The Book of Joy lives up to its title and goes much further. It highlights the many ways in which we can all bring greater joy, fulfillment and purpose into our lives, and illuminates the nature of the interconnected relationship between painful emotions and deep happiness. The book not only reaffirms this truth with great clarity, but through the magic of Abrams’ skillful facilitation shows the many ways in which these two great spiritual leaders, both of whom are also great teachers of peace and reconciliation, embody the totality of what it means to be both ordinary and simultaneously outrageous, mischievous, and completely unpredictable!
An unexpected delight of this book is the frequency and ease with which these two men bring forth their playfulness, wit, wisdom, and laugh-out-loud humor, even when they are immersed in profoundly deep discourse.
What I found personally most rewarding was the teaching that ran through the book that had to do with the many ways in which it is possible to find joy even in the most difficult of times. Both of these men have endured great hardship and adversity both in their own lives and in the lives of millions of their countrymen, women and children, and yet their extraordinarily brilliant spirit shines brightly through every page of this amazing book. How do they do it? The Book of Joy truly fulfills its promise to answer that question.
I give this book five stars only because I can’t give it six!
About the Author
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. He is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan People and of Tibetan Buddhism. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 and the US Congressional Gold Medal in 2007. Born in 1935 to a poor farming family in northeastern Tibet he was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the 13th Dalai Lama. He has been a passionate advocate for a secular universal approach to cultivating fundamental human values. For over three decades the Dalai Lama has maintained an ongoing conversation and collaboration with scientists from a wide range of disciplines, especially through the Mind and Life Institute, an organization that he co-founded. The Dalai Lama travels extensively, promoting kindness and compassion, interfaith understanding, respect for the environment, and, above all, world peace. He lives in exile in Dharamsala, India. For more information, please visit www.dalailama.com.
Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Southern Africa, became a prominent leader in the crusade for justice and racial reconciliation in South Africa. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. In 1994, Tutu was appointed chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission by Nelson Mandela, where he pioneered a new way for countries to move forward after experiencing civil conflict and oppression. He was the founding chair of The Elders, a group of global leaders working together for peace and human rights. Archbishop Tutu is regarded as a leading moral voice and an icon of hope. Throughout his life, he has cared deeply about the needs of people around the world, teaching love and compassion for all. He lives in Cape Town, South Africa. For more information please visit tutu.org.za.
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