DAVID R. LOY, LINDA GOODHEW : THE DHARMA OF DRAGONS AND DAEMONS Buddhist Themes in Modern Fantasy

Many books are called groundbreaking, but this one is truly unique and sure to appeal to anyone with an interest in fantasy literature. It employs a Buddhist perspective to appreciate some of the major works of modern fantasy—and uses modern fantasy fiction to elucidate Buddhist teachings. In the tradition of David Loy’s cutting-edge presentation of a Buddhist social theory in The Great Awakening, this pioneering work of Buddhist literary analysis, renown scholar David Loy and Linda Goodhew offer ways of reading modern fantasy-genre fiction that illuminate both the stories themselves, and the universal qualities of Buddhist teachings. Authors examined include J.R.R. Tolkien, Philip Pullman (of The Amber Spyglass trilogy, from whose works the word “daemon” is borrowed in the title), Ursula K. LeGuin, and the anime movie Princess Mononoke.

• Paperback
• 176 pages, 6.25 x 9.25 inches
• ISBN 9780861714766

David R. Loy’s books include the acclaimed Money, Sex, War, Karma: Notes for a Buddhist Revolution; The Great Awakening: A Buddhist Social Theory; The World Is Made of Stories; A Buddhist Response to the Climate Emergency; and The Dharma of Dragons and Daemons, a finalist for the 2006 Mythopoeic Scholarship Award. He was the Besl Professor of Ethics/Religion and Society at Cincinnati’s Xavier University and is qualified as a teacher in the Sanbo Kyodan tradition of Japanese Buddhism.

Other books by David R. Loy:
Nonduality
A Buddhist Response to the Climate Emergency
A New Buddhist Path
Ecodharma
Lack and Transcendence
The World Is Made of Stories
The Great Awakening
Money, Sex, War, Karma

Linda Goodhew is a professor of English literature at Gakushuin University in Japan. She lives in Kamakura, Japan.