New Edition of The Lady and the Monk

IB Taurus has published an updated (2006) paperback version of Pico Iyer's 1992 book The Lady and the Monk. Here's some of what Pico Iyer encountered when he spent a year in a Kyoto monastery studying Zen: "Monks who cherish Mickey Mouse and collect motorbikes, hardened businessmen who read love poetry and geishas who visit temples." He also met Sachiko (the lady of the title) . . . and thereby hangs the tale. Pico Iyer is a wonderful writer with a knack for making the most unlikely subjects interesting. With material such as this, he can't fail to be fascinating.