The Dalai Lama

December 2, 2019
Norman, who collaborated with the Dalai Lama on Freedom in Exile, debuts with this significant exploration of the life work of Tibetan Buddhism’s spiritual leader. Norman situates the Dalai Lama, first and foremost, as a powerful leader within the context of Tibetan history and culture. To this end, he begins with the prophecies of the Dalai Lama’s predecessor, and embeds the Lama’s life within his larger role as a spiritual guru. Norman runs through the major events of the Dalai Lama’s life: his birth in 1935 as Lhamo Thondup, recognition as the Dalai Lama four years later, his upbringing in the palaces of Lhasa, the Chinese occupation of Tibet, and his subsequent life in exile—always portraying his subject sympathetically, but also never shying away from controversies, such as accusations that the Dalai Lama infringed upon religious liberty by restricting worship of the protector deity Dorje Shugden. Because of the strong emphasis on religious context, Norman often shirks providing scrutiny of the contemporary political situation in Tibet, but this remains a thorough catalogue of the Dalai Lama’s thinking and worldview. Despite Norman’s disclaimer that he writes as a non-Buddhist outsider looking in, anyone interested in the Dalai Lama’s spiritual influence will enjoy this insider biography.

December 1, 2019
A biography of the famed spiritual leader who has lived through complex and contentious times. British journalist Norman (Secret Lives of the Dalai Lama: The Untold Story of the Holy Men Who Shaped Tibet, From Pre-History to the Present Day, 2010, etc.), who has collaborated with the Dalai Lama on three books, including his autobiography, brings well-grounded authority to his portrayal of a figure revered throughout the world for his joyfulness, generosity, and compassion. Born in 1935, Tenzin Gyatso was identified as the 14th Dalai Lama when he was 2 years old, on the basis of several miraculous occurrences and the child's demonstration of occult power. Although the author acknowledges that "the skeptical reader will doubtless see this whole account as a classic example of myth-making," he underscores the Buddhist perspective that "the way things really are" does not depend on empirical verification. Norman vividly depicts the "enchanted" world from which the Dalai Lama emerged, where "every feature of the landscape and every creature dwelling within it falls under the aegis of some sprite or spirit or deity." Rich in spirituality, Tibet nevertheless was a poor, isolated country. As the Dalai Lama grew up, though focused intensively on his spiritual education, he came to realize that social, political, and material reforms were urgently needed. At 14, he met a foreigner for the first time: a 33-year-old Austrian mountaineer who became his informal tutor, responding to the "boundlessly curious" young man's many questions about the Western world. Norman lucidly traces the Dalai Lama's spiritual and academic education, his growing awareness of the internal and external political conflicts that threatened Tibet, and his reluctant decision to go into exile when China invaded the country. At 24, when he led 80,000 Buddhists into India, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru found him "exasperatingly naïve." The Precious Protector, as he was known, gradually evolved into an astute, occasionally controversial, leader, resolute in his harsh dealings with dissent among rival schools within the Buddhist tradition and eventually renouncing his efforts for Tibet's independence. A sturdy, comprehensive look at the Dalai Lama and his tumultuous world.

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January 1, 2020

Using secondary sources, as well as information culled from interviews with key figures such as the Dalai Lama himself, this work by Norman (Freedom in Exile) presents a compelling portrait of the religious leader whose life has been a continuous struggle to maintain spiritual goals while dealing with temporal matters. After being recognized as the reincarnated Lama at a young age, the Dalai Lama was taken from his family and educated by a cadre of devoted tutors. After China annexed his homeland of Tibet, he fled to India in 1959 and has yet to return. Since then, he has been the leader of Tibet in exile. As well, he has been the greatest advocate for Buddhism throughout the world and has seen its popularity spread owing, in no small part, to his charisma. VERDICT The Dalai Lama himself insists that much of his life is dedicated to spiritual concerns. What remains, he has committed to causes such as freeing his homeland. This balance between spiritual and worldly goals is perhaps the most fascinating aspect of his life and this definitive book, which is sure to attract anyone seeking more insight into this enduring leader.--Brian Renvall, Mesalands Community Coll., Tucumcari, NM

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2019

With 2019 the 60th anniversary of the Dalai Lama's exile from Tibet, now's the time for what is billed as the definitive biography. Norman, who met the Dalai Lama 30 years ago, has since collaborated with him on several best-selling books. With a 35,000-copy first printing.

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.