I just finished Pankaj Mishra’s phenomenal biography of the Buddha, “An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World.”
One of the most fascinating parts of the book is the glimpse of Indian history it provides. I knew very little about India and found the details he provides fascinating.
The book is as much about Mishra’s travels and travails as it is about the Buddha’s journey. In the end, he offers clear, concise descriptions of the Buddha’s teachings and puts it in historical context. He delves into some heavy philosophy without drifting into impenetrable abstraction.
The crux of the book asks whether the Buddha can be relevant in a world that’s vastly different from the one he was born into in 556 BC. It’s one of the better books on Buddhism that I’ve read and I highly recommend it if you have any interest along these lines …