Monday

Best Buddhist Book of 2011

This Just In: Walking the Tiger’s Path, the memoir by Paul Kendel, just won an award as one of the Best Books in the USA for 2011! It was the sole winner in the Buddhist books category. The book was also a finalist for Biography/Memoir. Congratulations to Shambhalian Paul Kendel!!

Paul M. Kendel (SSG Ret.) deployed with his National Guard unit out of Georgia to Iraq in 2005 hoping to use his knowledge of that land to bridge the gap between American soldiers and Iraqi civilians. However, the realities of war crushed his idealism when his buddies began dying at the hands of the enemy six weeks after their arrival. Eventually, his ongoing concern for the Iraqi people alienated some of his comrades, and he felt the sting of growing conflict within himself.

Turning to the books on Buddhist teachings he had brought with him, he found solace in the written words, but he longed for more. On a whim, he emailed Shambhala International and requested assistance. An unexpected response and ongoing support from Buddhist teacher and meditation instructor Margot Neuman helped him to retain a sane and humble humanity in a situation that often plummeted into lethal insanity.

This book addresses the horrors of war from an extraordinary human perspective. SSG. Kendel did not lose his compassion in the face of grave risk, nor did he endanger fellow soldiers while he remained true to himself – rare feats in our violent world.

Walking the Tiger’s Path is a vivid account of Paul’s journey from the razor wire of the war to his meetings with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Pema Chodron and the very different world of Shambhala. To read President Richard Reoch’s review of the book previously published on the Shambhala Times, click here.

Please purchase and order your own copy of the book directly from SSG Kendel’s own website: www.walkingthetigerspath.com. Purchasing the book through SSG Kendel’s supports him directly, and he’ll send you an autographed copy.