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Summary: Excellent overview of how to apply Buddhist philosophy.
Review: Thich Nhat Hanh has written a book on Buddhist thought and practice that will appeal to those who want to gain practical insights from this great religion -- not necessarily a scholarly dissection. And that's the beauty of his work; he does not pick Buddhism apart as an intellectual ego-boosting exercise. Rather, he explains its essence, with clarity and some humor, and offers many sound suggestions for putting Buddhism to daily practice. Isn't this what Buddhism should really be? Moreover, he has such a knack for finding the appropriate metaphors to underscore key points. Example: When explaining the Buddhist principle of acceptance of the inevitability and necessity of suffering for realizing compassion, he likens this to visualizing the flowers that will some day emerge from the center of the compost pile. Hanh is humble in his approach. Never preachy, he doesn't want the reader to convert to any viewpoint -- only to find in Buddhism some tools for personal spiritual growth. I admire Hanh, a humble Buddhist monk in the Zen tradition. He took great personal risks in preaching peace and reconciliation at a time when his home nation of Vietnam and the United States were embroiled in bitter military conflict. He is not asking us to follow him, but to walk alongside him, and make our own discoveries. What a welcome change of pace from all those "sprirituality" books that push political agendas or become the basis of a commercialized enterprise. This one is genuine. Highly recommended for those of any faith. His other books are very worthwhile, too.
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Summary: The Quintessential Buddhism Book !
Review: Thich Nhat Hanh is a living realized Buddhist master. His words are not only inspiring, wise, and profound, but scholarly. He takes the myriad Buddhist teachings and refines, translates them into living gospel suitable for todays' world that should be required reading for everyone. Hinduism (yoga), is the other side of the proverbial spiritual coin, and should be read to integrate it with Buddhism. Sri Chinmoy is the living spiritual master here, and his books ("Commentaries on the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita") and ("Meditation") should also be read by everyone. Other authors/books; Juan Mascaro ("The Dhammapada" and "The Bhagavad Gita"), and Prem Prakash ("The Yoga of Spiritual Devotion- a modern translation of the Narada Bhakti Sutras").
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Summary: A rewarding primer on the path
Review: Thich Nhat Hanh is a very eloquent writer and it clearly shows his devotion to our wellbeing in this presentation of the Dharma.
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Summary: A profoundly healing book
Review: Thich Nhat Hanh's presentation of the "basics" of Buddhism is a first-rate introduction to the essentials of this way of practice and faith. What distinguishes it from similar introductory treatments of Buddhism is its profoundly healing quality. The subtitle, "Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation" could well have been the title. In the Buddhist tradition of both wisdom and compassion, it enlightens the mind and heals the heart. An excellent read for anyone who feels life's difficulty, whether Buddhist or not.
Rating:
Summary: A profoundly healing book
Review: Thich Nhat Hanh's presentation of the "basics" of Buddhism is a first-rate introduction to the essentials of this way of practice and faith. What distinguishes it from similar introductory treatments of Buddhism is its profoundly healing quality. The subtitle, "Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation" could well have been the title. In the Buddhist tradition of both wisdom and compassion, it enlightens the mind and heals the heart. An excellent read for anyone who feels life's difficulty, whether Buddhist or not.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful introduction to buddhism
Review: This book covers all the basics in a poetic, breathtaking style. The heart of the Buddha's teaching was my introduction to Buddhism. I return to this book over and over again for guidance. This book is so easy to read. It is not preachy and dry like some of the other books that I have read on Buddhism. I reccomend any book written by Thich Nhat Hanh.
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Summary: Great Introduction to Buddhism
Review: This book covers the essential teachings of the Buddha. It discusses what exactly terms like "Right Views" mean. It is a must-have book for anyone interested in learning about Buddhism. It covers the noble eightfold path, the four truths, the three jewels, the four immeasurable minds, and much more. It is no doubt one of the best sources for learning about practical Buddhism.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Introduction
Review: This book is great for people who are just beginning to study Buddhism, like myself. This book discusses the basic principles of Buddhisms, and although it does get a little confusing what with all the teachings (i.e. the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Three Doors of Liberation, the Three Dharma Seals ect.) it is very informative, and makes me very excited to continue to learn more about this religion/type of living!
Rating: 
Summary: Not very good
Review: This book is incredibly difficult to read after the first half. There doesn't seem to be a real outline for the book and the later chapters just constantly refresh what you read in the former chapters. There are lots of concepts tossed around but very few are discussed thoroughly and fewer still are expressed in a memorable way. The book is overly complex for being a beginners book. It just jumps around and feels very chaotic. "What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula is still a much better intro to Buddhism than this book. You might find merit in this book if you are experienced in Buddhism but if you are new, pass on it until a later date.
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Summary: This book is my favorite posession.
Review: This book is one of those things that teaches you so much about life that you keep remembering it and repeating it to yourself. It is a source of information, common sense, and deep insight into, not only buddhism, but life. This is as close to a handbook of life as I could imagine. Fine work. -Chris
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