Monkey: A Journey to the West [Paperback]

Part spiritual pilgrimage, part historical epic, the folk novelJourney to the West, which came to be known asMonkey, is the most popular classic of Asian literature. Originally written in the sixteenth century, it is the story of the adventures of the rogue-trickster Monkey and his encounters with a bizarre cast of characters as he travels to India with the Buddhist pilgrim Tripitaka in search of sacred scriptures. Much more than a picaresque adventure novel,Monkeyis a profound allegory of the struggle that must occur before spiritual transformation is possible. David Kherdian's masterful telling brings this classic of Chinese literature to life in a way that is true to the scope and depth of the original."Cosmic kung fu on the scale ofStar Wars! China's favorite rip-roaring morality tale has everything—including, here, a brilliant rendition by David Kherdian. It's charming and utterly delightful."—Huston Smith, author ofThe World's Religions

"David Kherdian retells the ancient Chinese allegory poetically and precisely. Monkey (who represents our restless intelligence)—helped by other humorful and energetic demons—guides master Monk (the searching ego) towards self-insights in the Zen-Taoist tradition. A great read!"—Janwillem van de Wetering, author ofA Glimpse of NothingnessDavid Kherdian is the author of over thirty books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. His biography of his mother,The Road from Home: The Story of an Armenian Girl, was nominated for the National Book Award, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Jane Addams Peace Award, and the Friends of American Writers Award. He currently lives in Blue Hill (Bangor), Maine.US