This was an interesting and well written history of Buddhism. I thought the personal insights of the author made this more relatable vs being an uninteresting textbook kind of read.

"The Circle of the Way" is a good introduction to Zen Buddhism. Nothing amazing about this particular volume though.

I've never done a deep dive into Buddhism, so I found this interesting. It's written in pretty friendly language and tone even though it's essentially an academic work in my view. My guess is that this will appeal mainly to die-hard Buddhists or those that want the nuances. But if you just enjoy learning and/or want learn about this subject via it's history, this is a great place to start.

I really appreciate the NetGalley advanced copy for review!!