Status
Available
Collection
Description
New Age. Self-Improvement. Nonfiction. HTML:Two great spiritual masters share their own hard-won wisdom about living with joy even in the face of adversity. The occasion was a big birthday. And it inspired two close friends to get together in Dharamsala for a talk about something very important to them. The friends were His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The subject was joy. Both winners of the Nobel Prize, both great spiritual masters and moral leaders of our time, they are also known for being among the most infectiously happy people on the planet. From the beginning the book was envisioned as a three-layer birthday cake: their own stories and teachings about joy, the most recent findings in the science of deep happiness, and the daily practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives. Both the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu have been tested by great personal and national adversity, and here they share their personal stories of struggle and renewal. Now that they are both in their eighties, they especially want to spread the core message that to have joy yourself, you must bring joy to others. Most of all, during that landmark week in Dharamsala, they demonstrated by their own exuberance, compassion, and humor how joy can be transformed from a fleeting emotion into an enduring way of life. Narration Credits: Douglas Carlton Abrams, read by the author Dalai Lama, read by Francois Chau Desmond Tutu, read by Peter Francis James.… (more)
Publication
Avery (2016), Edition: Illustrated, 384 pages
Series
Awards
Books for a Better Life Award (Winner — 2016)
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work (Nominee — 2017)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member BooksForDinner
Not really sure what I'm looking for in a book if I can't give this one five stars.
LibraryThing member billsearth
This is a great book on how to be deeply happy and what ethics are most important going forward into the 21st century. The participants of the discussion, the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu do not contrast their religious beliefs, but discuss similarities they deem very important for both creating joy
I am filing my copy under the Dewey Decimal 261 rather than the suggested 294 for this reason. I do not think the 294 position is accurate for the contents of the book at all. I recommend the book for everyone who wants an overview of many issues, on what religious leaders feel is important for all of us, including those who are not religious.
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for individuals and human attributes to aim for to create a better world for us and all others in the future. In the end, they agree on kindness as the trait most important for both joy and for the better future of our world.I am filing my copy under the Dewey Decimal 261 rather than the suggested 294 for this reason. I do not think the 294 position is accurate for the contents of the book at all. I recommend the book for everyone who wants an overview of many issues, on what religious leaders feel is important for all of us, including those who are not religious.
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LibraryThing member LivelyLady
Wonderful reflection of two great spiritual leaders as they meet for a week. The accompanying author interjects his remarks and observations, adding another dimension to this historical meeting. The subjects of forgiveness, acceptance and gratitude were reiterated frequently in differing examples.
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The friendship and love between these two leaders is remarkable. I am ordering this book to keep on my shelf. Definitely a keeper! Show Less
LibraryThing member johnm1958
I am afraid I just couldn't get anything out of this book. I couldn't even finish it. I've read many other of the Dalai Lama books and been influenced and affected by them. Not this one at this time.
LibraryThing member Geekstress
One of my all time favorite books. Life altering.
LibraryThing member danhammang
Great ideas for expressing joy and spirituality in two great traditions. The heart of the book, though, is the deep friendship of these two great spiritual leaders. It is a fine book. Truly inspirational.
LibraryThing member erwinkennythomas
The Dalai Lama’s and Desmond Tutu’s The Book of Joy is a rather uplifting text. Despite the fact that the Dalai Lama and Tibetans suffered innumerable abuses from the Chinese government, and they now continue to live in exile in India, still he was able to forgive their atrocities. Archbishop
The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu have decided to view their trials positively. The Dalai Lama stated that living in exile has enabled him to meet all kinds of people. He is especially grateful to the Indian government, the various heads of states, and well-wishers all around the world. This Dalai Lama explained has enabled him to bring the Tibetan Buddhist teachings in amazing ways beyond the confines of Tibet. In the same way Archbishop Tutu was able to talk about his role as chairman of the Peace and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, the life of Nelson Mandela, and all South Africans who were able to forgive the perpetrators of the terrible crimes that they committed.
But this book that shared these peace-lovers and Nobel laureates’ views on life covered a wide range of issues. Central to their beliefs were compassionate living, the benefits of peace, and the importance of being a positive force in the world. These ideas will live in the memory of readers as they reflect on the celebrations of the 80th birthday of the Dalai Lama. The interviewer and writer Douglas Abrams did an exceptional job in merging the thoughts and ideas of these two iconic instruments of peace of the world in an easy to read book. At the end are spiritual exercise practices on meditation of the Tibetan Buddhist monks and those of Archbishop Tutu.
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Tutu although he had polio and tuberculosis when young, suffered the scourges of apartheid in South Africa, and had experiences where his children had to be educated outside his country, still he doesn’t harbor bitter feelings.The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu have decided to view their trials positively. The Dalai Lama stated that living in exile has enabled him to meet all kinds of people. He is especially grateful to the Indian government, the various heads of states, and well-wishers all around the world. This Dalai Lama explained has enabled him to bring the Tibetan Buddhist teachings in amazing ways beyond the confines of Tibet. In the same way Archbishop Tutu was able to talk about his role as chairman of the Peace and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, the life of Nelson Mandela, and all South Africans who were able to forgive the perpetrators of the terrible crimes that they committed.
But this book that shared these peace-lovers and Nobel laureates’ views on life covered a wide range of issues. Central to their beliefs were compassionate living, the benefits of peace, and the importance of being a positive force in the world. These ideas will live in the memory of readers as they reflect on the celebrations of the 80th birthday of the Dalai Lama. The interviewer and writer Douglas Abrams did an exceptional job in merging the thoughts and ideas of these two iconic instruments of peace of the world in an easy to read book. At the end are spiritual exercise practices on meditation of the Tibetan Buddhist monks and those of Archbishop Tutu.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryCin
Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Abrams (who had collaborated with Tutu over a number of years) headed to India for the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday and to spend a week discussing joy and how to get there, and celebrating his birthday.
I’m not much into self-help books (this was a gift), but I
I’m not much into self-help books (this was a gift), but I
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enjoyed the relationship between Tutu and the Dalai Lama, the camaraderie, the humour. I loved the photos of them dancing, smiling, laughing. For those interested, there is a section at the back that includes meditations and ways that both religious leaders wind down and contemplate things. Overall, the book itself, for me, was ok. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookBuddies
This book was a little hard to get into, but it picked up after 125 pages or so. The interaction between these two well-known and respected figures was interesting. Perhaps the concepts they discussed are obvious, but it was good to be reminded in a succinct way.
LibraryThing member witchyrichy
I added Book of Joy to my morning routine, reading a chapter a day. The book reports on a dialog between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, the Archbishop of South Africa. The explore the nature of joy and the obstacles to achieving joy. They also explore the Eight Pillars of Joy. The book concludes
The heart of the book is the relationship between two great spiritual leaders: they tease each other, laughing together, willing to explore new ideas, finding connections across their two religious traditions. Douglas Abrams, long time colleague of Desmond Tutu, facilitates the conversation and offers summaries and insights.
I was fortunate to hear the Dalai Lama speak some years ago. Despite the huge crowd, he was personable, the sense that he was speaking directly to you. I heard his voice once again in this book.
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with an extensive description of their daily practices including specific types of prayer and meditation. Both men, despite their celebrity and spiritual achievements, see themselves as simple men trying to find the right path. Tutu expresses the Christian perspective but it is one of compassion and forgiveness. The Dalai Lama takes a similar, non-Christian approach as he forgives his Chinese persecutors.The heart of the book is the relationship between two great spiritual leaders: they tease each other, laughing together, willing to explore new ideas, finding connections across their two religious traditions. Douglas Abrams, long time colleague of Desmond Tutu, facilitates the conversation and offers summaries and insights.
I was fortunate to hear the Dalai Lama speak some years ago. Despite the huge crowd, he was personable, the sense that he was speaking directly to you. I heard his voice once again in this book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member thebacklistbook
This book is an extended conversation between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. It is frankly a miracle that they had the time to put this together. It is also a miracle that the plane took off before the earthquake gripped the region. This book is a compendium of advice on how to be joyful.
LibraryThing member jeffscollier
This provided some very interesting insights into Bishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama
I was surprised and edified by reading about their friendship
I was surprised and edified by reading about their friendship