I was excited to find this at my local Barnes and Noble; being familar with the Dharma books written by Kerouac, I eager to give this one a read. It wasn't exactly what I expected. I guess I thought it would read much like "On the Road" and "The Dharma Bums". The language is a bit like reading a King James Bible, due to the reliance on Goddard's "The Buddhist Bible" but the Kerouac stream of consciousness is apparent. A little complex for a biography of Buddha Shakyamuni (leaving out many biographical details in favor of teaching philosophical lessons from various sutras), its complexity illustrates the depth of Kerouac's knowledge and devotion to Buddhism. The well-written introduction by Robert Thurman explains the ideas behind the book itself.
I look forward also reading Kerouac's other dharmic collection "Some of the Dharma".
