West Tisbury photojournalist Alan Brigish will discuss his new book: Breathing in the Buddha, based on recent travels in Indochina, accompanied by a multimedia presentation, on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Chilmark library.

Breathing in the Buddha explores ways that people find contentment and joy in politically and economically-deprived societies.

“Though Indochina is mainly perceived through the prism of Vietnam, it encompasses so much more,” says Mr. Brigish.

Mr. Brigish found the contradictions and contrasts of Indochina astounding. Poverty and luxury, drop-dead-gorgeous temples and disgusting ugliness abound, often side by side. Sadness and joy are expressed in the faith, art, architecture and in the dance of daily life on the streets.

During his journey, “I became acutely aware of our western ‘attachment’ to material things, our ‘addiction’ to physical comfort,” says Mr. Brigish. “I was moved, humbled, and somewhat changed by what I experienced . . . I learned that it’s one thing to observe and try to understand how others live, but it’s completely different living it 24/7. The contentment that goes along with western ideas of Nirvana seem to exist in some abundance in worlds in which most of us would never choose to live.”

Mr. Brigish is a South African-born documentary photographer who has lived in the United States for nearly 40 years. Since 1997, he has documented his travels in Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Cuba, England, Ethiopia, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Laos, Lithuania, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Tibet, Ukraine, USA and Uzbekistan. His work can be found at brigish.com or at his year-round gallery in West Tisbury.

All the profits from Breathing in the Buddha, to be published in December, will go to building a school for children in rural Burma (Myanmar), saving children there from a life of forced labor.

The presentation is sponsored by the Friends of the Chilmark Public Library. For details, call 508-645-3360.