The first definitive biography of the Dalai Lama&;a story by turns inspiring, surprising&;from an acclaimed Tibetan scholar with exceptional access to his subject
The first definitive biography of the Dalai Lama&;a story by turns inspiring, surprising&;from an acclaimed Tibetan scholar with exceptional access to his subject The Dalai Lama&;s message of peace and compassion resonates with people of all faiths and none. Yet, for all his worldwide fame, he remains personally elusive. Now, Alexander Norman, acclaimed Oxford-trained scholar of the history of Tibet, delivers the definitive biography&;unique, multilayered, and at times even shocking. The Dalai Lama illuminates an astonishing odyssey from isolated Tibetan village to worldwide standing as spiritual and political leader of one of the world&;s most profound and complex cultural traditions. Norman reveals that, while the Dalai Lama has never been comfortable with his political position, he has been a canny player&;at one time CIA-backed&;who has maneuvered amidst pervasive violence, including placing himself at the center of a dangerous Buddhist schism. Yet even more surprising than the political, Norman convinces, is the Dalai Lama&;s astonishing spiritual practice, rooted in magic, vision, and prophecy&;details of which are illuminated in this book for the first time. A revelatory life story of one of today&;s most radical, charismatic, and beloved world leaders.