Rating: 
Summary: A nervous, dualistic journey into space
Review: This book is a very interesting window into the mind of a Buddhist student who thought that the crucible of wisdomfire was supposed to be a democratic tanning salon. Consistently, Mr. Butterfield's misunderstandings and fear are laid out as a series of revelations. His prose is rich in sportscasting and identity politics. We end up with a portrait of someone who, suckling the teat of skepticism and mistrust, missed the vital points of dharma over and over again.Parts of this book are interesting. It does provide a glimpse into the basic foundational practices of vajrayana, which is good. Unfortunately, the information that is there becomes sullied by the author's personal hesitations and glee in revealing "secrets." There are a lot of concepts in this book, but there is no heat. It nitpicks at the problems of Trungpa Rinpoche's sangha (admittedly serious as some of them may have been) while providing little to no window into the strengths inherent in the Buddhist lineage and the force of blessings therein. It is truly sad that Mr. Butterfield's "revelation" has the potential to turn away legitimate spiritual seekers. My advice: don't let this book be your only window into Buddhism OR the life of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. That would be a tremendously unfortunate thing.
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