Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens

So far as I know, all available Christian guides for teens are written from a fundamentalist perspective. So, until someone of us writes one from a Christian Resurgence perspective I suggest this book as a useful spirit guide for Christian teens. The advantage of the Christian Resurgence perspective is its openness to learn from spirit resources of all traditions. Winston's experience as a Buddhist nun (for a year in Burma), in teaching meditation to young people for ten years in the U.S. and India (she inserts many comments from her students), and in founding and directing the Buddhist Alliance for Social Engagement, as well as her relative youth (under 40), enables her to understand teens as well as speak with the wisdom of experience. The book is a basic primer of Buddhism, including instructions for meditation. I particularly appreciated her explanation of the difference between discernment and judgment, the section on choosing friends wisely, and the chapters on finding right livelihood. She also covers the hot topics of dealing with emotions, sex, and intoxicants.

I Got this book at the library about 2 years ago and I couldn't stop thinking about it and eventually decided I wanted it to be a part of my library. I love this book so much. The only thing I would change is the title because I don't believe this is just for teens. In fact, I let my 14 year old sister read it and she read the first chapter and didn't like it. I think she's too young for it. I first read this when I was like 20 and I loved it. I also think it's more about spirituality than it is a guide to Buddhism. This book put so many things into perspective for me and I go back to it constantly. This is probably one of my favorite books that I've ever read and I recommend you read it with an open mind and without any expectations. There are great life lessons in this book that I have incorporated into my lifestyle. This book educated me and it also saved me

I teach meditation to teenagers in a high school and this book, more than any of the others that I've read so far, helped me to explain meditation and buddhist concepts to my students. I've bought several copies because so many of my students want to read the rest of it beyond the excerpts from class.I was initially hesitant because of the cover, but I'm very grateful that I bought this book. Don't be turned off if you don't identify as Buddhist - I myself am not. It's not dogmatic at all, just like Buddha's teachings, and I would argue that besides the one paragraph on reincarnation, there's nothing in this book that any person, regardless of where they stand on religion (even atheists), could not wholly agree with and find insightful.

For someone surrounded by drugs and alcohol, society and pressures, a nasty parental divorce, and by the new hardships that come with being a teenager - sex, technology, bullying on all fronts, extreme appearance pressure, I turn to this book to help me balance my life again.It is almost like a bible to me now, or the Big Blue Book from the Alcohols Anonymous program because it has little exercises for you to personally take inventory of your life - your own personal attachments, for example.I am sixteen years old, and I searched for myself in drugs started at thirteen. But I am now a year sober, and I thank Buddhism very much for my love of living, love of myself, and gratitude for everything I have overcome and gratitude for everything I am so fortunate to have. I could not recommend this enough.It will certainly change your life.

This book is pretty much as the Booklist review describes. It is worth noting that the book begins with lengthy forwards and prefaces which I found wordy, ponderous, and a bit moralistic. I began to fear the book would be the same. Not so! when you finally get to chapter one, the pace picks up and the tone and diction become lighter and much friendlier to a high-school level of reader. Far from being moralistic, the author deals with a variety of real issues that young people have to face, and does it in a frank, sensible, easygoing and very constructive fashion. The book should be a help and a comfort to many in its target audience.

I thought it was good, but the three teens who looked at it (honestly, they didn't read it. Losers.) just thought it was, "okay." The book is a good primer on Buddhism and attempts to tie Buddhist philosophy into events common to teenagers while teaching the central precepts.I cannot figure out why they didn't really like it, but then I'm always trying, and mostly failing, to figure them out. If you're an adult or a kid that is more mature than my son (Not difficult: HS Freshman) then you might really like it. I did.

I heard a few good quotes from this book in the Audible version of another book, The Buddha Is Still Teaching, and thought I would buy a copy to read it and maybe pass it on to my daughters. Those nuggets are well-buried indeed. Attempts at engagement with adolescent experience rang hollow and even self-promotional or egotistical. That said, while I find it unlikely that teens would enjoy this book, I am not the target audience. So, big grain of salt regarding my opinion, but I won't be recommending it.

I bought this book for my eleven year old daughter over the summer. In two weeks she read it and it has already begun to transform her mind and thinking in an incredibly positive way. I’d recommend for every parent who would like their child to be self-aware and mindful.

Brilliant book - highly engaging and accessible - plenty of easy to use skills, tips, exercises and insights with a narrative that strongly identifies with the experince of being a young person in the 21st century. Have bought and gifted several copies.

Bought for a young lad entering teens but I think may be better suited to the older teenager - 14/15 years. However, a great introduction to the teachings for any age, and a good refresher read for an old path walker.

I bought this book for my granddaughter and it has had an enormous impact on her; she has started to think in a different way. As she has learnt so much from the book, she tells us how to avoid negative thinking, which is wonderful.

I have read quite a few other books on Buddhism .Bought this one for my teenage nieces and feel it is an accessible introduction to Buddhist thought and practice and why it might be an advantage both to them and the world .

Just started it. Really enjoying it and I am a hard reader to please. But this is keeping my interest! Would definitely recommend.