This is not actually a great introduction to Zen Buddhism, although it is a classic of the literature. D.T. Suzuki trained in the Rinzai tradition, which is markedly clear in the book, and he was an academic, which is also clear in his writing style. Not really an easy book, although he was a very good writer and if you are sincerely interested, you will learn a lot from it.
It really was my first introduction to Zen Buddhism, though, and it reeled me in pretty well. Suzuki is still respected as a godfather of American Buddhism because of books like this. While academic in nature, his writing style is very clear and engaging, and not to mention thorough. If you've read the Zen-pop primers and you want a more in-depth look at a fascinating Buddhist tradition, try this book on for size. What you find might surprise you.
