"The Bowl is Already Broken: A Novel" takes readers behind the scenes at a fictionalized version of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museums of Asian Art for a giddy romp through institutional politics and intrigue.

Author Mary Kay Zuravleff worked at the Smithsonian editing exhibition text, and her insider's insights and editor's ear for language make her novel an insightful pleasure.

Museums may seem demure palaces of scholarly contemplation, but from the first line of this novel, when a priceless Chinese bowl is accidentally shattered, it's clear there is much more going on than disinterested research.

"The Bowl is Already Broken" is filled with hilarious flourishes and Buddhist philosophy ("What did the Dalai Lama say to the hot dog vendor? .... Make me one with everything"), life and death drama in China's Taklamakan desert, and a vivid cast of characters wrangling problems both mundane and momentous. It provokes both guffaws and serious thought.

"The Bowl is Already Broken" is well worth the read for anyone who likes philosophy larded with wit and everyday life mixed with high drama, or simply enjoys a great tale. ( )