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Overview
This is a penetrating study of the striking parallels between the work of Scottish novelist Neil Gunn and Eastern thought, particularly those of Zen Buddhism and Taoism. All of his books are crucially concerned with man's archetypal quest for wisdom and freedom. Many of his characters have just those qualities of stillness, inner luminosity and unspoken meaning that characterize the traditional Oriental religions. In a detailed and lively analysis of seven of Gunn's major novels including Highland River, The Silver Darlings, and The Well at the World's End, Burns explores the significance of such moments in Gunn's fiction. Contents: Light, Delight and Zen, Introduction; The Pivot of Tao, Butcher's Broom 1934; Returning to the Source, Highland River 1937; The Heart of the Circle, The Silver Darlings 1941; Slaying the Mind, The Serpent 1943; The World of Light, The Well at the World's End 1951; Beyond Violence, Bloodhunt 1952; Seeking the Master, The Other Landscape 1954; Celebration of the Light; References; Glossary of Zen Terms; Bibliography; Index