Breakfast with Buddha

A Novel

By: Roland Merullo

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

When his sister tricks him into taking her guru on a trip to their childhood home, Otto Ringling, a confirmed skeptic, is not amused. Six days on the road with an enigmatic holy man who answers every question with a riddle is not what he'd planned. But in an effort to westernize his passenger---and amuse himself---he decides to show the monk some "American fun" along the way. From a chocolate factory in Hershey to a bowling alley in South Bend, from a Cubs game at Wrigley field to his family farm near Bismarck, Otto is given the remarkable opportunity to see his world---and more important, his life---through someone else's eyes. Gradually, skepticism yields to amazement as he realizes that his companion might just be the real thing. In Roland Merullo's masterful hands, Otto tells his story with all the wonder, bemusement, and wry humor of a man who unwittingly finds what he's missing in the most unexpected place.

©2007 Roland Merullo (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"The skillful Merullo, using the lightest of touches, slowly turns this low-key comedy into a moving story of spiritual awakening." ( Booklist)

a beautiful story of change and acceptance and

awakening. I was really able to put faces to the characters thanks to a great marathon

Fantastic!

I stumbled upon this story in the audible collection accidentally. There must have been some sort of special on and thank goodness I clicked the purchase button. It was an amazing journey, with thought-provoking tales and ideas. I absolutely thought the narrator was perfect, as were his accents! I highly recommend.

Enjoyed It!

Any additional comments?

I loved listening about the changing American landscape, while Otto was struggling with his spiritual questions!

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book!

I listened to this audio book in three (very busy) days-right before Christmas! The narration was excellent and really went along well with the book; love the accent of Rinpoche! I was surprised and sad to hear that I had come to the conclusion of the book after spending three days journeying with them across the USA. Go ahead and buy it; you won't regret it!!

Disappointing

A friend recommended this but I found the pedestrianness of the main character boring and slightly aggravating

Wonderful, charming, and eye opening read!

If you could sum up Breakfast with Buddha in three words, what would they be?

Eye opening philosophy

What was one of the most memorable moments of Breakfast with Buddha?

I really enjoyed the monk's culture not allowing him to realize a man had a Bluetooth headset on while at a diner; causing the monk to laugh uncontrollably as he thought the man was talking all seductively to his meal.

Which character – as performed by Sean Runnette – was your favorite?

I loved the monk!

If you could rename Breakfast with Buddha, what would you call it?

My journey to peace

Any additional comments?

This book was such a wonderful one. Enjoyed every adventure the author lead us on, and the characters were quite charming. Love it!

Great book great story.

I enjoyed this book. I kept pausing it for a few days because I didn't want it to end. Amazing

wow

I absolutely loved this book, I immediately bought the next 2 books, and plan on re listening to this one before i move on to the next. it's a great positive story with excellent dialog. a blessing to have stumbled upon it 🙏

Uplifting listen

Delightful narrative. A good story that left me feeling better than when I went in. Got it on sale, but worth full price (or a credit.)

An Introspective Expedition

It's best to approach this book with an open mind. The main character starts out as a skeptic and by the end, well; you guessed it, he's all in.

While the story is rather predictable, it did keep my attention mostly throughout. There are some parts that can seem like he's rambling on about the state of the country (at the time) but moves on before the point of exhaustion. I didn't feel the author pushed religion too much, but emphasized positive thinking and meditation, which are okay by me. This is a light read for sure, and probably a good book for a lazy sunny day.

Overall: there is no big punchline in this book. I wasn't blown away like some of the other reviewers. It kind of reminded me of a family friendly TV show. By the end, everyone's reflecting on the lessons they learned and all is well. I liked the narrator, he's done a few other books I've read, so I knew what he sounded like.

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