A review by leviofmichigan
Buddhish: A Guide to the 20 Most Important Buddhist Ideas for the Curious and Skeptical by C. Pierce Salguero, C. Pierce Salguero

challenging informative fast-paced

4.0

I would certainly recommend this book to any person who is considering taking on the label of Buddhist, or bringing Buddhist practices into their life for the long-term. Here are some things such a person would learn, in some amount of depth: 

1. Buddhism is, in fact, a religion. Is it also a philosophy? Sure. Are there teachings that line up nicely with scientific findings? Sure. It's still a religion, with all the things you'd expect from one, like cosmology, rituals, and yes, fundamentalists.
2. There is quite a diversity of Buddhist schools of thought (denominations, if you will). 
3. Buddhism, like any other religion, has strengths and weaknesses. 

There were parts of this book where I wish the author had been more reflective, or open about his own experiences, even if they were not related to Buddhism, although I get that this is a book with a pretty specific aim. I also felt he was a bit pedantic in places, and some of the writing definitely comes from a place of frustration. In fact, I think part of the reason the author identities as “Buddhish” is because of a frustration with people who full-send their Buddhist identity but maybe don’t understand it as fully as the author does. 

To give some background, since that’s what I wish the author had done, I will say that I do identify as Zen Buddhist, but I used to identify as Christian and Buddhist, and definitely support others who hold to multiple religions at once. I take a lot of skepticism to Buddhist practice and philosophy, and while there are teachers I appreciate, like Thich Nhat Hanh, there is no one I hold up as incapable of wrongdoing.