Sumeru News — Sumeru Books

Sumeru is pleased to announce the upcoming publication of   GEMS AN INTRODUCTION TO CANADIAN BUDDHISM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE YOUNG AT HEART   The author is Ken Tanaka. Several years ago he wrote a similar book for the US market, which was published by BDK America, the U.S. branch of Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai, the Society for the Promotion of Buddhism, an international organization with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Late last year he approached me about doing a Canadian version and sent me the manuscript. The original obviously needed all the US references stripped out and Canadian ones put in....

This year's titles have been exciting to work on, especially This Fragile Planet: His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Environment.  I've been able to support Buddhist charities with almost $5000 as part of the larger pool of royalties that Sumeru books have generated for their authors. All Sumeru books sold on this site have lower prices for 2022. Why, you ask? There are essentially two reasons: These are great books by dedicated authors with something important to add to public discourse, and I'd like to see them in the hands of more readers. I'd rather readers purchase the books directly from...

At the Buddhist Literary Festival of Canada 2021, I received an "pioneer recognition in gratitude" award as an early Buddhist community leader and publisher.  

From time to time, I get thank you letters from Sumeru authors. Here's the latest... "I’ve said it before, but I will say it again. Thank you. This has been the most productive and enjoyable process with a publisher I have ever encountered.  I truly appreciate your dedication and also your openness to engage, discuss, suggest, and listen." John W. Traphagan, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Religious Studies, Professor, Human Dimensions of Organizations, Fellow, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Professorship in Japanese Studies, University of Texas at Austin His book, Embracing Uncertainty: Future Jazz, That 13th Century Buddhist Monk, and the Invention of Cultures is...

EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY: Future Jazz, That 13th Century Buddhist Monk, and the Invention of Cultures. An anthropological memoir of the author’s experiences in Japan and other places to explore ideas of uncertainty and undifferentiation as they relate to ethics and culture. The book threads a discussion of jazz improvisation as metaphor for the human experience and the ongoing process of change that is the world. The Zen monk in the subtitle is Dōgen, who figures prominently in the book. John Traphagan is a professor of Religious Studies and Anthropology at the University of Texas Austin. The book is illustrated by Amane...