William Segal's "A Voice at the Borders of Silence"

Zen Buddhism has become more or less an accepted, understood and at times a largely misunderstood religious and lifestyle practice here in the U.S.. William Segal's autobiography "A Voice at the Borders of Silence" describes the life of a truly interesting and amazing citizen of the world. A self described Buddhist, Segal sheds light on some of the mysteries that are Zen Buddhism and where to turn to gain a better understanding of it.
Segal spent his life on a spiritual quest during which he encountered many teachers and felt their influences. His greatest of spiritual teachers D.T. Suzuki became an important force in Segal's life and helped guide him through his trips to Japan and to some of the ancient nations remotest monasteries. Throughout Segal's life he became a trained artist and an accomplished painter of portraits and landscapes. In May of the year 2000 at the age of 95, William Segal left this world to enter back into the place from which we all come and inevitably all go. His life left a legacy of being an incredible student and in the end a kind of spiritual master himself.
The text is at times hard to relate to because of the extremely personal nature of some of the events and places described, but a little patience and this work becomes a worthwhile read. As with many autobiographies this one is populated with illustrative pictures of Segal's life, his artwork and some of the important figures he met and places he traveled to. I would not call this an easy read but I would say that it is quite accessible and non academic in nature. From his life in rural Pennsylvania to his journeys throughout Japan and China there seems to be something to gain in reading each and every chapter of this book.The life that the late William Segal lived is a guiding light for the interested few who want to learn about the life of a remarkable citizen of the world.
From cover to cover this book is by no means a page turner, thriller or exciting work, but as in meditation there is much to learn from the seconds the reader spends in contemplation of Segal's life, teachings and work.