From Publishers Weekly
"Do you hate the Chinese?" Chan asked the Dalai Lama when they first met in India in 1972. It was a live question, since Chan hailed from the country that had forced the Tibetan spiritual leader into exile and subjugated the Tibetan people. The Dalai Lama replied immediately with the English word "no," then stated through an interpreter that he had forgiven the Chinese and did not blame China's people. Drawing on Buddhist principles, this book loosely discusses His Holiness's ideas on forgiveness, though Chan presents them gently through stories, not didactically as a step-by-step how-to manual. For example, one chapter arises in the context of the Dalai Lama's travels in war-torn Belfast, where he spoke about forgiveness to the families of victims of terrorist attacks. To research this book, Chan traveled with the Dalai Lama off and on for several years, spent time with him at home and conducted numerous interviews. Apart from the expected teachings on forgiveness, what comes through most clearly is the personality of the Dalai Lama himself: his humor, playfulness and joy. We learn that he had something of a temper as a young man and that he can't resist pulling men's beards. Somehow, the book's serious call to forgiveness becomes all the more engaging and possible because of the Dalai Lama's own lighthearted spirit. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
Victor Chan, a rather callow reporter and seeker, develops a long-term relationship with the Dalai Lama. In his humble and fumbling way, Chan brings us close to the Dalai Lama's entourage and inner circle. Over the years, as Chan matures, we encounter the Dalai Lama's simplicity, wisdom, and continual challenges, voiced ably and sensitively by Shishir Kurup, whose slight Indian accent adds a sense of place to the narration. Predictably, the seeker, Chan, finds deeper meaning and answers for all of us in his journey with His Holiness, one that is easy to absorb in this appealing audiobook. D.J.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Wisdom of Forgiveness is a heart-to-heart conversation between the Dalai Lama and his dear friend. It allows us to discover what profound meditative insight and suffering feel like to an enlightened being; what he does daily to develop himself spiritually; how he feels about violence, and the circumstances under which he could see committing an act of violence; how he has learned to love his enemies; and why it is that doctors report that the heart of this holy man in his late sixties resembles that of a twenty-year old.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

"Do you hate the Chinese?" Chan asked the Dalai Lama when they first met in India in 1972. It was a live question, since Chan hailed from the country that had forced the Tibetan spiritual leader into exile and subjugated the Tibetan people. The Dalai Lama replied immediately with the English word "no," then stated through an interpreter that he had forgiven the Chinese and did not blame China's people. Drawing on Buddhist principles, this book loosely discusses His Holiness's ideas on forgiveness, though Chan presents them gently through stories, not didactically as a step-by-step how-to manual. For example, one chapter arises in the context of the Dalai Lama's travels in war-torn Belfast, where he spoke about forgiveness to the families of victims of terrorist attacks. To research this book, Chan traveled with the Dalai Lama off and on for several years, spent time with him at home and conducted numerous interviews. Apart from the expected teachings on forgiveness, what comes through most clearly is the personality of the Dalai Lama himself: his humor, playfulness and joy. We learn that he had something of a temper as a young man and that he can't resist pulling men's beards. Somehow, the book's serious call to forgiveness becomes all the more engaging and possible because of the Dalai Lama's own lighthearted spirit. One Spirit Book Club alternate. (Aug. 12) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

In our day, no spiritual authority from the East has had more to say, or has received more popular acclaim, than the exiled Dalai Lama of Tibet. Despite appearances, this book is less his work than that of his Chinese-born friend Chan, who for more than 30 years has been assembling his recollections and memories of the Tibetan leader. For Chan, the Dalai Lama's gift lies in his understanding of forgiveness: "[Forgiveness] can change one's life." Chan has a good ear for dialog and a sense of scene, and his unobtrusive writing sets the stage for the Dalai Lama's words of peace and compassion. For most collections. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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