This review is an excerpt of Michael Pellechia's monthly BookPage business and finance book round-up.

Instructions to the Cook

A Zen Master's Lessons in
Living a Life That Matters

By Bernard Glassman and Rick Fields
Bell Tower, $20

ISBN 0517703777

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Making Zen practical

Review by Michael Pellecchia

A life well lived is called "the supreme meal" in Zen. Those who know "how to plan, cook, appreciate, serve and offer the supreme meal of life," are called Zen cooks. "The Zen cook used what he had rather than complaining or making excuses about what he didn't have."

The application to business may sound theoretical, but it's not. The author, Bernard Glassman, was studying Zen during his career as an aeronautical engineer, and ended up vowing to be a Zen cook. In 1979 he began a Zen community in New York. That led him into a career as social activist, abbot of the Zen Community of New York, and founder of the Greyston Foundation, a network of businesses and not-for-profits in Yonkers, N.Y. This book proves how pragmatic is the simple application of Zen teaching.

Michael Pellecchia writes about business and finance books for this publication. He can be reached at michael_pellecchia@bookpage.com.

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