Product Description

In a sequel to the popular Surfing the Himalayas, a dauntless American snowboarder finds earthly love, and again Master Fwap guides his young pupil to spiritual enlightenment, this time through the hot sport of snowboarding.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1634598 in Books
• Published on: 1998-01-15
• Format: Bargain Price
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Amazon.com Review
Once again Frederick Lenz (author of the bestselling Surfing the Himalayas) uses snowboarding as the metaphor for maneuvering through the ice and powder of life. Our snowboarding hero must solve the spiritual riddle of "the missing dimension" before he can reach the next level of enlightenment. Paradoxes, Bruce Lee movies, Tibetan tantric texts, and a love affair with a Danish woman offer the puzzling clues and exotic visuals.

From Library Journal
Lenz achieved notoriety with his first book, Surfing the Himalayas (Warner, 1995); this second installment to a planned trilogy slogs through much of the same territory. This time, as his alter ego snowboards in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal, in addition to (Zen) Master Fwap, Lenz has added a character called the Oracle and selections from "The Handbook for Enlightenment." There's also Nadia, a Danish sex partner and short-term soul mate. (Lenz's puerile fantasies result in some of the funniest sex scenes ever contrived.) Our hero defines himself in a pair of telling paragraphs. "What kind of person am I? I do just what I want to....I am just freaked out about taking on responsibilities. I want to be free, that's all." Lenz tells us, through Master Fwap and the Oracle, that one of the characteristics of enlightenment is an outrageous sense of humor. It would be comforting to think this work is a clever satire; unfortunately, Lenz seems to take himself most seriously. Recommended only for collections where his previous book circulated well.
-?Janet N. Ross, Sparks Branch Lib., Nev.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Real-life snowboarder Lenz (Surfing the Himalayas, 1995) takes us, in what may be the most hilarious spiritual quest since Candide, on a most excellent pilgrimage through the mountains of Nepal. Although there is every indication that Lenz has written with a straight face, his sequel--which he dedicates to his dog--reads for all the world like a '90s parody of Gurdjieff or The Razor's Edge. In an introduction, Lenz makes it clear that he is merely fictionalizing his own experiences as a California jock abroad, and anyone who has hung out in Tibetan youth hostels--or simply fantasized over a Lonely Planet guidebook--will recognize the scene. The narrator is a young and not very bright American who comes to the East in search of the perfect mountain to surf and falls under the spell of Master Fwap, a Buddhist monk. Our hero is not particularly given to introspection, but Fwap makes him understand why snowboarding is his destiny and how it will lead him to spiritual completion. Under Fwap's guidance he progresses along the way of purification and enlightenment and improves his snowboarding technique at the same time. He also meets Nadia, a Danish tourist who's spent years mastering Zen Buddhism. Nadia introduces him to Tantric sex, and though he makes good progress under her and Fwap's lead, he eventually rebels: ``While I loved both Master Fwap and Nadia, they just weren't like me. My world was competitive athletics, and theirs was enlightenment.'' So he goes home to Santa Monica, but he finds that he just can't take up his old life as a surfer anymore: Too much has change, there's too much he still doesn't understand. Finally, he decides that he has to go back to Fwap to ``solve the riddle of the missing dimensions.'' Despite long and extremely boring passages about techniques of meditation and asceticism, this may nevertheless be one of the funniest books of the last five years. Lenz has written a comic masterpiece, whether he meant to or not. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Dont' read this book - it might change your life!!
Snowboarding to Nirvana is so exciting that I finished it in only 2 nights - I couldn't put it down. There are really cool spiritual lessons in this book that I will never forget. I've read plenty of books on Eastern philosophy and religion but this one is by far the most fun and inspiring. The meditation techniques explained in the book are great - they are easy to practice and they really work. My intuition is stronger, I feel I'm more energetic throughout the day, I'm happier and more optimistic, and negative feelings and anxieties don't stick around as much! On top of that, the book is full of many adventures and romantic encounters intertwined with some really cool tips on this awesome sport - snowboarding. After reading this book I had to give it a shot! For the women out there - you gotta try it! Read this book and get on the slopes. But beware - you'll get hooked!

This book is priceless.
With a mischievous sense of humor and a determined refusal to take himself too seriously, Dr. Lenz takes us on a roller coaster ride from the highs of the Himalayas to the lows of smogged-out LA, and leaves us in breathless wonder. I love this book, not only for the purity and beauty of the Buddhist concepts it discusses, but for making them so approachable to a member of Generation X growing up and living in the west. I read this book whenever I need to be reminded that there is more to life than the stressed out world that meets our senses. This book is a breath of fresh air. I recommend it to all spiritual seekers, snowboarders, and people simply seeking new dimensions of light and happiness.

Buddhist Revelations from the Snowboard...
Of course I was going to buy ths book! I read the first release, Surfing the Himalayas, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. The first book explained meditation and mindfulness in a more clear and entertaining way than any other Buddhist or Eastern philosphy-type book I've ever read. The second go 'round of Frederick Lenz's intense adventures in the snow covered peaks of the world's largest snowboard park had me crazily wanting to go there myself. I started boarding after reading the first book, and it has effected my whole life - literally. The second volume of Tantric Buddhist knowledge and wisdom is a western Buddhists crown jewel! These days, people who practice self discovery need something different to re-inspire their journey to enlightenment. If you want a new slant on ancient Buddhist teachings, this is what you've been looking for. It's easy to say, but the messages were so clear that I'm literally a changed person because of them. If you read this, Thank you, Frederick Lenz! I love snowboarding, and I love your books! THANK YOU! I am eagerly awaiting your next epic.