The Buddha: A Very Short Introduction by Carrithers, Michael

There is a whole series of the Past Masters books but this is the first one I have read (The Buddha: Past Masters by Michael Carrithers) in this series. I have been interested in the many Asian philosophies for most of my life and I have read numerous books on the topic over the years.This 102 page hardcover volume focuses on the life and intellectual development of the Buddha. It explains the differences and similarities of various competing philosophies being promoted at the time. This book is organized into five sections. The introduction provides insight into some of the myths surrounding this historical figure. The second section covers in detail the early life and renunciation. The third and fourth section deals with the awakening. The final chapter explains the mission and the death of Buddha. There is also a section on further readings about the Buddha.Though this book did a great job of explaining the thought process and life of this great philosopher I was a little disappointed that there were so few quotes from the Buddha in this volume. Nevertheless, I think anyone interested in the life of the Buddha will find this a good introduction to the topic.