by His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso the XIV Dalai Lama
First published 2008
Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, narrates his own life from his boyhood in Tibet through decades of exile. He writes in a direct, first-person voice, describing the specific experiences that formed his spiritual development and shaped his responsibilities as a religious leader. He does not shy away from the hard stretches, but he also names the moments of genuine happiness that punctuated an extraordinary path. Along the way he explains how particular events deepened his practice of Buddhism and reinforced his commitment to compassion as a guiding principle. Readers gain access to his interior life in a way that public appearances rarely allow. The book makes clear that the man who has influenced millions of people around the world still carries a deep connection to a homeland he has not been able to return to. For anyone who wants to understand how Tenzin Gyatso thinks and what formed him, this memoir delivers that understanding in his own words, without intermediary.
Genres: biography, autobiography, memoir, spirituality, buddhism, eastern-philosophy
Vibes: contemplative, intimate, introspective, philosophical, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, personal-journey, spiritual-awakening
Setting: Tibet, Exile
Period: Childhood, Life in Exile
224 pages · Paperback · Hay House Inc.