Encountering Buddhism in twentieth century British and American literature A wide ranging critical examination of western literatures engagement with Buddhism in the twentieth century Encountering Buddhism in Twentieth Century British and American Literature explores the ways in which twentieth century literature has been influenced by Buddhism and has been in turn a major factor in bringing about Buddhisms increasing spread and influence in the West. Focussing on Britain and the United States Buddhisms influence on a range of key literary texts will be examined in the context of those societies evolving modernity. Writers discussed include T. S. Eliot Hermann Hesse Virginia Woolf Jack Kerouac Allen Ginsberg J. D. Salinger Iris Murdoch Maxine Hong Kingston. This book brings together for the first time a series of context rich interpretations that demonstrate the importance of literature in this ongoing cultural change in Britain and the United States