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Summary: A Guide for How to Live This Life
Review: The Dalai Lama is almost certainly the most sought after writer/teacher on Buddhism in the world to date. Every book he writes seems to make it's way to the top of bestseller lists, which isn't much of a surprise; after all, he's a great teacher and a figure whom the world saw victimized at the hands of Communist China's late leader Mao Tse-tung. His efforts for peace are well known and recognized the world over. The wonderful thing about this particular book, The Art of Happiness, is that (as is often the case) he is able to attract readers of all sorts of religious backgrounds. You do not have to be just Buddhist to understand what he has to say here.This undoubtedly is a "Handbook for Living" as the title suggests to all of us. To some of us whom are more familiar with complex and highly difficult literature titled "Self Help," the Dalai Lama's answers might seem a little bit simplistic. One of the central themes recurring in this book is embracing difficulty, a suggestion we all may have heard before. This is somewhat like a text that allows psychology and Buddhism to intermingle with one another without conflict, a trait which should attract plenty in the professional counseling field; I say that because this book handles issues like depression, building strong relationships, having a good family life, working on your anger and envy. Okay, so this book might be impossible to live 100%, but it nevertheless provides us all with very good aspirations to strive for. The only thing required of us here is placing forth the effort and, when that task is completed, we will surely find our life in much better order. Even most of the old and modern philosophers will agree with the Dalai Lama on the following point: Happiness is the point of life. And like the Epicureans believed, this does not always mean seeking out apparent pleasure! The key of course is the Middle Way, which the Buddha Shakyamuni set forth (and lived by) for each and every one of us. Not too tight, and not too loose; that's the basic tenet this book follows, and rightfully so. So whether you are Christian, Moslem, Hindu, Jewish, and yes Buddhist, this book can enrich and strengthen your spiritual lives. So come buy the book, have a conversation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
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Summary: The Sooner you understand the Better you will live your life
Review: When I saw this Book, it was a curiosity to see whats inside. I started listening the CDs on "The Art of Happiness" by the Holiness the Dalai Lama. When I was listening the First CD I found that the things described in this Book are not different than my own life. I went on listening all the 8 CDs, I could understand the very essence of the life. This book describes the things that happen with everybody and tells us how to get through it. This does not claim any miracle, simply guides the path, following which you can live Life Happily and by doing so you can inspire others to do so. I would say if someone is really looking for happiness in life then he / she should once go through this book. I did not find any other simple and true book.
Rating: 
Summary: Uninformative
Review: Although I have a great deal of respect for the Dalai Lama's intentions in participating in this project, I found this book to be a weary exposition on the obvious and commonsensical. For those readers who found that the book changed their lives, I wonder if perhaps they are not giving themselves enough credit.
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Summary: How many books has H.H. written?
Review: Is there any other person out there who feels that HH the Dalai Lama has written too many books? Buddhism may be the most difficult of all religions, but in its essence, Buddhism is the simplest. None of these books is necessary to achieve what is already in everyone. So in my humble opinion, I think it would be better to pick anyone one of his books as they are all generally the same: compassion. lose your ego. etc. However, if the books are used for his cause of Tibetan liberation, then by all means support it by buying his books. Otherwise, all you need is one of his books, a difficult life experience, and a lot of meditation. The Dalai Lama is a great being indeed.
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Summary: Compelling and Thought Provoking
Review: After reading many many books by several empowering authors such as, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer,Marianne Williamson, and Tiffany Snow, that I am still reading,my life has opened up to me in such a compelling and wonderful way. This new book is well written, and thought provoking. There are great transforming authors, who shift the consciousness of humankind in a way never known before. The "Art of Happiness" is one of those.
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Summary: Low on Art, Short on Happiness
Review: I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to learn what a wise man could tell me about happiness. Instead, what I got was a psychiatrist of average intelligence and little insight filtering the words of the Dalai Lama through contradictory skepticism and weak science. The author - note: NOT the Dalai Lama - seems neither educated on, nor even particularly interested in, the teachings of the spiritual leader, and seems unable even to grasp what wisdom he is able to elicit through his hard-headed questioning. Repeatedly throughout, the author presents long passages quoted directly from verbal interviews with the Dalai Lama (not the best format for understanding an ancient religion)...and then haughtily dismisses what he has to say. He then relates in odd personal anecdotes how he finally comes around to the Dalai Lama's way of thinking, and supports his conclusions by constructing justifications out of loosely-linked statistics and factoids that take the Dalai Lama's words completely out of context. I assume he does this as a way of breaking it to "us Westerners" that there is a "deeper" way of thinking about things. But in doing this, he gives little credit to his reader, and even less to himself. Not to mention the disjointed perception he gives of the Dalai Lama. It makes one wonder how the author ever got involved with the Dalai Lama in the first place, and whether the Dalai Lama has any idea of the image that has been portrayed of him here. To be fair, there are some good things about the book, and I did get something out of reading it, though mostly because I was trying very hard. If this is your first exposure to Eastern spirituality, or if you're particularly talented at picking out gems through clutter, you'll probably get something out of it too. But if that's the case, don't stop there; read more! The success of this book seems to stem from a cultural desperation for meaning and a willingness to accept it in any form that hints of the "exotic," and not from any true value in the book itself. If you're looking for a peek into a world of thinking beyond current Western paradigms, then this book might be a decent beginning. But if you're looking for an accurate portrayal of the Dalai Lama, or any real spiritual insight, you're better off looking elsewhere.
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Summary: Improves the quality of your life!
Review: This is a tremendous book that enables us to understand various states of consciousness and how these states relate to the overall quality of our lives. It is an excellent book that provides us with very useful practical guidelines to be more mindful of our emotions and motivations. If you would like to understand how the process works in addition to knowing the practical things that we can do to improve the overall quality of our lives, I strongly suggest "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. It is a book that explains things so well and in such a simple way that it makes you think, "Why didn't I understand that before?" Your life will never be the same and I mean that in the best way possible! Happy Reading!
Rating: 
Summary: It's not as bad as all that
Review: It is true that this book is a little misleading. When I bought it I thought that it was writtem by the Lama and this Cutler person was his translator or something. Indeed not. Cutler can be heavy-handed at times, true, but a great deal of this book is the Dalai Lama's own words. Cutler just spends a lot of time trying to get it to fit into his own weird pop-psychology way of thinking. Thus, the book is interesting, but not as great as it could be. Read the book if you're interested in the concept. But if you want to read the Dalai Lama's own words and nothing else, pick up another of his books. I think he has at least one that's all him. Oh, and if I were you, I would run away from the new book, The Art of Happiness at Work. Cutler is fast turning the Dalai Lama into the chicken soup for the soul of Buddhism. (and to the crazy christian weirdo... get a life, hun)
Rating: 
Summary: Misses the mark
Review: If you want to know about the Dalai Lama, and his message, in my opinion you would be better off to look elsewhere. This book gives you the Dalai Lama through the eyes of the author (Cutler), who unfortunately attempts to make us think drivel is special and profound, with sneaky (intentional or not) tricks. In the following example, Cutler prefaces something lame the Dalai Lama says with this: (P.62) " he sat examining the human mind with the scrutiny of a scientist". Huh? How do you know that Dr. Cutler? At other times a twinkle in the eye or a warm laugh is supposed to substitute for actual information. My take is that the Dalai Lama himself began early on to tire of Cutler (We must stop now, I am tired). I didn't finish this book, as it was unconvincing of anything interesting. I found the book a disappointment.
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Summary: Not by the Dalai Lama at all
Review: This book is not authored by the Dalai Lama at all! What a surprise and a deception. It has little tidbits from the Dalai Lama, but is 95% psychobabble nonsense by the clueless doctor who is the real author of the book. It is that doctor's musings on human nature, with a few small comments by the Dalai Lama. This book was a complete waste of money
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