In Search of Buddha's Daughters: The Hidden Lives and Fearless Work of Buddhist Nuns [Paperback]

They come to the monastic Buddhist life from every faith and career: a policewoman, a princess, a Bollywood star, a violinist. Out of the public eye, despite hardship and even persecution, they vow to seek enlightenment in a world full of noise.A 60,000-mile odyssey in search of Buddhist nunshailed as inspiring and necessary (Kirkus), ambitious (Tricycle), and compelling (Financial Times) [Toomey] travels around the world staying with nuns from Burma to California, drawing the reader inside their unexpectedly fascinating lives. . . . The women come from East and West and span a broad range of backgrounds, from princess to pilot, but all share a desire to shed worldly trappings and search within. Intelligent and informative, Toomeys book reveals the hidden lives of women who have been neglected by Buddhist discourse. . . . Inspiring and necessary. Toomey is at her best when bringing her journalists eyes to describe scenes and her investigative skills to portray the women she meets. Illuminating . . . As well as affording her interviewees ample room, Toomey admirably attempts to place herself in the footsteps of those she studies, adding depth to her reporting. In some ways, this story can be seen as the unraveling of Toomeys idealized vision of Buddhist nuns. Instead of peaceful, woman-centered, enlightened people ready to offer healing to the world, Toomey finds the much more interesting story of Buddhist women throughout the world. The books perspective on Buddhism is rarely found in other sources, revealing room for invention and ingenuity within the tradition, as well as a great variety in womens experiences as devotees. A worthwhile read for those seeking accounts on the intersection of feminism and Buddhism. [An] ambitious and thoughtful book . . . Toomey paints vivid portraits of women who are emboldened in the face of gender discrimination. Seamlessly narrated, this book reveals the varied paths available to women seeking to dedicate their ll#.