/lit/ - Literature

>>9041560
Start out with something academic. Most books on Buddhism are written by crystal gripping hacks who orientalise it into some bullshit hippie philosophy with completely out of context quotes that sound deep but are ultimately meaningless unless you have a solid grasp of the competing trends in ancient indian philosophy.

For a start anything by Richard F. Gombrich. Any of his books will do or if you're especially lazy watch one of his lectures.

If you want something really in-depth read anything by Hajime Nakamura. He's basically #1 in the history of Buddhism. Pain to get a hold of one of his books though.

Any of the books by Richard F. Gombrich. Great if you're more interested in the actual philosophical tradition of Buddhism rather than the mystical mumbo-jumbo people ascribe to it.

There's also Hajime Nakamura's biography Gotama Buddha: A Biography Based on the Most Reliable Texts. Haven't read it but I've heard good things.