Book review: The Saffron Road: A Journey With Buddha’s Daughters

THIS is an expansive exploration of Buddhism and the plight of Buddhist nuns across the globe.

Christine Toomey

Portobello, €22.50

In a trip that extends from remotest Nepal to France and these islands, Christine Toomey introduces us to thousands of women, all with a different, fascinating story to tell.

Toomey is an award-winning journalist and author. Working for the Sunday Times, she has travelled extensively writing mostly about conflict.

This piece explores a more personal interest for the author, which began as an admiration for the strength of Buddhist nuns.

The sheer number of stories is at times daunting, and it wasn’t always easy to follow the thread of the narrative.

Coming to the topic with little prior knowledge of the philosophy, the book was a challenging read — it’s packed with detail. But the lengths the women have gone to in search of fulfilment must be admired.