Flip past the creepy cover and READ this book. Batchelor delivers a somewhat unique point of view on Buddhism and life in general. 

“Ironically, we may discover that death meditation is not a morbid exercise at all. Only when we lose the use of something taken for granted (whether the telephone or an eye) are we jolted into recognition of its value…by meditating on death, we paradoxically become conscious of life.”

“There is nothing thinglike about me at all. I am more like an unfolding narrative…Instead of clinging to habitual behavior and routines as a means to secure this sense of self, we realize the freedom to create who we are…Instead of taking ourselves so seriously, we discover the playful irony of a story that has never been told in quite this way before.”

“More than just a philosophical view of the world, Buddhism represents a path of transforming the mind, with the aim of freeing ourselves from suffering and its causes. Transforming the mind involves first learning to know it, then identifying how it functions so as to eliminate the three main mental poisons, which are ignorance, desire, and hatred.”

This is a 3-part book. I really enjoyed the first 2 parts. Definitely a good read with insights on how to live a more peaceful and unselfish life. The self is the root of mental poisons. Also, emphasizes key Buddhist principles such as interdependence and compassion.