The World Is Made of Stories

In this unique and utterly novel presentation, David Loy explores the fascinating proposition that the stories we tell — about what is and is not possible, about ourselves, about right and wrong, life and death, about the world and everything in it — become the very building blocks of our experience and of the universe itself. Loy uses an intriguing mixture of quotations from familiar and less-familiar sources and brief standalone micro-essays, engaging both the reader and himself in challenging and illuminating dialogue. As we come to see that the world is made — in a word — of stories, we come to a richer understanding of that most elusive of Buddhist ideas: shunyata, the "generative emptiness" that makes up all forms. Reminiscent of Zen koans and works of sophisticated poetry, this book rewards both casual reading and deep reflection.

David R. Loy's previous books include the acclaimed Money, Sex, War, Karma, The Great Awakening: A Buddhist Social Theory, and The Dharma of Dragons and Daemons, a finalist for the 2006 Mythopoeic Scholarship Award. He was the Besl Professor of Ethics/Religion and Society at Cincinnati's Xavier University.