The Adventures of a Southern (Baptist) Buddhist

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.