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The Cow in the Parking Lot: A Zen Approach to Overcoming Anger

Read by:
Bill Mendieta
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Unabridged Audiobook

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Ratings
Book
69
Narrator
20
Release Date
June 8, 2010
Duration
4 hours 50 minutes
Summary
Imagine you’re circling a crowded parking lot. Just as you spot a space, another driver races ahead and takes it. In a world of road rage, domestic violence, and professionally angry TV and radio commentators, your likely response is anger, even fury. Now imagine that instead of another driver, a cow has lumbered into that parking space and settled down. Your anger dissolves into bemusement. What has changed? Not just the occupant of the space but your perspective on the situation.

We’re a society swimming in anger, always about to snap. Using simple, understandable Buddhist principles, Scheff and Edmiston explain how to replace anger with happiness. They introduce the four kinds of demands that most commonly underlie anger (Important and Reasonable, Reasonable but Unimportant, Irrational, and Impossible), then show how to identify our real unmet demands, dissolve our anger, and change what happens when our buttons are pushed. We learn to laugh at ourselves, a powerful early step, and realize that others don’t make us angry. Only we can make ourselves angry.
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Reviews
What listeners say
The audiobook receives high praise for its practical teachings and clear presentation of ideas. Listeners appreciate its utility for managing anger and its potential for educational use. However, some criticism arises from the narrator's use of accents, which several found distracting or inappropriate. Overall, the content is viewed as valuable, though the narration occasionally detracts from the experience. Many listeners express intent to revisit the material.
Profile Avatar Lorna R. Mar 2020

I imagine this book would have been an interesting read, and it helped me really focus on why I experience anger and possible methods for moving through it. Sadly it was spoiled by the appalling narration! Pacing so bad I often couldn't tell a chapter title from the sentence following which really messed with my understanding. Worst of all, though, was the bizarre and frankly borderline racist 'all purpose foreign' accent he chose to use for any quotation from a non-caucasian source, be it a Native American elder or Thich Nhat Hanh. Truly weird recording. I'd love to revisit the book in printed format to give it a fair review.

Profile Avatar Heidi S. Mar 2022

Not a bad book, he has some really valid points. The narrator Faking the accents was a bit unnecessary

Profile Avatar Anonymous Mar 2022

I learned a lot from this audiobook, it wasn’t corny to me like some books in the self improvement genre. I really enjoyed it!

Profile Avatar Osman Raidhan Feb 2022

I found this book to be very informative and useful. It should be read in schools and taught to kids so that they can learn to manage and control their anger. Imagine the society that would come following teachings from this book and others

Profile Avatar Anonymous Oct 2025

I found the book very useful. I will definitely listen to it again.

Profile Avatar Daniel C. May 2022

Easy book to follow and it does have some teachings you can apply if you’re working on letting anger go. I have personally used the Cow vs Car example and also love the Landlord story with the horses (Buddhist story). The narrator is good as well, nice and light book.

Profile Avatar Sam May 2022

This book had so many wonderful lessons, I just loved it - loved the way they were presented so clearly; so many little things I learnt. The narrator has a lovely timbre to his voice, but the fake accents were dreadful. Another review said they were unnecessary, and I thought “they can’t be that bad”, but by two thirds in they were really cringey - it sounds like he was taking off the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra and Rev. Desmond Tutu just to mention three! (I tried to apply the book’s Buddhist principles and not let it bug me, so that was ironic!) Suxh a pity because the book’s actual content is wonderful - should be taught in schools.

Profile Avatar Desislava M. May 2022

In the bull’s eye, this book came to me in the right place at the right time. Very human, understanding, and practical, I’ll be going through it in the future for sure.

Profile Avatar Sigute R. Feb 2022

such a great book and I'm sure it is not the last time I'm going to listen to it.

Profile Avatar Anonymous Mar 2020

Great book

Profile Avatar Kari G. Mar 2020

Everyone should read book!

The Cow in the Parking Lot: A Zen Approach to Overcoming Anger

The Cow in the Parking Lot: A Zen Approach to Overcoming Anger

Author: Leonard Scheff
Read by: Bill Mendieta
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