Recommended Reading

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Getting Started

• Gunaratana, Bhante Henepola. Mindfulness in Plain English (Updated and Expanded Edition)
• Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life
• Salzberg, Sharon. Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation

Highly Recommended

• Fronsdal, Gil. The Issue at Hand: Essays on Buddhist Mindfulness Practice
• Goldstein, Joseph and Jack Kornfield. Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The Path of Insight Meditation
• Kornfield, Jack. A Path With Heart: A Guide to the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life
• Rahula, Walpola. What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Text from the Suttas and Dhammapada
• Salzberg, Sharon. Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness

Additional Reading — Art

• Lowenstein, Tom. Treasures of the Buddha: The Glories of Sacred Asia
• Wasserman, Bill and Joe Cummings. Buddhist Stupas in Asia: The Shape of Perfection

Additional Reading — Biography

• Ajaan Maha Boowa Nanasampanno. Venerable Ajaan Khao Analayo: A True Spiritual Warrior
• Friedman, Lenore. Meetings with Remarkable Women: Buddhist Teachers in America (Revised and Updated Edition)
• Knaster, Mirka. Living This Life Fully: Stories and Teachings of Munindra
• Schmidt, Amy. Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master

Additional Reading — History

• Batchelor, Stephen. The Awakening of the West: The Encounter of Buddhism and Western Culture
• Conze, Edward. Buddhism: Its Essence and Development
• Fields, Rick. How the Swans Came to the Lake: A Narrative History of Buddhism in America
• Gombrich, Richard F. Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo (2nd edition)
• Schumann, H.W. The Historical Buddha: The Times, Life and Teachings of the Founder of Buddhism
• Seager, Richard Hughes. Buddhism in America

Additional Reading — Meditation

• Catherine, Shaila. Focused and Fearless: A Meditator’s Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity
• Goldstein, Joseph. Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom
• Gunaratana, Bhante Henepola. Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: An Introductory Guide to Deeper States of Meditation
• Gunaratana, Bhante Henepola. Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness
• Ingram, Daniel. Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha: An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book
• Shankman, Richard. The Experience of Samadhi: An In-depth Exploration of Buddhist Meditation

Additional Reading — Miscellaneous

• Baraz, James and Shoshana Alexander. Awakening Joy
• Boorstein, Sylvia. Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There: A Mindfulness Retreat with Sylvia Boorstein
• Boorstein, Sylvia. Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life
• Boorstein, Sylvia. It’s Easier Than You Think: The Buddhist Way to Happiness
• Brach, Tara. Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha
• Ajahn Brahm. Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung? Inspiring Stories for Welcoming Life’s Difficulties
• Davis, Jake H. Strong Roots: Liberation Teachings of Mindfulness in North America
• Dhammika, S. The Broken Buddha: Critical Reflections on Theravada and a Plea for a New Buddhism
• Germer, Christopher. The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions
• Goldstein, Joseph. A Heart Full of Peace
• Goldstein, Joseph. One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism
• Gyatso, Tenzin — H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama. The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality
• Hanson, Rick. Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom
• Kornfield, Jack. After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path
• Lester, Robert C. Buddhism
• Loy, David. A Buddhist History of the West: Studies in Lack
• Moore, Dinty W. The Accidental Buddhist: Mindfulness, Enlightenment, and Sitting Still, American Style
• Murcott, Susan. First Buddhist Women: Poems and Stories of Awakening (2nd edition)
• Nelson, Walter Henry. Buddha: His Life and His Teaching
• Olendzki, Andrew. Unlimiting Mind: The Radically Experiential Psychology of Buddhism
• Ricard, Matthieu. Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill
• Rosenberg, Larry. Living in the Light of Death: On the Art of Being Truly Alive
• Salzberg, Sharon. A Heart As Wide As the World: Stories on the Path of Lovingkindness
• Salzberg, Sharon. Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience
• Salzberg, Sharon (ed.). Voices of Insight
• Siegel, Daniel J. The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being
• Strong, John S. Experience of Buddhism: Sources and Interpretations
• Ajahn Sucitto and Ajahn Candasiri. Buddhist Rituals and Observances
• Swearer, Donald K. The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia

Additional Reading — Philosophy

• Gombrich, Richard. What the Buddha Thought
• Loy, David. Lack and Transcendence: The Problem of Death and Life in Psychotherapy, Existentialism, and Buddhism

Additional Reading — Psychology

• De Silva, Padmasiri, An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology (4th edition)
• Kornfield, Jack. The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of the Buddhist Psychology

Additional Reading — Socially Engaged Buddhism/Contemporary Issues

• Badiner, Alan Hunt (ed.). Mindfulness in the Marketplace: Compassionate Responses to Consumerism
• Chappell, David W. (ed.). Buddhist Peacework: Creating Cultures of Peace
• Eppsteiner, Fred (ed.). The Path of Compassion: Writings on Socially Engaged Buddhism
• Jones, Ken. The New Social Face of Buddhism: A Call to Action
• Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness
• Kaza, Stephanie (ed.). Hooked! Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire and the Urge to Consume
• Kaza, Stephanie and Kenneth Kraft (eds.). Dharma Rain: Sources of Buddhist Environmentalism
• Loy, David. The Great Awakening: A Buddhist Social Theory
• Loy, David. Money, Sex, War, Karma: Notes for a Buddhist Revolution
• McLeod, Melvin (ed.). Mindful Politics: A Buddhist Guide to Making the World a Better Place
• Nhat Hanh, Thich. Calming the Fearful Mind: A Zen Response to Terrorism
• Rothberg, Donald. The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World
• Watts, Jonathan, Alan Senauke, and Santikaro Bhikku (eds.). Entering the Realm of Reality: Towards Dhammic Societies

Additional Reading — Theravada

• Ajahn Amaro. Small Boat, Great Mountain: Theravadan Reflections on the Natural Great Perfection
• Ajahn Chah. Food for the Heart: The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah
• Kornfield, Jack. Living Dharma: Teachings and Meditation Instructions from Twelve Theravada Masters
• Ajahn Fuang Jotiko. Awareness Itself   
• Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo. Food for Thought and Starting Out Small (Revised Edition)
• Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo. Frames of Reference  
• Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo, Inner Strength and Parting Gifts  
• Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo, Keeping the Breath in Mind and Lessons in Samadhi 
• Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. The Island: An Anthology of the Buddha’s Teachings on Nibbana 
• Ajahn Sumedho. Intuitive Awareness
• Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Santacitto, Ajahn Anando and Ajahn Sucitto. Peace and Kindness
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Head and Heart Together  
• Ajahn Thanissaro. The Karma of Questions
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Meditations: Forty Dhamma Talks
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Meditations 2
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Meditations 3
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Meditations 4 
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Meditations 5 
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Mind Like Fire Unbound: An Image in the Early Buddhist Discourses 
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Noble Strategy 
• Ajahn Thanissaro. The Paradox of Becoming
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Purity of Heart
• Ajahn Thanissaro. Refuge: An Introduction to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha 
• Ajahn Thanissaro. The Shape of Suffering: A Study of Dependent Co-Arising 
  
• Ajahn Thanissaro. The Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pali Canon

Additional Reading — Zen

• Bayda, Ezra. Being Zen: Bringing Meditation to Life
• Fisher, Norman. Taking Our Places: The Buddhist Path to Truly Growing Up
• Ford, James Ishmael. In This Very Moment: A Simple Guide to Zen Buddhism
• Grigg, Ray. The Tao of Zen
• Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice