WAKE UP A Life of the Buddha

Kerouac's Buddhist gospel is based on scriptures about the Buddha's life and teachings. Danny Campbell's slightly smoky voice—intelligent but unpretentious—fits this complex book by a sometimes difficult writer who, nevertheless, aims at appealing to the average listener. Campbell’s expressive, clear, yet soft and intimate, delivery befits Kerouac’s take on the Buddha, who speaks compassionately to a beloved disciple more often than he preaches to a crowd. But the material is full of difficult concepts, and foreign names and terms from Buddhist history and philosophy. Also, Kerouac quotes from outdated translations, making for awkward phrases and imperfect translations ("law" for "dharma"). Despite Campbell's efforts, and some profound passages, this spoken text remains hard to get into and, in places, hard to stay with. W.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2008]