Rating: 
Summary: Cutler really loves himself!!!!
Review: Man does this guy love himself! This book is in essense, 1% Buddhism and 99% Cutlerism. It was absurdly obvious to me that Cutler's main purpose in writing such a book was to stroke his own ego. I saw the hokey photo of Cutler on the back flap of the book after I'd finished his soliloquy and to my un-surprise, Mr. "I'm ready for my close-up" looked just as I would have imagined. He apeared nothing shy of the blatantly transparent individual that he presents himself to be. Next time, maybe Cutler should stick to the topic of discussion instead of slithering his 2-cents worth at every opportunity he gets. I just sympathize for the Dalai Lama for having to endure the presence of someone who was so full of himself. I would preferred to have ranked this book "ZERO stars"!
Rating: 
Summary: Read the quotes
Review: It seems somewhat strange and perverse to write something negative about such a positive book, but I think, like most readers, I wanted to read more from the Dalai Lama and less from Cutler. I found the only way I could get through it was by just skipping Cutler's prose and reading the Dalai Lama quotes. There is a need for a meaningful dialogue between buddhism and psychology, but I'm afraid Cutler is not the right person for the job, or perhaps, the problem is that the popularization of the topic in the book makes it far too simplistic and trivial. Having said all that, I learned a great deal from the Dalai Lama himself. I found his quotes to be incredibly useful and meaningful. I wish there were more in the book on the different kinds of meditation exercises that the Dalai Lama teaches. That is a book that should be written. If anyone knows of one, please let me know.
Rating:
Summary: Important subject, bad book!
Review: I hate to think that this would be the first exposure to Buddhism that one would receive. This book is poorly written, and doesn't come close to capturing either the essence of Buddhism or the personality of the Dalai Lama. The book is more of a monument to the ego of Dr. Cutler than anything else. For those who are truly looking for an introduction to Buddhism, I would recommend "Awakening the Buddha Within" by Lama Surya Das, or "The Accidental Buddhist", by Dinty Moore. I could not in good conscience recommend Dr. Cutler's book (for it is most assuredly Dr. Cutler's and NOT the Dalai Lama's) to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Simple truths that allow one to deal with complex life issue
Review: What we may consider to be common sense truths about the attainment of happiness and the elimination of suffering is artfully explored and given greater depth in this book.
Rating: 
Summary: The message is within
Review: Learn to love everyone and everything. It's that simple
Rating:
Summary: Excellent: A Bridge between Psychology & Buddhism
Review: I've read many books concerning science and buddhism, whilst others have discussed the similarities between the East and the West's view on the human mind, this book elaborates it further by drawing many interesting cases and presents it from both perspectives. Compared to other books recording conversation with H.H. the Dalai Lama and modern scientists on neuroscience, dreaming, dying, and meditation, this one brings home a more practical message: the effect of compassion and loving-kindness on a person's outlook and hence behaviours (quite similar to the principles of cognitive psychology). The occasional skepticism expressed by Dr. Cutler is, to me, a healthy skepticism with the aim to seek clarifications and to build bridge drawing closer the two seemingly different views on human mind. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in knowing more about emotional resilience from an Eastern perspective. Or simply use the book to gain a good overview on the teachings of Buddha applying to daily situations.
Rating:
Summary: remember what we are rating here
Review: My fellow readers if you look at the field where you select the number of stars you are rating the book not the comments that other readers have made about it. Personally, I enjoyed reading this book. This was the first book about the basic Buddhist beliefs that I have read so far and it made me want to find out more about this fascinating religion. It also made me realize a few things about myself. And, although the book was not terribly interesting (a little dry at times), and the good doctor played the "devil's advocate" a little much, it was an interesting comparison of eastern and western philosophy and psychology. Now, for those of you with all the negative, political, and opinionated comments (I will keep this review PG), get your heads out of the clouds and read the book again, but this time keep a little bit more of an open mind. Confucius once said, "It is hard to search for a black cat in a dark room, especially if the cat is not there." Not everything you read has to have an angle. Try to take the words in this book for what they are, you will live a much longer and happier life. Stay sane.
Rating:
Summary: For those searching for meaning in this existance
Review: This is one of the most wonderful books I have ever read. There is so much we can learn from the Dalai Lama, he is a true example of the compassionate and non-violent attitude we must undertake if we are to survive the coming century. This book is a must read for those that are lonely, feel isolated, searching for love or meaning to their existance. It has been said that unhappiness is the plague of the West, this book offers insight in how to fill our lives with genuine contentment.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Introduction to a Great Religion and a Great Man
Review: Reading this book is a fabulous way to get acquainted with fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism in general and with the ideas of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in particular. I would recommend reading this, then watching Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet, then reading the autobiography Freedom in Exile (which you can buy from Amazon.com!) Like some readers, I found the co-author's remarks rather intrusive at times, but they are easy to skim past. Many books on Buddhist philosophy or Tibetan Buddhism are too scholarly or technical, but this one is perfect for the beginner. If you only read two books this summer, this one and Freedom in Exile should be those books! They may change your life for the better, as they have definitely done for me. P.S. As you can see from the other reviews posted here, His Holiness does have his opponents. Try not to be swayed away from this book by detractors with a political agenda. Read these two books and see the films mentioned above, and then decide for yourself!
Rating:
Summary: Response to readers put off by Dr. Cutler
Review: As a practicing Buddhist, I wanted to let others know that part of the tradition of the Buddhist scriptures was to write goshos (letters) in the form of a Q&A, generally between a non-believer and an enlightened one. So Dr. Cutler is following along a well-traveled path by playing 'Devil's advocate' so to speak, and I am sure that the Dalai Lama completely understood that. Buddhism believes in a healthy skepticism on the part of believers because it safeguards against losing one's sense of autonomy to a religious authority. I feel every religion can learn a great deal about themselves and others by studying Budddhist thought. Regardless of the 'vehicle' that you drive, we are all headed for the same destination ultimately!
| 
