A Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, THICH NHAT HANH is an internationally known author, poet, scholar, and peace activist, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He is the author of numerous books, including the bestsellingPeace Is Every StepandThe Miracle of Mindfulness. He is the leader of monastic communities in New York, California, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, and his teachings inspire several hundred local groups of lay practitioners across the United States, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.