March Not Fiction Book Discussions

Drawing on over three decades of acquaintance and intimate conversation with the Dalai Lama, Pico Iyer, in his book The Open Road: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, creates a multifaceted portrait of the man, both his public life as a politician and global icon, and his private life as a philosopher and monk. Moving beyond simple biography to a history of Tibet, a consideration of the current global culture, and a memoir of his own relationship with the Dalai Lama, Iyer says, "one of the main things I have attempted in this book is to bring the Dalai Lama out of Tibet and Buddhism and into the larger community of ideas and thinkers, to show how much and how often his interests chime with those of other traditions and explorers." In our discussions, we will consider what elements have combined to make this Dalai Lama so relevant politically and culturally, the first in a long line of men who have filled this position to leave Tibet and take up a role on the world stage: Was it the coincidence of being appointed Dalai Lama just as the People's Republic of China invaded Tibet in 1950-51, forcing him to flee and set up a government in exile? Long hours of travel, conversation with world leaders, public appearances, and following current events? Or could it be his willingness to embrace "the open road," Iyer's metaphor for "the natural home of someone who is visibly pressing along a path, to talk to anyone he meets along the way and to see how foreigners, specialists, fellow travelers can instruct him"? And is this willingness to embrace and learn from the unknown a quality shared by other people who have experienced success?

We hope you will join our conversation, either Tuesday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m. at Main Library, Thursday, March 18 at 11:00 a.m. at West Ashley Branch Library, or here on the blog.