Edward Espe Brown reading/signing 'The Most Important Point' - April 19th

Time Tested Books

is pleased to present

Edward Espe Brown

reading / signing / Q&A
The Most Important Point

Friday, April 19th, 7:00pm
 

From master baker, cook, and Zen priest Edward Espe Brown comes a collection of timeless essays on Zen, food, and life itself. Brown was one of the first Westerners to be ordained a priest by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, who had hoped that Zen might be transformed into a vibrant new form in the West. In The Most Important Point, Brown fulfills Suzuki's wish with 60 essays that are distinctly American yet preserve the roots of traditional Japanese Zen.

Drawing from his time in the kitchen and on the cushion, Brown explores a range of topics, from basic sitting practice to making the "perfect" biscuit and much more. "In the words of my teacher," reflects Brown, "the most important point is to find out what is the most important point." Flavored with wise insights and irreverent humor, The Most Important Point brings together a treasury of teachings to inspire your own discovery.


"Brilliant, humorous, and heartwarming." --Vanja Palmers, Zen teacher, founder of Felsentor Meditation Center

"Like the best teaching in any spiritual tradition, The Most Important Point speaks to you just where you are. If you're new to Zen, this book is for you. If you've been practicing a long time, this book is also for you. It is filled with the wisdom of a lifetime." --Ruth Ozeki, author of A Tale for the Time Being and The Face

"This is a book that will nourish all aspects of one's life. Smart, sharp, deep, like a good meal, the wisdom that Ed Espe Brown offers us is a treasure for all time. And it makes Zen digestible, even delicious!" --Roshi Joan Halifax, abbot of Upaya Zen Center and author of Standing at the Edge

"Suzuki Roshi once said, 'The most important point is to find out what is the most important point.' After a lifetime of practice inspired by his teacher, Suzuki Roshi, Ed Brown has discovered that the most important point is love and acceptance. No one expresses this most important point better than Ed. His simple, soulful, honest talks will melt your heart." --Norman Fischer, poet, Zen priest, and author of Experience: Thinking, Writing, Language, and Religion

photo © Maya Block

EDWARD ESPE BROWN began cooking and practicing Zen in 1965. He was the first head resident cook at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center from 1967 to 1970. He later worked at the celebrated Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, serving as busboy, waiter, floor manager, wine buyer, cashier, host, and manager. Ordained a priest by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, he has taught meditation retreats and vegetarian cooking classes throughout North America and Europe. He is the author of several bestselling cookbooks, including The Tassajara Bread Book, and the editor of Not Always So, a book of lectures by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. He is the subject of the critically acclaimed 2007 documentary film How to Cook Your Life. He resides in Fairfax, California.

 This event is FREE & all are welcome