John Burdett

“We do not look on death the way you do, farang. My closest colleagues grasp my arm and one or two embrace…

— John Burdett

You don't understand. I only prostitute the part of the body that isn't important, and nobody suffers except my karma a little…

— John Burdett

The world other than as advertised can be an amazing place.

— John Burdett

Las Vegas is the expression, in glitter and concrete, of Americas brittle and mutating id.

— John Burdett

To a Buddhist, contradictions only exist in a mind that has been forced to cultivate them.

— John Burdett

I'm fascinated by Buddhism. I adore Buddhism, and I read about it all the time, but I haven't formally become a Buddhist,…

— John Burdett

There are plenty of brilliant people who are too stressed out to read challenging literary novels.

— John Burdett

In Southeast Asia the world is understood to be a vast, complex network of interdependent relationships. So when global capitalism makes it…

— John Burdett

It is quite amazing how hard the subconscious works when it is made to understand that this life is not a rehearsal,…

— John Burdett

I discovered that Thailand was one of those countries, like Sri Lanka and India, where memory of past lives used to be…

— John Burdett

Las Vegas is the expression, in glitter and concrete, of America's brittle and mutating id.

— John Burdett

“Farang, I'll bet you Wall Street against a Thai mango he'll be back, if for no other reason than to play the…

— John Burdett

Don't ask me when I first mastered the obvious.

— John Burdett

“Sincerity is the first casualty of capitalism. We”

— John Burdett

“On a whim, Pisit calls the monk back to ask what he thinks of all this, and Western culture in general. After…

— John Burdett

“The dharma teaches us the impermanence of all phenomena, but you cannot prepare yourself for the loss of the phenomenon you love…

— John Burdett

“Today Chanya is kikiat and won’t be doing any work of any kind. Kikiat is usually translated as “lazy,” which is misleading…

— John Burdett

I don't want enlightenment, I want him. Sorry Buddha, I loved him more than you.

— John Burdett

In essence, the Thai people are not materialistic at all. They're not in the least driven by the kind of ambition that…

— John Burdett

Just studying Buddhism, then meditating and going to Buddhist monasteries, talking to Buddhist monks, combined with the Thai people themselves, changed the…

— John Burdett

“Bangkok is one of the world's great cities, all of which own red-light districts that find their ways into the pages of…

— John Burdett

I think it is immensely difficult to get the U.S. interested in non-U.S. topics. I don't think this is because the average…

— John Burdett

Expecting to be wrong about most things most of the time brings, finally, the kind of humility that leads to peace. I…

— John Burdett

'Shun security,' I advise aspiring novelists when they complain to me that they are stuck. 'Get disoriented. Maybe your agonizing writing block…

— John Burdett

Your fear of letting go prevents you from letting go of your fear of letting go.

— John Burdett