Reviewed by Jen Oliver, MyShelf.Com
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Diverting the Buddha takes a look at Vietnam during the Vietnam war, incorporating Buddhism in the mix of war and US politics. There are several different characters, both major and minor, and at different levels of development, which might prove confusing to the reader. But the setting of the book is vital to the story and the book could not take place in anywhere else. There are several different underlying plots about the rise and fall of the Buddhist democracy movement. It is interesting to see how it came to be, how it was destroyed, and how Buddhist religious figures played a role. It can also be very confusing.

Mr. Swartzel has drawn from his own experiences as an American soldier, adding authenticity to this work of fiction.