From one of the most influential Buddhist leaders of our time, journal entries from America and Vietnam in the '60s-a portrait of the Zen master as a young man.

Best known for his Buddhist teachings, Thich Nhat Hanh has lived in exile from his native Vietnam since 1966. These remarkable early journals reveal not only an exquisite portrait of the Zen master as a young man, but the emergence of a great poet and literary voice of Vietnam. From his years as a student and teaching assistant at Princeton and Columbia, to his efforts to negotiate peace and a better life for the Vietnamese, Fragrant Palm Leaves offers an elegant and profound glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world's most beloved spiritual teachers.

This edition includes a new introduction

"One of the sweetest and most personally revealing of Thich Nhat Hanh's books, it shows the planting of his seeds of remarkable wisdom."-Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart

"Enlightening."-Maxine Hong Kingston

"One of the greatest teachers of our time....In Fragrant Palm Leaves, the venerable poet emerges poignantly, disclosing the essence of enlightenment, and also life itself."-Robert Thurman, author of Inner Revolution

"Informative and inspiring."-Publishers Weekly --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.