Many know the Buddha from the serene statues one sees everwhere. But what of the man himself and the world he lived in? What did he actually do in his roughly eighty years on earth that spawned one of the greatest religions in history? Renowned religious scholar Karen Armstrong answers these questions and more by examining the life and times of the Buddha in this engrossing philosophical biography. Against the background of cultural ferment that characterized the world at the time, Armstrong blends history, philosophy, mythology and biography to create a compelling and illuminating portrait of a man whose awakening continues to inspire millions today, 2,500 years after his death.
