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When the Buddha Was an Elephant: 32 Animal Wisdom Tales from the Jataka
86 pp.
| Shambhala |
December, 2015 |
TradeISBN 978-1-61180-264-1$19.95
(4)
4-6
McGinnis presents tales adapted from the Jataka of the Buddha's animal incarnations. The concise stories (many of which, such as "The Donkey and the Lion Skin," have variants in Aesop's Fables) are told in simple prose; each is paired with a striking (if sometimes disconcerting) painting. With dark themes and occasional opacity of morals, slightly older, thoughtful readers are the best audience. Lack of sources is unfortunate.