No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva

American Buddhist nun Chödrön provides commentary and insights as she presents the wisdom and words of eighth-century Indian Buddhist scholar Shantideva. Narrator Joanna Rotte is also a student of Buddhism, and puts her experience to good use here, capturing crucial nuances of the text and clearly presenting them to listeners. Rotte’s performance projects calm, but possess enough energy to convey the author’s calls to action, as well as a motherly tone that evokes nurturing and balance. Rotte—with touches of both whimsy and reverence—is especially adept in performing the evocative passages that explore the contrasts between human nature’s obsession with physical beauty and sensuality and the realities of aging and mortality. Granted, this challenging material may not be an obvious fit for audiences not steeped in Eastern traditions, but Rotte does her part, making for an accessible listening experience. A Shambhala paperback. (March)