This author does a fine job of describing how ancient lessons can be applied to the lives we lead today. Two passages, one describing temple politics and another about finding a gun, seem a bit self-indulgent at first, but in the end are recognized as tools to make the reader ponder and question the lessons. There are certainly other books that do deeper dives into Buddhism's precepts, but this book is an excellent starting place for those curious how to embody the Middle Way.