Gabe's review
The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living
by Dalai Lama XIV
Gabe's review
The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by Dalai Lama XIV
Gabe's review
rating:
bookshelves:
non-fiction
Sometimes I don't know what to think of the Dalai Lama. He releases books like Neil Young releases albums and he's always hobnobbing with movie stars. I don't know if he's got the capitalist bug since moving to the west or if he just has a good agent/marketing team or if he is genuinely just trying to get his word out. I'm hoping it's mostly the latter two, but what difference does it make really?
I've read a couple of his books and a few books about his life, but this is the first one that peaked my interest. On a whole it is not really a great book. The author spends far too much space compensating for the lack of actual lama-isms with his own prattle in order to justify this as a book rather than a pamphlet.
That said, some of the ideas in this book changed my life profoundly. I am a pragmatist, and his ideas appeal to me because they are founded in common sense. Shortly after reading this book (but definitely not over night), I went from being easily frustrated and impatient...more
I've read a couple of his books and a few books about his life, but this is the first one that peaked my interest. On a whole it is not really a great book. The author spends far too much space compensating for the lack of actual lama-isms with his own prattle in order to justify this as a book rather than a pamphlet.
That said, some of the ideas in this book changed my life profoundly. I am a pragmatist, and his ideas appeal to me because they are founded in common sense. Shortly after reading this book (but definitely not over night), I went from being easily frustrated and impatient...more
