The Gods Drink Whiskey

by Stephen T. Asma

Book Overview

Buddhism, Booze, and the Four Noble Truths

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060834501
• ISBN13: 9780060834500
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

a great read on Buddhism and Cambodia

I have just finished reading this book for the second time. The first was about one year ago after a trip to Southeast Asia and then again when I had returned from another trip to Cambodia and Thailand. Cambodia is a truly remarkable place and I am also an avid Buddhism student, and I can say that on both of these fronts Dr. Asma has done an excellent and thoroughly entertaining job. His Cambodian stories all rang true to my experiences there and had me alternating between laughing out loud and in tears with memories of the people I met and the places I had visited. The Buddhism discussions are excellent at explaining complex ideas in an understandable manner. I TRULY enjoyed both aspects of this book and highly recommend it for anyone interested in Buddhism, or anyone who plans to, or already has traveled to Cambodia (a truly great place with wonderful people, who have had more than their share of suffering)

Poignant!

Browsing the section on Buddhism, I chanced upon a curiously titled book that was missing its jacket cover and appeared misplaced. In retrospect, this was a fortuitous event that subsequently allowed me the great pleasure of immersing myself in Dr. Asma's absorbing work. He impresses with both his erudition and extraordinary capacity for conveying mise-en-scene. I will not attempt to recapitulate some of the already eloquently articulated comments presented by a number of previous individuals (refer, especially, to Mike Choe's review) except to say that Dr. Asma's ability to communicate some of the richness and influence of Theravada, within the specific cultural context of Cambodian society, is truly remarkable. Not only does he comment generously from a social and interpersonal perspective, but from an intrapersonal mindset as well. He shares a number of thought provoking insights, alternating smoothly between witticism and sobriety. Ultimately, I found this book to be an extremely satisfying read and one which made a most significant and, hopefully, lasting impact on me. I can say unreservedly, that it ranks as one of my all time favorites. My sincerest thanks to Dr. Asma for taking the time to author this exceptional writing.

Surprisingly funny.

You wouldn't think that an adventure set in the land of the Killing Fields could be humorous, but the author gives us a side of Cambodia that many of us have never seen. Without downplaying the violence and chaos, Asma shows us that there is far more to this part of the world than just misery. The local people he meets are warm, hopeful, and deeply spiritual people, and the expats are quirky characters that make you laugh one minute and horrify the next. The Buddhism here is complex too and Asma proves an excellent guide.

Finally: The Original Buddhism Arrives in America

Apparently the forms of Buddhism known in America represent only the smallest fraction of Buddhism worldwide. This author journeys to Cambodia to teach and learn more about the oldest and purest form of Buddhism: Theravada. As in his other books, he puts himself squarely into the story, and his own personal travails deepen the intent and content of the book. I now want to learn more about Theravada Buddhism, and I will use his references in the back of the book to find more to read. Interestingly, Thomas Jefferson's search for what he called "happiness," combined with his interest in death, seems strikingly consistent with many aspects of Buddhism. Thank you, Steven, for another great book. Your honesty is refreshing in an age of duplicity.

Stumbling in the Right Direction!

I was first drawn to this book by the awesome title, and I was not disappointed. The jacket copy makes the book seem like it's going to be a lightweight and sensationalistic story, but don't be fooled. Right from the start the author digs into what he calls "philosophical journalism." He tells a riveting story about his adventures in Southeast Asia (page turning stuff, as a travelogue ), but all the while he is weaving in more and more of the deep ideas of Buddhism. The author actually moved to Cambodia for a while to teach and study Buddhism, and his "outsider" status gives rise to some funny cultural episodes. But he's also got one foot back in the States, and gives us some interesting comparisons of East and West. Without really noticing it, you are learning a lot about the fundamentals and the idiosyncrasies of the region's spiritual traditions -but Asma does this by telling stories rather than lecturing the reader (although a few times he cuts loose on some pretty funny rants -like his comparison of American pop-culture and Southeast Asian youth culture). The author is such a comical travel companion (he barfs at a sacred shrine from food poisoning, and sings bad karaoke at a bar, and gets high on hemp pizza, etc.) that you don't realize you're slowly wading into deeper issues of self-identity and ultimate reality. This book makes me want to visit Bangkok and Angkor Wat and many of the other locations, but it also makes me want to try my hand at some serious meditation. I'm very happy to have "stumbled" on to this book.