Author Talk with Janet Ettele: “How Joyous Effort Works”

Part instruction and part story, How Joyous Effort Works artfully weaves actual verses from Master Shantideva’s chapter on Joyful Effort from The Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. “Janet Kathleen Ettele’s How Joyous Efforts Work introduces Buddhism interweaving it with stories of our daily life. I hope this book enables the general readers to get a better understanding of the Buddhist teachings, getting conviction not because of faith, but due to reasoning.” –His Holiness the Dalai Lama (an excerpt from his foreword to this book).

Troy, a young man in his early twenties who has struggled with substance abuse and a quick-fisted temper, seeks to extinguish his habits of the past under the guidance of a Buddhist sage. Continuing his journey with the theme of the previous three books: “When the student is ready the master appears,” Troy meets Jules, a wise teacher and a master luthier (builder of string instruments). This touching story of Troy’s journey presents one of the world’s most profound teachings on compassion and wisdom.

This touching story of Troy’s journey presents one of the world’s most profound teachings on compassion and wisdom. Set in present day New England where the characters’ ordinary lives and challenges are recognizable as being similar to our own, we find that it is not necessary to be Buddhist to benefit from the teachings in this story.

Join us at the Ridgefield Library, Sunday March 30th at 2pm, books will be available for purchase and signing!

Watch the book trailer for How Joyous Effort Works by Janet Ettele below!