Are modern books on Zen pretty reliable?
It depends. Books like _Three Pillars of Zen_ which claims to speak authoritatively on behalf of Soto and Rinzai is really a “New Religion” book about Sanbo Kyodan Zen founded in 1954. Please be advised that the lion’s share of American Zen masters who have published thus far have no legalities with Japanese Zen institutions – and most originally came from the Sanbo Kyodan Zen line separating from it afterwards, like Kapleau, Aitken, Joko Beck, Glassman, etc.
