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Kindle Edition Digital Ebook Purchas Details
  • 08/2022
  • 9798201178383 B0B9Q9B8GY
  • 224 pages
  • $6.99
Pamela McConnell
Author
The Adventures of a Southern (Baptist) Buddhist
The Adventures of a Southern Baptist Buddhist by Pamela McConnell, MSW, LCSW This true story is about a girl who is born up north; into a conservative, fundamentalist/evangelical family—but then becomes a Liberal Buddhist. Her family returns to their roots in the Appalachian south, where Pam is molested by her grandfather. She later owns her sexuality by becoming promiscuous; beginning a pattern of serial dating, marrying, and divorcing. She is first married at 18 to another 18-year-old, who gives her a beautiful son—but he is a redneck and they have nothing else in common. Her second husband is a talented musician but turns out to like sex with men. Her third husband speaks five languages and is a Pakistani, but he beats her up. Her fourth husband is a chef who makes delicious meals but turns out to be a felon and a crackhead. Finally, the love of her life neglects to tell Pam for seven years that he is married. In the meantime, Pam completes two degrees and works as a counselor, and then 20 years as a hospice social worker. She begins her hospice career in Southern California, where she has moved to get away from the DEEP South. That is where she converts to Buddhism. From that point, she begins to look inward for the answers to her questions about life’s meaning. Pam leaves the country after two failed relationships, some years apart. She spends a year teaching English in South Korea and goes from there to Pakistan with her third husband. In between, her dad dies and Pam reconnects and bonds with her mom, backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. When she leaves the love of her life, she goes on Pilgrimage to India and Nepal. The meaning of her life is coming into focus. At the end of the book, Pam goes on a trek in the Himalayas, on the Annapurna Circuit. Just over the three-mile high pass is a magical Pure Land in Muktinath, with a Buddhist temple that is dedicated to the female Buddha Vajrayogini. With a new perspective, Pam has the realization that her Enlightenment is ensured; she WILL become a Buddha someday.
Reviews
Readers' Favorite

Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers' Favorite

The Adventures of a Southern (Baptist) Buddhist is the real-life story of a woman who was raised in a fundamentalist evangelical Christian environment but later became a Buddhist. Author Pamela McConnell, MSW, LCSW, holds a master’s degree in social work and is a licensed clinical social worker. She experienced traumatic events, including being molested by her grandfather and going through several divorces. One husband beat her, while another turned out to have a felony conviction and a problem with illegal drugs. She also had a relationship with a man who didn’t tell her for seven years that he was still married to another woman. The book also contains accounts of McConnell’s remarkable travels, including hiking much of the Appalachian Trail and a pilgrimage to India and Nepal. She also lived in other places that most people can only read about, such as South Korea. The book contains some graphic content, including child sexual abuse, domestic violence, and sexual scenes. There are also frank descriptions of religious intolerance.

The Adventures of a Southern (Baptist) Buddhist is a fascinating book. Pamela McConnell writes openly and candidly. Because of her education and background, she has unique insight into the human condition and in particular her own life. I appreciated her frankness as she doesn’t hide any of her experiences, terrible as some were. Many readers will find her religious quest to be captivating. One doesn’t have to have any particular religious convictions to identify with her struggle to find a faith that worked for her. Everyone can learn from McConnell’s experiences and her honesty in telling her own life story. Anyone who reads with an open mind and wants to live vicariously through both the best and worst life offers should read this book. They will rejoice with McConnell that she was able to overcome her past and become a happy and fulfilled woman.

Formats
Kindle Edition Digital Ebook Purchas Details
  • 08/2022
  • 9798201178383 B0B9Q9B8GY
  • 224 pages
  • $6.99
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