One of the main elements which make the book more interesting for Americans who are fascinated about Buddhism is the fact that the book concentrates on the American landscape and on the Buddhists in the country, rather than focusing on the religion's background and on the connection that it has to the East.

Moore paid special attention to Buddhism, learning about the religion from several sources. By doing this the author eventually takes pressure of the shoulders of the ones which want to receive an impartial story concerning the religion. The places where Moore looks for information on Buddhism are assorted, ranging from a Catholic priest who lectures on Buddhism to the Dalai Lama himself.

The author does not want Buddhism to have a wrong impact on people, as he is perfectly aware that American Buddhism is not very similar to the one present in Asia. He does not deny the fact that practicing Buddhism is a joy for everyone who wants to follow the religion. However, he also presents the problems which American Buddhists are likely to come across in the effort to understand Buddhism.

Moore explains how the Buddhism in the U.S. is very different from the one taught in Asia. While the religion's Asian followers have a...

To properly understand the religious conviction.
Certain Americans who follow Buddhism do so with superficiality, and this does not necessarily happen because of their lack of interest in the religion, but mostly because of the fact that they have received an unproductive teaching on it. Many Americans are particularly dedicated to Buddhism because they learned about the religion in the media, which provides unverified information in most cases.

"The Accidental Buddhist" should not be among the first books for somebody to look into if that respective person would want to learn more about Buddhism. One can go as far as claiming that the book is actually meant to prevent American individuals from joining Buddhism. Moore apparently wants his readers to learn that Buddhism is not something to laugh about when one is determined to become a follower, as the book's topic is more interesting for those who want to discover extra information about the religion rather than to join it.

Works cited:

1. Moore, Dinty. (1997). "The accidental Buddhist: mindfulness, enlightenment, and sitting still." Algonquin Books.