Bad Buddhist

Book excerpt: A sharp, lively collection from Australia’s most hilarious buddhist Meshel Laurie is aware she is probably a very bad Buddhist, but every day she puts her energy into improving. She works in television, creates podcasts, writes books and parents twins – so she knows a thing or two about the mad juggle of modern life. In Bad Buddhist Meshel offers snapshots of her life as she undergoes IVF, negotiates nappies and lunchboxes, discovers she is crap at interior decorating and tries Tinder. Along the way she meets the Dalai Lama, fantasises about doing yoga and tries to fit in a spot of mindfulness between explaining Google to her dad and grappling with bitchy online feminism. Meshel may not be a beacon of Buddhist zen . . . yet. But as the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Or a shuffle to the instant coffee at five am.