The autobiography of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, a fascinating insight into the mind of one of the greatest contemporary spiritual leaders

'An extraordinary story' Daily Mail

'Compelling, fascinating, eye-opening' Washington Post

'A vital historical witness, not only to inhumanity but to compassion' Los Angeles Times

'Forthright... often amusing' New York Times

In 1938 a two-year-old boy was recognised through a traditional process of discovery as being the reincarnation of all previous Dalai Lamas, the spiritual rulers of Tibet. Taken away from his parents, he was brought up in Lhasa according to a monastic regimen of rigorous austerity and in almost total isolation. Aged seven he was enthroned in the 1000-room Potala palace as the supreme spiritual leader of a nation the size of Western Europe, with population of six million. And at fifteen, he became head of state.

With Tibet under threat from the newly Communist Chinese, there followed a traumatic decade during which he became the confidant of both Chairman Mao and Jawaharal Nehru as he tried to maintain autonomy for his people. Then in 1959, he was finally forced into exile - followed by over 100,000 destitute refugees.

Here, in his own words, he describes what it was like to grow up revered as a deity among his people, reveals his innermost feelings about his role, and discusses the mysteries of Tibetan Buddhism.

*Fascinating insight into the mind of one of the greatest contemporary spiritual leaders. *In depth knowledge of secret political deals involving CIA, Chairman Mao and President Nehru.

About the Author
His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and of Tibetan Buddhism. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 and the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal in 2007. He is the author of, among many other books, the international bestseller An Appeal to the World and the New York Times bestseller The Book of Joy, which he coauthored with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He lives in exile in Dharamsala, India.

Reviews
A simple and powerful autobiography, The Dalai Lama's story of exile must serve, of course, as a vital historical witness, not only to inhumanity but to compassion as well, not only to betrayal and treachery but to generosity and faithfulness * Los Angeles Times Book Review *
The prose is clear and engaging, full of subtle implication and humor. His observations of Western culture are poignant * San Francisco Chronicle *
Forthright... often amusing... he has retained much of the freshness of the child's view of what was happening to him, and his account is moving * New York Times Book Review *
An earnest, inspiring and wholly captivating classic tale of spiritual adventure. With candor, great charm, and good humor, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize tells his life story * Kirkus *
His autobiography was waited for, and is worth waiting for * Chicago Sun Times *
Throughout his story, told with great humility, the Dalai Lama reveals his obligation both to address the time-honored spiritual needs of his people and to help them deal with the practical considerations of their disrupted lives. Anyone wanting to understand Tibet today will do well to read this priest-king's tale of coping with the ancient and modern worlds that have shaped him * Chicago Tribune *
Compelling... fascinating... eye-opening * Washington Post Book World *
A touching book, that arouses great sympathy for its extraordinary author * Spectator *
A wonderfully entertaining and fascinating book... One comes away from this book with tremendous respect and admiration for this compassionate man and spiritual leader * Foreign Affairs *
An extraordinary story * Daily Mail *
A touching book, that arouses great sympathy for its extraordiary author * SPECTATOR *
From the supernatural marvels of Shangri-La to the life-and-death manoeverings of Realpolitik: an earnest, inspiring, and wholly captivating tale of spiritual adventure * KIRKUS REVIEWS *
The Dalai Lama's autobiography should leave no one in doubt of his humility and genuine compassion. Written without the slightest hint of pretence, the exiled leader of Tibet recounts his life, from the time he was whisked away from his home in 1939 at the age of four, to his escape from Tibet in 1959, to the winning of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. The backdrop of the story is the 1950 Chinese invasion of Tibet. We learn in calm detail of imprisonment, torture, rape, famine, ecological disaster and genocide that in under four decades of Chinese rule have left a million-and-a-quarter Tibetans dead and the Tibetan natural and religious landscapes decimated. Yet the Dalai Lama's story is strangely one of hope. This man who prays for four hours a day harbours no ill will toward the Chinese and sees the potential for good everywhere he casts his gaze. Someday, he hopes, all of Tibet will be a zone of peace and the world's largest nature preserve. Such optimism is not naive, but a result of his daily studies in Buddhist philosophy and his doctrine of Universal Responsibility. Inspiring in every way, Freedom in Exile is both a historical document and a fable of deepest trust in humanity. * Brian Bruya, AMAZON.CO.UK REVIEW *



Book Information
ISBN 9780349111117
Author His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Abacus
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 274g
Dimensions(mm) 124mm * 197mm * 23mm