drug trafficking there, foreign aid to this impoverished country is distributed among a small number of people, and valuable works of art from temples are being smuggled out of the country. Greenwald is a contributing editor to SF Magazine. Author tour.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-- While sounding like a shopping guide for Nepal at the beginning, this book leads readers into some strange, appalling, and extremely uplifting experiences. This true account of Greenwald's various Nepal trips--the last in 1989--shows an outstanding way with words, as the author keeps readers entertained and aghast at a Tibetan flying through the air, Nepalese having a first escalator ascent, the back alleys of Kathmandu, an electrified crow, and the looting of Nepalese treasures. For those wanting a good adventure and a little religion and philosophy, it is an enlightening account. For those needing more multicultural materials, it's a godsend.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 086442471X
• ISBN-13: 978-0864424716
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,046,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mordantly funny, but also informative and moving, January 18, 1999

By 

Stephen O. Murray "Stephen O. Murray" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shopping for Buddhas (Paperback)

Although often very funny, the book is not frivolous. There is plenty of self-deprecating humor in it, some of it quite broad, but there is also searing criticism of corruption (exporting looted antiquities and importing heroin, both tied to the Nepali royal family) and the corruption of production of images of gods, goddesses, and Buddhas for the tourist market. Some of the humor is very mordant. I happened to be reading this book in another tourist-overrun part of Southeast Asia where there are many shoddy Buddhas for sale, and just after reading Mark Twain's _Roughing It_. _Shopping for Buddhas_ seemed to me more reliable and every bit as funny as Mark Twain's tale of going and staying in the American West and getting halfway to Kathmandu (Hawai'i).

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Happy trails, February 18, 2000

By 

Piper1025 (IL, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shopping for Buddhas (Paperback)

I think travel, regardless of the country(ies) it might take you, is perhaps best approached with a touch of whimsy and a sense of adventure. Truly seasoned travelers have the ability and willingness to absorb another culture while laughing at both the experiences they face and at the preconceived notions they bring with them. I've just finished Shopping with Buddhas and Greenwald seems to be that kind of traveler.

I enjoyed this book because, among other things, it brought the colors of the subcontinent (where I grew up) to life. Greenwald spends most of the book in a near obsessive hunt for a perfect statue of the Buddha, only to find it when he is least expecting it and at a price he is hesitant to pay. Which, when you think about it, is an interesting reflection on how things of true value come to us when we least expect it, and ask of us a price we may not be willing to pay at first. I also like that Greenwald is unafraid to take whimsical potshots at his western outlook on many eastern situations! I grew up in the subcontinent and now live in the West, so I do exactly the same thing-in reverse!

An interesting read whether you are headed to the East or, like me, are a commuter dreaming of warmer climes!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Travel and adventure in Nepal, April 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Shopping for Buddhas (Paperback)

The first stories written bu Jeff Greenwald I had chance to read in the wonderful book Traveler's Tales - Hong Kong, where he happened to be one of the contributors. So when I saw the book written by Greenwald himself, I could not resist but test his writing again. If you are looking for the enlightments or truly literary achievement, do not waste your time. This book will not give you that. However, if you are looking into exploring in 200 pages or less adventures of California man in search of perfect Buddha statue in Nepal, then go for it. The book will give you another perspective of expatriates abroad who are trying to make ends meet, but at the same time are genuinely drawn to the mysticism of the Far East. Mr. Greenwald is not pretending to be the one who will bring Buddhism closer to Western world's. Rather, in his own way he brings us to HIS story of the way(s) of finding perfect Buddha statue. Light read, lots of fun. And you can always give this book to a friend for fun read after you are finished yourself...