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A Life of Serendipity
By Alfred Bloom
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In this telling and vivid memoir, we see unfold the story of one unique human being, Alfred Bloom, told in clear, frank, and unembellished terms, like the man himself. It is such a rich study in the journey of a man, his family, his many friends and acquaintances; his personal and religious awakening; and history spanning over three-quarters of a century, as seen through his eyes. It is the tale of a man of gifted intellect, intuition, and prose, yet utterly unpretentious in its charm and insight into the protean nature of the religious quest, through which the author becomes not more certain but more open to the ever changing landscape of reality. Riding on the waves of compassion, he seems to come home, to various places geographically for sure, but most significantly, to himself, to the embrace of the great flow of life, which in Shin Buddhism is expressed as Amida's Vow, as Namu Amida Butsu.
-Mark Unno, Associate Professor of Japanese Buddhism,
University of Oregon.
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NOTED BUDDHIST SCHOLAR AND AUTHOR ALFRED BLOOM RELEASES MEMOIR
A Life of Serendipity, Blown by the Wind of Amida's Vow
Recounts Dr. Bloom's Incredible Spiritual Journey
New York, NY, June 9, 2008 - Dr. Alfred Bloom, the renowned Shin Buddhist author and scholar, has released a memoir describing his extraordinary religious experiences involving three of the worldÕs greatest faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism. Ethnically Jewish and a former fundamentalist Christian, Dr. Bloom, 81, is today a Buddhist minister.
"In this telling and vivid memoir, the story of one unique human being is told in clear, frank and unembellished terms," said Mark Unno, University of Oregon's Associate Professor of Japanese Buddhism. "It is a rich, yet utterly unpretentious study of the man and his personal and religious awakening, full of insights into the protean nature of the religious quest through which the author becomes more and more open to the ever changing landscape of reality."
A Fulbright scholar, Dr. Bloom attended Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan. In his long career he taught religion at the University of Oregon, the University of Hawaii, and lectured at the Harvard Divinity School. Dr. Bloom was also Dean of the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California.
Dr. Bloom has written ten books on Shin Buddhism including, most recently, The Essential Shinran, which is now being translated into Japanese. Now retired, he continues to write Buddhist articles for the Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu Star Bulletin and Hawaii Pacific News as well as international publications, Shin Buddhist newsletters such as BCA Wheel of Dharma, and academic journals. In 1997 Dr. Bloom received an award from the Japan based Buddhist Promotion Society and in 2002 was designated a Living Treasure of Hawaii by Honpa Hongwanji mission of Hawaii.
How to obtain A Life of Serendipity
A Life of Serendipity (American Buddhist Study Center, $17.95) is available through the publisher or as part of a $20 donation to the American Buddhist Study Center. In addition to the book, the $20 donation includes shipping and handling and is tax deductible. Checks are payable to American Buddhist Study.
American Buddhist Study Center
331 Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10025
Phone 212-864-7424
The book is also available at the following locations:
BCA Bookstore
2140 Durant Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-809-1435
Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Book Store
1727 Pali Highway
Honolulu, HI 96813
808-522-9200
Amazon.com
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