Billionaire Buddha

Inspired by a true story. . .

Money, fortune, wealth, billionaire Dave Grant has it all . . . until the shell of his heart cracks open to the misery created by his success.

From the heights of luxury to the depths of poverty, he topples through the truth of inequality, colliding with his beliefs about capitalism, privilege, charity, property and love. Turned out on the street, locked up in prison, starved on the sidewalk, and brought to his knees, Dave Grant crosses the distance between the 1% and the rest of humanity.

As shocking as The Jungle and as liberating as Siddhartha, this novel tackles greed and injustice with unflinching truth and brings the reader to a new understanding of who they are and their relation to all of life.

Inspired by a real story, Billionaire Buddha is a book that you'll never forget.

Our reviewers have been deeply moved:

“Rivera Sun has written a work of inspirational and transformational fiction! Instead of a “rags to riches” story –Billionaire Buddha is a “riches to renewal” journey – reminding us that great wealth doesn’t buy happiness –and is also a barrier to deeper meaning, human connection, and personal liberation. An enjoyable read for one’s heart and soul.”
--Chuck Collins, senior scholar, Institute for Policy Studies, co-founder, Wealth for the Common Good & Patriotic Millionaires; co-author with Bill Gates Sr. of Wealth and Our Commonwealth: Why America Should Tax Inherited Fortunes

"...inspiring a skeptic is no easy task and Rivera Sun manages to do so, as much because of her writing talent as because of her message. To be able to phrase the urges we each have to break through the confines of the selves we have constructed and so thoroughly defended over the course of our lives is no minor accomplishment… and Rivera Sun does so gracefully, convincingly, and admirably."
--Casey Dorman, Author, Editor-in-Chief, Lost Coast Review

"I highly recommend Rivera Sun's Billionaire Buddha. It takes us through the story of a rich man's redemption of soul. I cannot find adequate words to describe the beauty of this story, nor will I attempt to, as the book stands on its own merits, and not any endorsement that any other writer can give."
--Michael Veloff, poet

"People, if you haven't gotten your copy of Billionaire Buddha yet, you are letting a rare opportunity slip through your fingers, It's that good. "
--Burt Kempner, screenwriter, producer and author of children's books

Includes Afterwords by Chuck Collins, Dariel Garner (the inspiration), and Rivera Sun.

Rivera Sun is an award-winning author and an internationally-respected teacher of strategy for nonviolent movements. She is the founding editor of the weekly Nonviolence News, the largest international journal devoted to the use of nonviolence in mass movements. She is the author of nine novels, as well as nine theatrical plays, three books of poetry, a book of highly opinionated essays and a study guide to nonviolent action.Her essays on social justice are syndicated by Peace Voice and have appeared in hundreds of newspapers and magazines.Rivera co-hosted nationally syndicated weekly radio shows for over five years and has co-founded two nationwide nonviolent study and action groups.She has been the program director for Pace e Bene/Campaign Nonviolence and is an advisor to many national and international social and environmental activist organizations. Rivera's webinars, readings and workshops are available on her website. She is happy to meet with classroom and activist groups and book clubs.Rivera has red hair, a twin sister, and a fondness for esoteric mystics. She went to Bennington College to study writing as a Harcourt Scholar and graduated with a degree in dance. She lives in an earthship house in New Mexico, where she grows tomatoes, bakes sourdough bread, and drinks pu'erh tea. Rivera has been an aerial dancer, a bike messenger, and a gung-fu style tea server. Everything else about her -except her writing- is perfectly ordinary.Rivera Sun sings the anthem of our times. Her work celebrates the everyday heroes hidden in activists and soccer moms, alike. Rich metaphor and exquisite writing thrust her novels and poetry into the realms of literary greatness, while the stories grab the social issues of our times by the collar and shakes them hard. A soaring tribute to the beauty of the human spirit and also a scathing indictment of contemporary culture, her work is unforgettable; it seizes you at the first page and sends you flying out the other side, refreshed, rejuvenated and empowered to change. Rivera believes in being an embodiment of love-in-action in all that she does. A passionate participant in creating a just, sustainable, and peaceful world, she takes the responsibility of life seriously . . . and with a good dose of humor. Her novels focus on the social issues of our times, positing creative solutions as well as muckraking through the causes of suffering. "Life is the ultimate adventure!" Rivera says.Rivera is easy to connect with on Facebook and Twitter, or through the RiveraSun.com website. She encourages her readers to reach out, write reviews, and share their favorite quotes with others. Rivera in her words: I collect tangible heroesimperfect and lovablefrom all times and all nations, races and creedswith their adventure-plot-metaphorsthat we, ourselves, liveto inspire all peopleto lead boldly authentic, everyday livesdeeply connected to themselveseach otherand this earth.I pair complexity to simplicityfold panoramas into packageschallenge one voice to speak many.I leave room for music,dance,and physicality.embodying the tellerin mind, heart, and soul.The kitchen becomes a stagethe classroom a theaterevery human a storyteller.The tales become commondiscussed over tea,simmered with dinnerwritten in lettersrippling. . .into our lives.