Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World Hardcover - 2009

by Mary Pipher

In this thoughtful and inspiring memoir, theauthor of the New York Times bestsellersReviving Ophelia, The Shelter of Each Other,and Another Country explores her personalsearch for understanding, tranquility, andrespect through her work as a psychologistand seeker.

'There are three kinds of secrets,' Mary Piphersays in Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the WorstBuddhist in the World. 'Those we keep from everyone,those we keep from certain people, andthose we keep from ourselves. Writing this bookforced me to deal with all three.' After decades ofexploring the lives of others through her writingand therapy, Mary Pipher turns her attention toherself culling insights from her own life to highlightthe importance of the journey, not just thedestination.

Like most lives, Pipher's is filled with glory andtragedy, chaos and clarity, love and abandonment.She spent her childhood in small Nebraskatowns, the daughter of a doctor mother and arestless jack-of-all-trades father. Often both ofher parents were away and Pipher and her siblingslived as what she calls 'feral children.' Later,as an adult and a therapist, Pipher was able to dowhat she most enjoyed: learn about the world andhelp others. After the surprising success of RevivingOphelia, she was overwhelmed by the attentionand demands on her time. In 2002, after apersonal crisis, Pipher realized that success andfame were harming her, and she began workingto find a quieter, more meditative life that wouldcarry her toward self-acceptance and joy.

In Seeking Peace, Mary Pipher tells her own remarkablestory, and in the process reveals truthsabout our search for happiness and love. Whileher story is unique, 'the basic map and milestonesof my story are universal,' she writes. 'We strive tomake sense of our selves and our environments.'In Seeking Peace, Pipher reflects on her life in a way that allows readers to reimagine theirs.