Letters to a Dead Friend about Zen

Through letters composed to a close friend after his death, Warner (Hardcore Zen) provides an intimate, candid reflection of his Zen practice and his career as a writer and speaker in this touching work. When Warner arrived in Germany for a Zen speaking tour in 2017, he learned that his close friend Marky Moon had died of cancer. Memories of Marky and reports of his touring experience serve as launching pads for a basic exploration of Zen Buddhist teachings on impermanence, attachment, and practice, as well as commentary on contemporary questions about the status of Zen Buddhism as a religion, sexual misconduct by Buddhist teachers, and the role of wealth and power in Buddhist institutions. Warner attempts to merge the genres of fictionalized memoir and religious/spiritual primer, which can be awkward and disorganized. Honest and forthright, Warner’s trademark irreverent voice is present throughout: “There’s still real punk and real metal out there if you look for it. Same with Zen... Luckily I got introduced to Zen by one of its wild men.” Those who are grieving may be the best audience for Warner’s close study . (Oct.)