Of course even in the 1850s life had its pressures and stresses. John Smith has had enough, both of his loveless marriage and his kowtowing Managing Editor job for his father-in-law, industrialist and owner of the Bridgesport Sentinel. He decides to drop it all and take up light house duty.But maybe it's not his surroundings so much, he begins to find, as himself. John Smith is an aspiring scholar and has included Buddhist sutras among his studies. He uses these studies, and his own powers of reflection and discernment, to try to understand and overcome the impasse his life had reached. A shipwreck brings him a European scholar and man of the cloth Estabal Marak, and a Tibetan lama Geshela Tsering. John now has the chance to encounter many of the concerns that had occupied his mind previously -- and then some.Sunyata, the Sanskrit word for the void, or emptiness, is a central idea in Buddhist thought. The novel offers a philosophical and practical exploration of sunyata through events and characters. Yidams, guiding deities, also enter into the story, important in John's development.The story features a young lady, Nancy Yates, whose relationship with John develops over time, as does his relationship with the old light house horse, Admiral. Other characters include a nameless cat, a cow named Daisy, and a retired seaman Captain Steinholtz.Set with details and characters of 1850s American coastal life, Sunyata offers a look back into a fascinating period of American history. The technology of the time is evident in the light house and in other aspects of everyday living. In the end, John's improved grasp on life allows something to happen, something wonderful, something likely not even possible for him before.