The Spirit of Peace: A Fully Illustrated Guide to Love and Compassion in Everyday Life

Observations by the 14th Dalai Lama on the true nature of life are presented here in paragraph-sized bursts, a strand of philosophical pearls skillfully strung together by Hatier, who shaped the text from years of talks, interviews, teachings and writings. Readers are first introduced to the Dalai Lama as a young boy via brief but candid reflections on his mother, the loneliness his enthronement engendered and his rigorous study regimen. These and other intimate details of his life, including his meeting with President Mao and his exile to India, are telegraphed through an accessible and elegant first-person narration. The latter part of the text is dedicated to the Dalai Lama's philosophies on an assortment of topics, including religion (""All religions share a common root, which is limitless compassion""); anger (""If your mind is dominated by anger, you will lose the greatest part of your human intelligence: wisdom""); and marriage (""making love is alright, but for marriage, don't hurry, be cautious""). A novice-friendly glossary of Buddhist terminology and a stunning array of stand-alone, full-color photographs round out the volume. Though His Holiness solemnly admits that due to political and historical reasons he may very well be the last Dalai Lama, his teachings, illuminated in books such as this, will undoubtedly continue to influence generations of individuals seeking enlightenment.