When I’m Gone, Look for Me in the East

In Mongolia, Buddhist monk Chuluun is sent to look for a reincarnation of a great lama, a spiritual teacher who may have been born anywhere in the country’s landscape. Chuluun and his identical twin Mun travel together on this quest, and they are able to think and see with one mind. But the two are a bit estranged; Mun has renounced his vows and departed from the monastic life, which makes Chuluun question his commitment. Their trip takes them all over Mongolia. Barry is a poet, and her way with words resonates throughout this novel, written entirely in present tense as a nod to the Buddhist teaching to live in the present moment. Narrator David Lee Huynh performs a convincing Chuluun, focusing on a calm and reassuring tone that conveys the monk’s acceptance of his situation, even during moments of distress and confusion.