Tales of Wonder

By: Huston Smith

Narrated by: Michael McConnohie

Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Huston Smith, the man who brought the world's religions to the West, was born almost a century ago to missionary parents in China during the perilous rise of the Communist Party. Smith's lifelong spiritual journey brought him face-to-face with many of the people who shaped the 20th century. His extraordinary travels around the globe have taken him to the world's holiest places, where he has practiced religion with many of the great spiritual leaders of our time.

Smith's life is a story of uncanny synchronicity. He was there for pivotal moments in human history such as the founding of the United Nations and the student uprising at Tiananmen Square. As he traveled the world he encountered thinkers who shaped the twentieth century. He interviewed Eleanor Roosevelt on the radio; invited Martin Luther King Jr. to speak at an all-white university before the March on Washington; shared ideas with Thomas Merton on his last plane ride before Merton's death in Bangkok; and was rescued while lost in the Serengeti by Masai warriors who took him to the compound of world-renowned anthropologists Louis and Mary Leaky. In search of intellectual and spiritual treasures, Smith traveled to India to meet with Mother Teresa and befriended the Dalai Lama; he studied Zen at the most challenging monastery in Japan; and he hitchhiked through the desert to meet Aldous Huxley, dropped acid with Timothy Leary, and took peyote with a Native American shaman. He climbed Mount Athos, traipsed through the Holy Land, and was the first to study multiphonic chanting by monks in Tibet, which he recorded with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead.

Most important, he shared the world's religions with the West - writing two best-selling books and serving as the focus of a five-part PBS television series by Bill Moyers. Huston Smith is a national treasure. His life is an extraordinary adventure, and in his amazing Tales of Wonder, he invites you to come along to explore your own vistas of ...

©2009 Huston Smith (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Reckoning Wonder

Reckoning is something done at length here in the hills of East Tennessee. When wonder is reckoned with, joy and awe are it's byproducts, and Smith's tale is a perfect example.

Takes of wonder for sure, by a wonderful man.

Huston Smith is one of the most astounding men I have ever encountered. His autobiography begins to reveal his wonder. His vision, his spirit continue to enchant, even after his passing. I love this man.

Brilliant! I didn't want it to end!

What a life! I found Huston Smith's lifelong exploration of world religions to be amusing, inspiring and edifying. This is one of those rare books you wish everyone would read.

A Great Teacher’s Inspiring Story

Years ago, I had the great privilege of meeting Dr. Smith and hearing him speak. He was personable, down to earth, brilliant, and inspiring. The performance here is solid and the story is captivating. He was a great educator, a nice guy, and a very interesting person. I highly recommend this book.

a spiritual gem by a class act

After listening to this book, I feel like a know the mind and heart of this incredible human being and feel inspired and supported to continue on my own existential quest authentically and with a sense of wonder and lightness of being that I am not alone. If you are a spiritual seeker you will enjoy this sweet autobiography 💞