See Jan’s memoir, Dreaming Me.

“Jan Willis’s new book does what seems almost impossible: It breathes new life into the old question of race and faith. A black woman brought up in the Baptist south builds new bridges, stone by stone, to an Ivy League education in the north and to the Buddhism of Tibetan refugees. In a poetic language of considerable force and grace, Willis takes the reader into unexpected landscapes both in space and in her own mind. We emerge enriched and inspired by the will to truth and the courage to believe that is the heart of Dreaming Me.” —Vera Schwarcz, author of Bridge Across Broken Time

“Hailed by Time magazine as one of the top innovators in religion for the new millennium, Willis delivers a gripping, intimate account of her spiritual journey that will move anyone who is compelled by the examined life…. She could be the first African-American Buddhist feminist guru to be embraced by reading groups across America.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Intensely felt . . . highly personal . . . the heart of her story is the account of her transforming encounter with Buddhism, which enabled her to overcome racism and practice the loving-kindness that Christianity demands. A moving story that aims to reconcile the experiences of faith and racism.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Destined for the same shelf as Anne Lamott’s Traveling Mercies and Kathleen Norris’s The Cloister Walk and Amazing Grace, this is a powerful memoir of a ‘Baptist Buddhist’ who writes with courage, compassion, and forgiveness.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“Fascinating … a powerful and moving personal memoir.” —Booklist

And…

“A truly uplifting book of personal empowerment and the triumph of human heart. This remarkable book touches upon themes that every genuine pilgrim – especially those who seek to integrate their cultural and religious heritage with newfound personal spiritual path – must address at some point in their journey.” (Thupten Jinpa, founder of the Institute of Tibetan Classics, and personal translator for the Dalai Lama.)

“Willis delivers a gripping, intimate account of her spiritual journey that will move anyone who is compelled by the examined life.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Willis is a philosopher with a bold agenda.” (TIME)