The Seventh Day: A Novel by Yu Hua

The first time I picked up this book, I read the first chapter and put it back down because it creeped me out. A story narrated by a dead guy? Not for me.

But eventually, I was drawn back into it, curious to find out what happens. The story as told by Yang Fei was compelling enough to keep me reading through until the end. It is a slow-moving book, following Yang Fei as he travels through the Land of the Unburied after his untimely death in a restaurant fire. Those who do not have enough money for a proper burial or cremation are destined to stay in the Land of the Unburied, where they roam around aimlessly.

Yang Fei had a strange beginning. His birth mother popped him out in a railway car toilet which dumped the baby straight onto the railroad tracks as the train kept moving, and he was raised by a station attendant who became his adoptive father. The two lived together for the rest of their lives.

Without giving away too much of the story, Yang Fei (the deceased) meets up with many interesting people he had known or had some connection with on the other side as he moves through the Land of the Unburied. Each person has a story, and the stories are woven together through Yang Fei, while also telling the larger story of the extreme social class system in China and the sorrowful lives led by those in the poor class.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review - thank you!

Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo

While browsing the bookstore in Denver’s airport, the title of this book jumped out at me, as I have been studying Buddhism for years. I picked up the book and read the back cover. A road trip book! Even more fun.

Merullo takes us on a journey from New York to North Dakota with Otto Ringling and his unlikely companion, Volya Rinpoche, a famous maroon-robed monk and friend of Otto’s fortune-teller sister, Cecelia. Otto is an editor of food books, married with two teenagers, who has a pretty nice life. He is traveling to North Dakota to settle the estate of his parents. Otto takes the scenic route across the country, stopping each day for some “American fun” so the Rinpoche can see what it’s like to live here. The places they stop at are real, like the Hershey Chocolate Factory. There is a big focus on the food they eat, as Otto is a food editor. Each day they try a different culture’s cuisine, which I felt was symbolic of the different views of various religions discussed. Along the way, the Rinpoche teaches Otto about Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and other beliefs, never really calling himself a Buddhist. The message is that all religions have the same basic premise – kindness. We see Otto transforming from angry skeptic to a kinder, gentler Otto as he and the Rinpoche become friends.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are several LOL moments, and the characters are real and believable. The story is of family, caring, love, and awakening. Don’t be scared away by the title.