Author: The Dalai Lama
Publisher: Abacus
Original Published Date: 2002
Pages: 560 (Split into 2 books of 314 pages and 264 pages)
Genre: Autobiography/Mental Health guide

>>>Summary<<<
The Path to Freedom is two books rolled into one.

The first book, Freedom in Exile, is the autobiography of the current Dalai Lama. Through this, we learn of how the Dalai Lama was selected as a small child as the reincarnation of his predecessor, how he was prepared for the responsibilities he had inherited and how, after being exiled to India in his teens he led his people through the impossibly difficult times under the control of communist China.

The second book, Ancient Wisdom, Modern World is a spiritual guide that promotes well-being through kindness, compassion and our individual responsibilities to help reduce human suffering in order to achieve happiness and inner peace.

>>>About the Author - Dalai Lama - excerpt taken from review of the Art of Happiness<<<
The word Dalai means "ocean" in Mongolian and Lama translates into "Spiritual teacher" or "guru". Whatever your own spiritual or religious beliefs, The Dalai Lama is certainly, as the title suggests, a teacher.

The current Dalai Lama is believed to be the 14th reincarnation since Sonam Gyatso was first bestowed the title by Mongolian ruler, Altan Khan in 1598. The Dalai Lama is believed, and has been throughout Tibetan history to be one of innumerable incarnations of the Bodhisattva of compassion which is the basis for the Buddhist faith that all living things should be treated with kindness and compassion and that we have a great deal to learn from each other and our surroundings.

From the late 1700's until as recently as 1959, the Dalai Lama acted as head of the Tibetan government. This ended in 1959 when the People's Republic of China invaded Tibet in 1949 taking full control in 1959. It was at this time the current Dalai Lama was forced to flee to India where he helped to establish the Central Tibetan Administration, The Tibetan Government in Exile). Since its establishment, many schools and Buddhist temples have been opened Daramsala, India.

Upon the death of the Dalai Lama, his monks begin a search for his reincarnation in line with the Buddhist faith that all living things are reincarnated after death. They look for a small child who displays an understanding of the previous Dalai Lama and a familiarity with his possessions. The search will generally take several years but once the reincarnation is found he is brought to the other Lamas and monks to be trained and guided through his new role.

The current Dalai Lama has repeatedly stated that he will never be reborn inside territory controlled by the People's Republic of China made it clear that we will not return after his death under the power of the People's Republic of China and has even suggested that the Institution of the Dalai Lama may have already served its purpose, hinting that he may be the last reincarnate that we see.

It would be easy to continue writing about this remarkable man and his wisdom, kindness and personal peace however, I will take the harder route of encouraging you to pick up this book and then another, and then another which will give you a small sliver of insight into this remarkable being.

>>>What I appreciated about this book<<<
History has never been my best subject, in fact in school I struggled to focus during history classes enough to pass. The Freedom in Exile, the autobiography of the Dalai Lama describes in his own words, not only what it was like growing up revered by the people of Tibet, but it is also a complete lesson on a period of history I knew very little about. I found it fascinating to learn about the Tibetan culture and their later and long-running struggle for freedom. I was amazed, and ashamed at how little the Western world was prepared to do to help this small but proud country regain their self-worth and above all, I was taken by the compassion that the Dalai Lama continued to hold for not only his people, but the individual members of the Chinese Government and those who caused such pain for his people.

Far from being nothing more than a bleak and uncomfortable tale to read, I found it uplifting and inspiring while also maintaining a surprising humour.

Much of my surprise was centred around the Dalai Lama's description of himself in the earlier stages of his preparation and training leading to his official appointment. He tells wonderfully unexpected stories of playing normal children's war games as a child with his attendants and of being a less than studious student. He recounts stories of indulging in his fascination for taking apart watches belonging to people in his village to repair only to have to return them in pieces. One of the stories that had me laughing out loud as I traveled in to work on the train one morning took place after he went into exile. When traveling through snowy peaks, the Dalai Lama and his party used mats as make-shift toboggans and linked arm and arm set off down the hill in a chain formation. It is these stories that put everything into perspective and enable the reader to see his Holiness as the man he is underneath his title.

Ancient Wisdom, Modern world is not a religious guide, in fact The Dalai Lama goes to great lengths to ensure his readers understand that although he himself is Buddhist, he in no way views this as a superior religion, simply the one that works best for him. Not only does he not push his spiritual practices on others, he confirms this book was written for everyone, and although he believes having a spiritual nature will help you succeed in your quest for happiness, it isn't compulsory.

Far from differentiating between different religious beliefs, he attempts to show the commonality between all religious faith by examining them at the root. Ultimately, each religious faith revolves around happiness and peace and treating others with respect and fairness.

What he focuses on is allowing people to understand and develop an ethical responsibility and to see the benefits this has not just for man-kind but for us as individuals.

The basic principle is common sense. If we try to see our neighbours as having the same goals as we do, i.e. obtaining personal happiness, we will become more compassionate, understanding and prepared to share in their suffering. In doing so, we are able to bring happiness to others which is directly linked to our own happiness.

This may appear simple and pose the question does it warrant 250 plus pages. The answer is absolutely. The Dalai Lama's true talent is reminding us of what we may already know but have forgotten and providing us with the tools to act upon it. In a world where life has become so complicated it is a true relief to be reminded of how simple life really is.

>>>My final thoughts<<<
Since reading The Art of Happiness some months ago, I have found myself inspired and enlightened by the Dalai Lama, not so much for his standing, but for his wisdom, his kindness, his sense of humour and his ability to communicate so efficiently on a global level. He is so much more than the leader of the Tibetan people. He is an honest and wise man who, unlike most of us is able to meet people without judgement and without prejudice. Surely, these are qualities we could all benefit from adopting.

This is very much a book for the masses and I defy anyone to read it without finding their outlook on life, people and the world around them being affected in some substantial way.