A warm and stimulating book; this text describes the India into which the Buddha was born; recounts what is known of his life and the development of his teachings; and then follows the course of Buddhism through succeeding centuries in India and Sri Lanka. Far from being a recluse concerned only with an inner mystical experience; the Buddha always involved himself closely in the social and political world of his time. If he preached detachment from many of the things by which ordinary men are tied; he did so as a means of enriching life rather than escaping it. These examinations and more make this a book to reveal the social-revolutionary potential of Buddhism.
#1577937 in Books Amethyst Moon 2012-01-13Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .38 x 5.98l; .54 #File Name: 1935354477176 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Good; Solid Memoir Well Worth The ReadBy BleusharqueIf you are a sucker for first-hand memoirs by WWII pilots as I am; you will enjoy "Look; Mom-I Can Fly; by Bob "Smoky" Vrilikas. His journey from youth to the cockpit of the legendary P-38 propels you from Southern California to North Africa and Italy; into the skies above the Alps and into southern Germany. And from there literally around the world; to his retirement as a bird colonel in the USAF..While his narrative is both literate and well-paced; I would have liked more detail. For example; I met his friends and comrades; and would have liked to get to know them better. And; I would have welcomed more detail about the P-38 to satisfy my inner statistician and pilot wannabe.On balance; though; his accounts of missions and combats are fascinating and; when the fight was on; hair-raising and exciting.As the WWII generation fades away; "Look Mom-I Can Fly" is not just good reading; but history in an enjoyable and informative book I recommend to any WWII or vintage aircraft buff.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Great first-person accont of WWII aerial warfareBy Robert V. MayburyThis is a very good first-person account of what it was like to fly a fighter aircraft during WWII in the North African/Italian theatres. The author takes us briefly through his early life and his schooling and his entry into the US Army prior to the Pearl Harbour attack. It was almost by accident that he was selected to go to pilot training. Then he was picked to fly the twin-engine P-38; the Army Air Corps' top-line fighter at the time. He kept a great daily journal of his time in combat at various bases in Africa and Italy. He gives us a real feel for the miserable living conditions at most of these locations. It is a wonder these guys were able to perform as well as they did under the conditions they were forced to endure. He then gives details of each of his 50 combat missions which included ground attack (bombing ad straffing); bomber escort and air-to-air combat with the German ME-109s. He doesn't glamorize anything about his combat experience but just explains what he was doing and how he felt about it. He briefly summarizes the rest of his long US Air Force career - the book is primarily about his wartime experience.The book is very well written and will hold your interest - if you are a WWII history buff; as I am. But anyone with an interest in aviation or history should enjoy this book.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An enjoyable readBy NahkhiiSmoky Vrilakas' memoir provides a pretty good overview of one aspect of fighter ops in the North African and Mediterranean theater during WWII. There is little detail in the author's description of his missions; although each is included in multi-mission synopsis chapters. More information about his training in a P-38; bomber escort and air-to-ground missions; and his experiences as a flight instructor following his return to the US would have added to the book; but the author's restraint in keeping this book from being one of those 'look what I did' personal histories is admirable. All-in-all an enjoyable read about an operations theater that gets little attention.
