Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Guide To Happiness And Mental Health
Review: The Declaration of Independence asserts our self-evident right to pursue happiness, but doesn't teach us how to do so. The Dalai Lama says happiness is the goal of human existence and teaches us not just how to rid ourselves of the negative thoughts from which unhappiness springs, but also how to grow into an habitually positive frame of mind. This is not a selfish pursuit since compassion and altruism are understood as essential to personal happiness. In an age of road rage and air rage, depression and anxiety, such a guide to mental hygiene and growth is needed and welcome. I was initially disappointed that the book had two authors, but now consider this a strength. Dr. Culter not only adds western psychological information that complements "Buddhist" doctrine, but also provides good descriptions of the Dalai Lama, engages him in a running dialogue, and asks the questions that I would like to ask, particularly how a non-Buddhist would use the teaching just given. As it turns out there is very little in this book that is strictly "religious" or that would be unacceptable or impractical advice to a believer in another or in no faith at all. The Dalai Lama addresses himself specifically to such people. Obviously the book needs to be put into practice, not just read.
Rating: 
Summary: IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Review: Despite the disclaimer that the narrator makes that this book is only a guideline andwill not change your life, it will. I have been studying Zen for over a year now and the Dali Lama puts everything in a perspective that cannot be misinterpreted using logic that cannot be argued. I have never read anything more clear and concise in my life! It's the kind of advice that makes you slap your forehead and say, "Duh, why didn't I think of that?" Some people, my roommate being one of them, cannot get past the fact that it is narrated by a psychiatrist and not the Dali Lama. However, this does not have to distroy your reading of the book. The shrink is very helpful for giving more practical applications of the Dali's teachings as well as more "scientific" proof of the Dali's words. BUY THIS BOOK -- YOU WILL BE A BETTER PERSON FOR IT :-)
Rating:
Summary: life changing
Review: very simply, this book changed my life. being somebody who suffered from extreme bouts of depression, the simple belief of the dalai lama's that we seek happiness in our every action had an amazing effect. he then goes on to talk about the importance of compassion, controlling anger, relationships and other typical problems that generally effect people's lives, and providing simple ways to combat them. although many people have a problem with Dr. Cutler, i think his contribution is extremely important. many of the ideas of the dalai lama's could easily be ignored by people saying that they sound nice but in practice don't work. Cutler with his medical background is able to show that modern psychology supports the Dalai Lama's ideas. he also helps to makes the reader feel as if they were really talking to the Dalai Lama, telling us how he is acting and reacting to different questions. although it probably isn't essential, it's a nice touch which makes the book alot more enjoyable to read, instead of just being another boring, emotionless self help book. i'd also recommend reading 'ethics for the new mellinium' which goes into things alot more spiritually... but if you're suffereing from depression or anything like that, then this is by far the best book i've ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Very Enlightening
Review: Ignore the negative feedbacks. Those people probably haven't even read the book. People shouldn't be quick to judge because it's about eastern spirituality. This is a really good book. I grew up in a Catholic Environment, but I respect other religions because they all have some basic truth. To be a good person. I wasn't satisfied with my religions' dogmatic beliefs, so I started reading other books on spirituality. I became more open minded and I've discovered that they are all basically the same, but written in different forms and scriptures. The purpose of life is to create happiness, love, help one another and to be good with each other. The soul cannot be destroyed, it can only transform. You can choose the positive or the negative. Your soul has that free will. It doesn't matter what your beliefs are as long as you put your spirituality first, mental second and material last. I recommend this one, it has helped me.When we die, we wouldn't want to bring all the pain, suffering,fear, sadness, dissapointments and the negative energies that we experienced on earth to the other side. We want to bring only the happiness, love, acceptance, courage, kindness, joy and other positive energies that we have experienced. This book has helped me and I hope this helps others too.
Rating: 
Summary: Some worthy thoughts among the self-help babble
Review: Don't get me wrong... I think Cutler's intentions are highly respectable. However, I doubt that the lines between Bhuddist Philosophy and Western Psychoanalysis can be easily connected. Our way of thinking is too causal, too linear. At best, Cutler dresses up a handful of his cases in what seems to be analogies for the words of the Dalai Lama. His conclusions, however seem to be a bit over-analyzed. This is not to say that passages that discuss His Holiness are not inspiring and thought-provoking. They are indeed; and it is those instances that kept me reading. Many have criticized this book, claiming it to be more the words of Cutler, than of the Dalai Lama. To a small extent, I agree, however Cutler certainly has the right to apply His Holiness' wisdom in whatsoever way he sees fit (an act I applaud him for.) Sadly, I found the sections of his book that were more about his own practice to be the least useful.
Rating:
Summary: The instruction manual misplaced at birth...
Review: Surely we were meant to come home from the hospital with more than the plastic id band around our tiny wrists. Likely left in the sidetable of your mothers hospital bed, next to the institutional box of tissue and a kidney-shaped plastic pan, was His Holiness's book, "The Art of Happiness : A Handbook For Living" with the simple instruction to "Open on your 13th birthday". If only that were true.There is such accessible wisdom in these pages that we all should have heard when we were just becoming young adults. Give this book to yourself, your siblings and your friends. Give it to your parents, grandparents and new parents you know. Use it to mentor your kids, your nieces, nephews and grandchildren. It may be the most important gift you will ever give them. Once you read it, you will know why.
Rating:
Summary: Made my New Year's Resolutions Easier to Keep
Review: I have never read a book that has so fundamentally changed my life. The concepts are deceivingly simple, yet my entire perception of the world has changed. Unfortunately, the co-author leaves something to be desired (I found his narration to be overly contrived and unconvincingly sycophantic at times), but the editing and flow was good, so the book succeeds despite this.
Rating:
Summary: LIFE CHANGING!
Review: This book is truly inspirational. It not only gives you an outline on how to live a peaceful happy life, but it provides a mountain of wisdom to get through the most trying times of ones everyday sufferings. I urge the reader to not read this book in one sitting, it should be read carefully, page by page, not reading more than one chapter at a time. Then when you are finished with each section, reflect on what you have just read and than read it again. Just reading a few pages a day will put a smile on your face. Have a nice day!
Rating:
Summary: Enlightment made Easy
Review: Well, I needed a way for you to read my review, so why not entice you with a catchy title? In all honesty, I have been an avid reader of Buddhism related material for a few years and try to get the most I can out of each book...when I picked up this book I knew from the title that this one would possibly help fill the void in my life in terms of finding true happiness...well, I am still searching and though I cant say I have found complete happiness, I can adamently claim this book has nudged me up a few notches in my quest for the elusive title... The books was truly a fun read. I give the the psychologist who worked with the Dalai Lama credit for trying to bring Eastern philosophy over to Westerners like myself. All in all, he did a great job of making Buddhism "user-freindly" per say...I often find other books I read on Buddhism hard to absorb due to the strict monologue lost in the theories and rhetoric behind the belief. This book is fun, practical and above all inspirational. I carry this book with me in my car and thumb through the many "highlighted" pages I created when I am feeling upset, unsettled or just plain hedonistic...it always levels me and keeps me focused on what is really important...being happy in the present moment. This book will probably not cause spontaneous "enlightment" to the few hopeful readers who expect that from reading the book. However, one will walk away with a clearer sense of purpose in how to live our day to day lives...
Rating:
Summary: The Art of Peace
Review: I found the Dali Lama's book to be a clear path or stepping stones if you like to a wonderful life. His Holiness writes about a true life where we experience the ups and downs that come our way as part of our journey. Each experience being rewarding. Another book I recently read which was recommend by a reviewer, is called "WORKING ON YOURSELF DOESN'T WORK" by Ariel and Shya Kane. The Kanes write of how thru awareness without judging yourself, your life can become a continuous series of rewarding and enriching experiences. I recommend both these books whole heartedly.
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