This brief collection is a good introduction to the teachings of Hanh. His signature humor and compassion help to make the content more accessible than some of his other works. He talks carefully and deliberately; however, close attention is still required. This book can serve as a guide for meditation or an opportunity to learn about Buddhism and Hanh’s perspective on daily living and peace. Hanh posits that our capacity to smile and to appreciate the beauty of the world contribute to personal understanding and, more broadly, help to balance the anger that sometimes dominates the peace movement. The live recording, from a retreat, has some background noise, but the quality is clear and the distractions minimal. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

This collection of teachings by noted Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh will be eagerly read by those concerned about world peace. Rev. Thich claims that world peace starts with the individual's acquiring inner peace. He challenges the reader in warm and anecdotal dialogues:``Have we wasted our hours and days? Are we wasting our lives? . . . Practicing Buddhism is to be alive to each moment.'' Meditation, says the author, is not an escape from the difficult present but an active form of service to society, directing us to understanding and compassion toward all suffering humanity. The author terms this ``engaged Buddhism.'' Free of jargon and eminently practical, this wise and joyous book celebrates the spirituality inherent in daily life. For academic and public libraries. Alphonse Vinh, Yale Univ. Lib.

The monk who taught the world mindfulness.”
—TIME
 
“Thich Nhat Hanh shows us the connection between personal inner peace and peace on earth.”
—His Holiness the Dalai Lama
 
“Thich Nhat Hanh is a holy man, for he is humble and devout. He is a scholar of immense intellectual capacity. His ideas for peace, if applied, would build a monument to ecumenism, to world brotherhood, to humanity.”
—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
“Thich Nhat Hanh’s work, on and off the page, has proven to be the antidote to our modern pain and sorrows. Here is a monumental, life-giving mind, preserved as textual force. And that's what I feel reading and practicing his teachings: that I am being acted on by a compassion equal to and pervasive as gravity itself. His books help me be more human, more me than I was before.”
—Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
 
“A glass of water in the desert for those interested in both Buddhism and the world.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
 
“Thich Nhat Hanh is a great teacher. I have studied him, his work, his passage through life, with gratitude and joy. Through his writings, his public offerings, his insights, I’ve gained vision and clarity; I’ve often felt it would be impossible to find a more lucid, determined, and courageous soul.”
—Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple
 
“For spiritual seekers and social activists, this is it, the bible of Engaged Buddhism.”
—Inquiring Mind
 
“Being Peace is one of the most important books ever written.”
­—Pilgrim’s Way Catalog
 
“Thich Nhat Hanh does not merely teach peace; Thich Nhat Hanh is peace.”
—Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love
 
“Thich Nhat Hanh is among the most revered leaders in the world. His teachings and mindfulness practices have deeply influenced my journey through life. He is a torch of wisdom lighting the path ahead, generating the compassion, love, and understanding we need to create peace for ourselves and the world.”
—Marc Benioff, chair and CEO, Salesforce
 
“Thich Nhat Hanh's words are like water. Simple, pure, transparent, and absolutely indispensable for life.”
—Alejandro Iñárritu, director of Birdman and The Revenant
 
“This book is a treasure. If you look deeply, you will see in it the seeds of all of Thich Nhat Hanh’s most important teachings, and the seeds of your own awakening as well.”
—Jack Kornfield, author of A Path With Heart
 
“How is it that a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who teaches mindfulness could inspire Martin Luther King and become one of the great nonviolent activists of the twenty-first century? Like no other teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh shows us the revolutionary possibilities of building social movements based on compassion, for both ourselves and others.”
—Professor john a powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley
 
“I first met Thich Nhat Hanh in 1968 in Paris. That was the time of rising counter culture, protest against the Vietnam war and student uprising. At that time his presence in Paris was like a soothing rain in dry heat. Ever since, for more than fifty years, he has been the conscience of humanity. He has been a compassionate catalyst of spiritual awakening, social harmony and ecological awareness. He has nurtured the human spirit with dedication, determination and delight. He is humble and gentle yet powerfully persuasive and strong willed. It has been a joy of my life to know him and follow his teachings.”
—Satish Kumar, editor emeritus of Resurgence & Ecologist magazine and founder of Schumacher College
 
“It is as though Thich Nhat Hanh has pared down the voluminous teachings of Buddhism to their innermost core....This book reflects the heart of a remarkable human being, one who has emerged from Vietnam’s nightmare with his soul not only intact but radiant.”
—Resurgence
 
“Being Peace is a jewel of love and wisdom, a mirror reflecting our own happy Buddhahood... a recognition that will inspire everyone, regardless of previous religious persuasion, with the unexpected joy of smiling.”
—East West Journal
 
“An exquisite meditation on being peace in order to make peace. A book for everyone concerned about the state of the world and the quality of our lives.”
—In Context

This brief collection is a good introduction to the teachings of Hanh. His signature humor and compassion help to make the content more accessible than some of his other works. He talks carefully and deliberately; however, close attention is still required. This book can serve as a guide for meditation or an opportunity to learn about Buddhism and Hanh’s perspective on daily living and peace. Hanh posits that our capacity to smile and to appreciate the beauty of the world contribute to personal understanding and, more broadly, help to balance the anger that sometimes dominates the peace movement. The live recording, from a retreat, has some background noise, but the quality is clear and the distractions minimal. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine