The Tibetan Book of the Dead

As part of a Buddhist ritual, this scripture is to be read to a person who is dying, yet it also serves within Buddhist culture to remind people at all stages of life about the reincarnation cycle. While the introduction does provide a brief overview of names and concepts, this translation is not sufficient for the neophyte to understand well enough in an audio production, especially considering how many times Buddhist terms are employed in the production. An additional text guide might have been useful as a quick reference. Richard Gere, a Buddhist himself, smoothly executes the audiobook with inflection and tone that indicate his strong grasp of the material. However, his slight nasal projection might wear a bit on some listeners. A Shambhala paperback. (Aug.)