Customer Reviews

Way of the Bull

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you enjoy books about spiritual journeys, other cultures, and/or travel essays, chances are you'll ejoy this one. Mr. Buscaglia is a very warm, friendly, positive person (but not in a sickly-sweet info-mercial way) and this fact comes across as he tours parts of Asia. He is a man who is happy just "being" wherever and with whomever he happens to be. It made want to be that kind of person, too. But he's not selling any "fix your life quick scheme". He's just someone trying to spread joy in his travels. And he spread some to me.

Renown for his writing about the human need for love and relationships, Leo F. Buscaglia shares his travels during the late '60s. Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Saigon, India, and Nepal are some of his destinations.

It has been said it is not the destination but the journey that is important in one's travel. Buscaglia takes this a step further in "The Way of the Bull" and says that it is the relationships you make and the moment you possess that is paramount. He travels below his means to experience the reality of the culture he visits, and his reflections are windows on cultures and caricatures of different societies that he views through the various people he meets. The title, "The Way of the Bull," is taken from a Zen book written in the 12th Century. It also is the way one finds oneself through the process of seeking life, energy, truth and action.

"This way has not always been easy, though it has been wondrous, full of excitement and discovery," Buscaglia says, as he grabs his suitcase and heads toward the approaching bus. "Travel joyously." Recommended

A great book filled with wonderful stories from the far east. I lived on that side of the world for 3 years, so it was great to read stories from these cultures from 30 yrs ago. A fast, uplifting read about humanity.

I really say 3.5 stars. Anyhow, the short work tells of the scholar, and his trip to Asia. He meets various people along the way, most of whom show him kindness, and openly share their culture with him. He is able to understand the wisdom of the people in lands such as Japan, Hong Kong, India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Nepal (to name a few). He describes the natural beauty of the places he visits, as well as the people. His accounts are honest and from the heart.

I enjoyed the little book, and found it to tickle my interest to make a similar journey, but something larger would have been more engaging. As it is, the book calls us to be aware of our journeys, wherever they may lead us, and to be aware and grateful for what we encounter along the way.

For me, this book was a departure from the Leo Buscaglia I was used to. I always liked catching his lectures on PBS, and I read his fantastic book, "loving Each Other" and also "Personhood". Where-as the afore mentioned titles are written along the lines of more of a course on the subject of love; "The Way of the Bull" and something more of a travelogue where L.B. journeys East Asia and India and embarks upon making many interesting and profound connections with the people he meets.

The theme of the book has to do with journeys; not only L.B.'s journey through Asia, but everyman's journey. He explains the glimpses he gets of people on their life journies in places such as Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Bali, India, and Nepal.

Even though this book is from about 1970, the relevence to Asia is still viable. Like now, Buscaglia experiences Asia in a transition, and he becomes deeply moves by the heart and will of the Asians. As someone who has been to China, adopted a Chinese child; and has worked among the Southeast Asian American communities for some time, I can understand his enthusiasm. I too, I am quite fascinated by the Far Eastern peoples, their stories and philosophies.

I have also traveled to a remote village in Central America, and can relate to Buscaglia's deep sense of culture shock and amazement of how some people can live so simply.

L.B.'s book also encourages one to look more deeply at his or her own life journey and think about from whence we came and to where we are going.

As always I am quite taken in by Dr. Leo Buscaglia. Along with Lin Yutang, Thich Nhat Hanh, Paulo Coelho, and Og Mandino; he is one of my favorite inspirational and motivational writers.

According to Oriental philosophy, going back to the 12th century, the bull represents life, energy, truth, and action. But once found, the bull cannot be tethered; he must be free. Describes us Taurus-born people to a "T."

A person should indulge in the process of seeking insight and finding himself. If you go down false paths into dead ends, away from your true nature, you suffer loneliness and despair. If you get lost along the way, you find disappointments, confusion, pain and fears.

American society is based on a person's wealth and possessions. He started questioning, "If man is his 'things,' what happens to him when he loses them or they are taken from him?" That is a perplexing illumination to ponder.

He feels that life is a trip, not a goal; and often a person becomes 'fixed' so much on the end that he totally missed life as it should have been. He decided to take The Way Of The Bull to find his purpose in life.

Life isn't the goal; it's the voyage in a creative existence -- in wonder, joy, peace and love. If you stick with the Way and learn from those you meet on your travels, it will lead you back to yourself, the only place where you can ever become. Feel free to explore other societies and places to help you grow along the way.

In this part of his journey through Life, he visited folks in Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Ceylon, India, Bali, Hong Kong, Saigon, Calcutta, and Nepal. Sounds like one of Paul Theroux's travel books? Buscaglia has written numerous books on the subject of Love, Personhood: Art of Being Fully Human, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf, and Bus 9 to Paradise.

Buscaglia does give an interesting account of Asian and Indian cultures. He tries to give a clearer snapshot than one would get on a whirlwind tourist trip. Seems to be rather successful in doing so. However, the book would have been a much better read if he had left out the quest for religious enlightenment.