For a small book, this packs a lot in. It’s the kind of book you need to own, so that you can pick it up time after time, read a little and go away to ponder and practice.

It focuses on the practice of mindfulness, so essential in the Buddhist tradition. Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh really makes an effort to translate this tradition into the modern world and looks at how mindfulness can be practiced while getting into your car or listening to the phone ring.

The structure of the book is well thought out. It starts with basic practices, some of which can be practiced anywhere and any time and the rest of which involve common situations like eating a meal.

The next section looks at mindfulness from more of a psychological perspective; how mindfulness can be used to deal with emotions and get to the difficulties underlying those emotions. It also extends into compassion and mindfully living with those around you, seeking first to understand.

This last point is magnified in the last section, extending to being mindful of our impact on the Earth itself and treating our environment with respect. He also touches on war and the efforts he was engaged in during the Vietnam War.

Each section is comprised of a number of very short essays, often no more than a page long. I found this made it very digestable; I could read through the book quickly to get a sense of the whole before coming back to further ponder each individual section.

His style was simple, warm and engaging. Perfect for a book of this nature.