This is much more than an armchair adventure read. Bruce takes us on the inner journey, where the insights come as fast and furious as the exotic locales. From the bazaars of Morocco, to caves in Turkey, the Taj Mahal, Himalayas, and beyond, his unique explorations resonate with anyone looking to illuminate their own inner path. The journey itself keeps asking, “who am I, and where am I going?” Sex, drugs and inner turmoil, set in the Vietnam war times, give way to discovering the spiritual treasures of the East. From gardens of ecstasy to dangerous crossings, the external environs mirror the questions within, the seeking for inner peace and clarity that only comes when one opens, and least expects it.
- Victor La Cerva MD author of Letters To A Young Man In Search of Himself
Berlin’s account of his year-long odyssey as a young man offers a journey well worth following. A spiritual quest for deeper meaning, his story demonstrates how the practice of “letting go…and allowing whatever arose in the present moment” can be a guide to transforming our lives. His memoir contains many lessons we can all benefit from.
- Henry Shukman author of One Blade of Grass and Original Love
A heartwarming memoir that captures the transformative spirit of the ‘60s and the timeless yearning of the soul to know its purpose.
- Charlotte Levinson Charlotte Levinson
Much to the dismay of his parents, 27-year-old Bruce Berlin stepped away from his nascent legal career to embark alone on a year-long spiritual “magical mystery tour” through Europe and overland to India and Nepal. Berlin was what Buddhists call a hungry ghost: someone “who could never quench his thirst or satisfy his cravings…driven by intense emotional needs…” He was “open to wherever his travels might take” him. Finally landing in a Buddhist monastery in Nepal, he discovered “that you don’t have to know where you’re going to get where you want to be.” Fifty-two years later, Berlin revisits his trip and discovers “Everything happened for a reason, though we might have no idea what that reason was.” I think Buddha would agree. Berlin’s book is the story of a meditative, and sometimes harrowing, journey on the other side of the glob, that swept me up like a hitchhiker absorbing each sound and sight for the first vivid time.
- Albert Norman author of Slam-Dunking Walmart, and Ravings: American Wild Talk.
Bruce Berlin’s memoir takes the reader on a journey, filled with adventure, that led to his finding meaning in his life and an enduring spiritual path. He captures what it is like for a young man to explore the world and his mind. His travels created the foundation for a life of purpose from which the world has greatly benefited through his work for social change. His odyssey is an inspiration to all those who are searching for their way in the world.
- Nomi Green MA ordained member of the Buddhist Order of Interbeing by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hahn
Bruce Berlin leaves a predictable pathway as a young lawyer to take an epic global journey in the counter-culture of the 1970’s in search of life’s meaning. But his thirst is not quenched by alluring places and people throughout Europe and Asia. Rather, he discovers an inward spiritual journey which finally grounds his soul. This revealing personal account from Bruce’s past offers inspiration for contemporary seekers.
- Wesley Granberg-Michaelson Author, The Soul Work of Justice: Four Movements of Contemplative Action.
Bruce’s story is a pithy reminder of the baby boomers’ odyssey. His memoir invites us to revisit that quest for meaning and direction during those iconic years when so much was in turmoil. Take this journey with Bruce and remember, or discover, an era that was pivotal in American history.
- The Rev. Dr. Holly Beaumont Organizing Director, Interfaith Worker Justice – New Mexico
