Rating: 
Summary: @@ A *Major* Disappointment!
Review: To put it bluntly, this book should've been 1/4 the length. Cutler hides behind the good name and reputation of the Dali Lama to interject his views and interpretations of the Dali Lama's answers and insights. Half the book is just psycho-babble you can find in just about any Psych 101 text book. If I wanted to read a list of references from Freud, I'd go back to college. I was forced to skim the book and read only the Dali Lama's quotations. Although I felt that His Holyness' quotes were hindered due to the fact that they were answers to Cutler's seemingly naiive and self-centered questions and objections. I personally feel that The Dali Lama's good name and portrait for that matter was misused to sell Cutler's book, in which I'm sure he couldn't have published one on his own. From the quotations and words of the Dali Lama which *were* included as a part of this book, I was very intrigued about his insights upon life. How simplistic they were, but yet so true. I'm not a portrayer of the next diety by any means; but if a man can life his entire life with a smile and a heartly laugh - surely there must be something valuable to be learned from him.
Rating: 
Summary: If it were possible to give 6 stars, then I would give it 7
Review: I picked this book up at its first print. I found this book extremely spiritually insightful, to say the absolute least. Every time I read this book again (that's right, again), I find new value locked within the Dalai Lamas' words. However, I am reading a lot of these reviews in much disappointment. The Art of Happiness was written through the perspective of a western psychiatrist, Dr. Howard C. Cutler. It saddens me in the fact that many readers could not see beyond Dr. Cutlers' viewpoints into the heart of the real mater. Dr. Cutlers' remarks were not made to instruct or to educate, but merely to display the Dalai Lama in a more acceptable western sense. The most important thing the Dalai Lama speaks of is the act of cultivating compassion. This is important. Through compassion, one will come to appreciate Dr. Cutler's display of goodwill toward the overall benefit of humankind. It would seem that most negative reviews were not based on content alone, but based purely on an abundance of ignorance. You could say that they just 'didn't get it.' The very people in which complain of Dr. Cutlers perspectives are complaining, in a sense, of their own comprehension levels. Through compassion, one will inevitably find that live is through our own perception. This book does an exquisite job in relaying this fact among others noted respectfully through the wisdom of His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. This book reads it self, I have given it to friends, family, etc. It is a beautiful work of art in many senses. If you have any interest in spiritual growth, eastern philosophy, or if you just have a good heart, as I believe we all do, then buy this book. For those of you who still don't like this book, there are books out there not written by Dr. Cutler that carry the same principles. If you want a book with nothing more than the Dalai Lamas words then you should buy the book, 'Dalai Lama, The Path to Tranquility (compiled by Renuka Singh). This is all that I have to say.
Rating:
Summary: Cutler gets in the way - "Ethics...." is a better read
Review: Unfortunately, Cutler keeps getting in the way by explaining things that don't need to be explained. This makes reading the book a laborious test of will. The insights by the Dalai Lama are profound and transcend religious and cultural boundaries, but they require introspection to truly explore the implications of those insights. Cutler doesn't allow the reader to do this, instead he quickly boxes the quote into a clean, often artificial container, diffusing the impact of the original quote. A much better read which offers most of the same message, without the distractions, is "Ethics for a New Millenium" by the Dalai Lama.
Rating:
Summary: It's about achieving HAPPINESS, not buddhist enlightenment!
Review: Many of the comments so far focus on the fact that this book isn't an introduction to Buddhism and the Dalai Lama. It doesn't claim to be! If that's what you were expecting, you should shop more carefully. It's about achieving HAPPINESS, people! It gives the Eastern approach, with Cutler playing Devil's Advocate with his very Western approach. Nor does it give any ready answers - that's up to you as the reader, and isn't for lazy readers. In my opinion, this book is a tool to promote thought, not a manifesto, nor a TV programme. I not only enjoyed it, but enjoyed the directions in which it sent my thoughts.
Rating:
Summary: There is much to learn from Dr. Cutler's perspective.
Review: I too am surprised at the quantity of criticisms of this book. The aim of the book as I understand it was to compare and contrast eastern religious ideas with the western pschotherapy theories and perspectives of Dr. Cutler and others in his profession. This book did a wonderful job in that sense. It is, after all, not essential to agree with Dr. Cutler's perspective to learn from him. Nor was there any misundertanding in opening the book that it was a combination of ideas from two knowledgeable and experienced humans who have worked lifelong to better understand and help people improve behaviors. I think most people with an open mind can really enjoy and learn something about themselves in this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappoint under the covers
Review: I received this book as a Christmas present with the excitement of a child opening an awaited present. I was looking in anticipation to read 319 pages on what the Dalai Lama had to say on "Happiness" (in his words). Instead as I read further and further into the chapters I understood that this was Howard's words and not the Dalai Lama's. I did not pay to read Howard; so I felt betrayed by the cover with a picture of the Dalai Lama and the content being for the most part from someone else then portrayed. The title should be changed to "The Art of Illusion".
Rating: 
Summary: Perfect Guide to Happiness
Review: I would recommend this book to everyone. The only qualifications they must have though is an open mind and the ability accept what another says even though you might think differently. I think that the combination of the Dalai Lama, a devote, Tibetan monk, and Dr. Howard C. Cutler, a Western society psychologists, work well with the book. We get to here from two different views of society. The Dalai Lama offers up his Buddhists beliefs to help others achieve happiness. Understanding that not everyone is a Buddhist and that not everyone believes in a higher, supreme, "being" he offers alternative routes to finding happiness. When there are times that the Dalai Lama's explanations becomes a little difficult to grasp he offers examples in everyday life to illustrate what he has just said. Dr. Cutler also offers everyday experiences, which might be easier for a person from Western society grasp. There are many experiences in which I am sure that everyone can relate to, from our feelings of anxiety to those of hatred of others or ourselves. Within the book we can see how we a closed minded people by the way Dr. Cutler acts, even after he has been lectured on the art of happiness. The book in a whole is great, but like the Dalai Lama says, even something that seems one hundred percent perfect, if you look at it closely you will be able to find something wrong. One thing I didn't like within the book was some of Dr. Cutler's ramblings about his conversation with the Dalai Lama. He does give good scientific evidence to support what the Dalai Lama has said (once again making it logical for the scientific Western society to believe), but sometimes he keeps going on and on about the psychological, and neurological meanings and explanations. I found this to get a bit tiresome after a while, and I'm sure it would be extremely tiresome for someone who has no interest in either subject. Overall though I found this book enjoyable to read, which is hard because for one I hate to read and two, I have a vivid imagination, so anything that usually has no aspect of fantasy in it I find dull. Not with this book though. I liked it so much I picked it up everyday and read, I felt compelled to learn more, compelled to absorb the Dalai Lama's teaching and utilize them in my everyday experiences. If your not happy with your life, or even if you are, I recommend this book as a way to get yourself on track or keep yourself on the right track.
Rating:
Summary: The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living
Review: Very disappointing book. I just cannot understand why the Dalai Lama was involved in this farse. Every reader must have bought the book expecting to read about the Dalai Lama, instead all we get is Mr Cutler's shallow insights and his persistent and futile attempts as a psychologist to explain things that are unexplainable from that point of view. Worst Christmas gift I have ever received!
Rating:
Summary: The Art of Sadness :(
Review: Cutler's commentary is annoying and distracting. The Dalai Lama probably has some interesting perspectives on happiness but this book fails to convey these.
Rating:
Summary: The Problem of Two Authors
Review: I found this book to be deeply moving. The Dalai Lama's teachings revealed to me the profound problems we have with disconnectivity in our society. My one criticism of the book is that the co-author, Howard Cutler, did not seem to appreciate what the Dalai Lama was saying. His anecdotes (and his questions) revealed that he had not grasped the essence of what the Dalai Lama was trying to teach him. His commentary, interspersed with wonderful interviews with the Dalai Lama, can be quite intrusive, and counteracting the feelings of harmony and enlightenment that the Dalai Lama's lessons produce.
|
