The book is a comfortable, easy and interesting read. Pico Iyer has travelled and been a friend to the Dalai Lama for over three decades, and thus is able to give readers an intimate sense of the Dalai Lama’s work and his ideas about politics,science, technology and religion. Readers also get a sense of the very human and physical stresses of travelling and giving talks to the many people who follow the Dalai Lama’s teachings.

The Dalai Lama likes to talk of ”human beings”, calling them “human becomings” and the ways each one of us can travel along the ‘open road’ to becoming more passionate and responsible.

“Change is part of the world” is how he once distilled “Buddhism” into six words. He reminds us that people and culture and buildings are perishable, but truth, possibilities and kindness are not.

This is a book one would like to have on hand for a gentle and informative read.

The next book to be read and discussed on September 16th is a novel titled ”ECOTOPIA” by Ernest Callenbach.