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I was wondering if any of you have a book on Buddhism that you really like? I have read a few, and am currently reading Awaken the Buddha Within.

By Lama Surya Das... he has the other two in the trilogy, wghich I heartily recommend...

"Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World, Awakening the Buddhist Heart: Integrating Love, Meaning and Connection into Every Part of Your Life, and Awakening to the Sacred (the three books that comprise his bestselling Awakening Trilogy, the first trilogy of Buddhism for the West)"

From this link:

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I will definately read those - thanks so much!

I would add at this point, that the one book that swung it for me, and actually pierced my consciousness with laser-like clarity, was 'The Tibetan book of Living and Dying', by Sogyal rinpoche.
It is a large book, and has recently celebrated its 10th anniversary as one of the most important and popular books to have been published in recent times.
One caveat:
It comes via a rinpoche (pronounced Rin-pochey) from a specific lineage in Tibetan Buddhism. But it is a general book, touching on all kinds of creeds, beliefs and docrines... so although he represents a specific practise, again, like Lama Surya Das, his book is generic and universal....

Enjoy...
There are also many websites on the internet which do much to instruct and guide, in very simple ways....

If you'd like to know more about them, let me know. I'll post links, but it's up to you....

I just reserved the Tibetan Book on Living and Dying. I am looking forward to it.
The more I read in Awakening the Buddha Within, the more I like it.
If you would like to post links, I would definately go to them and read.
Thank you for your help.

BillieCat, I hope to impart something that you might already have learnt by reading Lama Das' books...
Buddhists don't proselytise. We don't preach.
We don't bang the drum or compel others to listen to us, or convert, or push where shovin' ain't wanted....
So nobody - on any Buddhist forum - will tell you 'must' or 'mustn't', and will not be forthcoming on anything you don't invite.
Which is why I left it open to you to decide on the weblinks....

I'll just go and get them, and be right back...
hang on a sec, back in a mo'.....

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Thanks again for your help. I have a lot of interesting studying to do......

Alexandra:
I like how you said you buddha-tized yourself. Most of us in the US have not been born into Buddhism and people as myself very much want to get involved with it. I have been on a very spiritual path most of my adult life, and very seriously this entire year, after turning 35, and from studying, I realized that these beliefs match up to my own. I would also like to buddha-tize myself.

well, I could explain to you what I did, and then you can decide for yourself what you would like to do, and when, depending on when you feel ready and 'right' to do it.
I'd be happy to do that, but please understand, I'm not insisting or instructing that you should, nor am I trying to influence you one way or another.
Everything is down to you....

The Buddha taught two things are necessary for the continuation of sound practice:
One, is to understand that we are all of us subject to The Law of Karma, and two, he taught that re-birth is something we should understand.he states that this occurs, and is part of our continuation in the cycle of samsara....
Now, it is not required that you believe in these completely. Certainly, nobody would expect you to accept them unquestioningly, and in just 'good faith'. The buddha strenuously discouraged everyone from adopting a position of faith without questioning, and without testing all teachings for themselves. He emphatically included his own teachings. But because as Buddhists we examine his teachings and have Faith in them - faith in the sense of Confidence and trust, not as in a deistic religion, that requires a certain amount of faith, as in Hope and desire - we understand as Buddhists, that what he teaches us is something we can trust and have confidence in, because testing his teachings for ourselves, reveals the truth in them. So, through study and practice, we acquire trust in him, and discover that he is very reliable and we can place our faith in that. Rather like a well-qualified doctor, with a wonderful bedside manner. He tells us something, and although we are glad to be able to research his findings ourselves, through reading books, checking the web, and looking it up in encyclopedias, we're quite glad to accept his medical prognosis, because he is a good doctor, and hasn't let us down so far.... Do you see the analogy...?

But to outright deny the Buddha's teachings, and state that they are untrue, and you see no foundation in them, is not skilful or Mindful. Nobody expects you to believe something, if you have any difficulties with the teachings. That's absolutely fine. You are not obliged to take in everything and accept it. Doubt or question is healthy.
Outright denial, or dissent is not really Right View. (The 'first signpost' on the Eightfold path.....)

More a bit later..... Hugs....