An instant New York Times bestsellerTwo spiritual giants. Five days. One timeless question. Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships—or, as they would say, because of them—they are two of the most joyful people on the planet.In April 2015, … joyful people on the planet.
In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama’s home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness’s eightieth birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life’s inevitable suffering?
They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our time and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy.
This book offers us a rare opportunity to experience their astonishing and unprecendented week together, from the first embrace to the final good-bye.
We get to listen as they explore the Nature of True Joy and confront each of the Obstacles of Joy—from fear, stress, and anger to grief, illness, and death. They then offer us the Eight Pillars of Joy, which provide the foundation for lasting happiness. Throughout, they include stories, wisdom, and science. Finally, they share their daily Joy Practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives.
The Archbishop has never claimed sainthood, and the Dalai Lama considers himself a simple monk. In this unique collaboration, they offer us the reflection of real lives filled with pain and turmoil in the midst of which they have been able to discover a level of peace, of courage, and of joy to which we can all aspire in our own lives.
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This book is wonderful. The audiobook is fantastic as it read by the authors. It feels as though you are there listening to their conversations. The way they relate to one another is sweet and inspirational.
“There are going to be frustrations in life. The question is not: How do I escape? It is: How can I use this as something positive?”
I so desperately needed to read this book but I didn’t know it until tears were running down my face. Not from sadness, but from the opportunity it presents. Suffering is unavoidable. But practicing joy is a choice that we can control when so much is out of our control. It’s a simple concept but potentially life changing nonetheless. The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World is self-help in nature with elements of documentary, spiritualism, and world culture. It teaches how to practice joy through redirecting our thoughts, showing compassion, choosing gratitude, and by purposefully giving joy to others. There is a manual at the end that goes into greater detail/instruction for interested readers. Highly recommend!
I’m a fast reader, and I usually whip right through a book, but this is one of those books I need to sit with for a while and savor. These two esteemed spiritual leaders seem to love joking around with one another, and just reading the book puts a smile on my face. If you’ve read this one, I’d love to hear what you think.
To read these two amazing men interact with humor, teasing, sincerity and, yes, joy was wonderful. I keep going back and re-reading parts. i can pick it up and open it anywhere and be immediately pulled in to the insight and real-world application of what I am reading!
8/21/21 – A fantastic read that had me laughing and thinking all at once. The author does an amazing job at conveying a lot of insight into a fun, easy to read story. He shares so many amazing tidbits and quotes from the time the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu spent together, while also telling a compelling story. The last hundred (or so) pages are practical and applicable tips to implement.
Spiritual and rich to read and hear these two giants talk about their spiritual walk and
A wonderful and life changing read that I’d like to recommend to all human beings! I revisit its pages often and will use this book as a tool for growth, joy, and compassion for the rest of my life.
Read a sample. Loved it. Ordered a hard copy.
Inspirational
This dialogue between Bishop Desmond Tutu and the Dahli Lama warms the heart while provoking a deep self-examination. It’s basically their blueprint for living a joyful, productive, and fulfilling life. Highly recommended, but possibly not for the faint of heart.
Profoundly beautiful and inspirative.
This book i reread several times. Very inspirational. About i highly recommend.
Truly a book for our times by two of the world’s saints.
This book takes us behind the scenes with two of the worlds greatest men. Interesting, great dialogue. Learned so much. Challenging to read.
This book is an inspiring book co-written by two of the most ethical and inspirational men on our planet. We have a lot to learn by the sharing of stories by two men of different faiths. Desmund Tutu and the Dalai Lama. They tackle the tough subject of Happiness in our World.
An essential read for our time.
What a joy to read about two men who have serious faith that is very different yet they treat each other with love and understanding
A delightful read! Truly inspiring!
This book shares with the reader the inspirational relationship between Bishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Two men of different religions with similar souls teaching how to be joyful in a stressful world.
Life changing.