On a journey through Southeast Asia, a writer discovers the survival of age-old truths in a world gone mad.'A brilliant corrective to euphemistic travel writing and a profound look at the spiritual life under duress... Wurlitzer sets a new standard of truth for the widening crowd of those who would write about the spiritual life.' - San Francisco Chronicle'A dark jewel, sharp and compact...what a rare thing Wurlitzer has written: a book of spirit that cuts to the bone.' - Voice Literary Supplement 'Favorite 25 books of 1994'