Portrait of a Dalai Lama is the story of one of Tibet's greatest religious and political leaders. It also stands as an important historical portrait of a pivotal era in Asian and world affairs.

In His Holiness, award-winning photographer Raghu Rai has captured the Dalai Lama’s journey in India since exile from Tibet in 1959. Rai presents an intimate photographic portrayal of the life of one of the most popular twentieth-century spiritual leaders. Since the fourteenth Dalai Lama’s forced exile from Tibet in 1959, Raghu Rai, one of the world’s most famous photographers, has documented his life in India. Now leading Tibetan Buddhists from afar, His Holiness is respected around the world as a pillar of peace and moral strength while he remains separated from his country. Enhanced by historical commentary and archival photos of the Dalai Lama and Tibet, Rai’s work follows the spiritual leader’s journey from exile through his present worldwide influence in a stunning and intimate photo series. Born to a peasant family in 1935, Lhamo Thondup was recognized at age two as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and became the temporal leader of Tibet at age fifteen. In 1959, he was forced into exile in India after the Chinese military occupation of Tibet. Since 1960, he has resided in Dharamsala, aptly known as “Little Lhasa,” the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile. Award-wining photographer Raghu Rai has spent over four decades charting the changing face of India. Photographing subjects from Indira Gandhi and Mother Teresa to the victims of Bhopal, he is one of the most prominent and well-known visual chroniclers of the country. In His Holiness, Raghu Rai has captured the journey of the Dalai Lama in India, presenting an intimate photographic portrayal of the life of one of the most popular twentieth-century spiritual leaders, the Dalai Lama.

This biography of the Dalai Lama--blessed by His Holiness himself--is the most authentic and intimate profile of the world's greatest living spiritual figure. Tenzin Geyche Tethong, a close aide of His Holiness for forty years who became family, offers readers unprecedented access to the Dalai Lama in this beautifully illustrated book. The Dalai Lama's youngest brother, Ngari Rinpoche Tenzin Choegyal, who was only 12 years old when he accompanied His Holiness on his dangerous 1959 escape to India, is a personal friend of Tethong and the mentor for this book project. As "elders" to the Tibetan community in exile, these men have come together to tell the true story of His Holiness--their brother, friend, and leader. Featuring previously unpublished photographs, as well as interviews and memories of those closest to him, this book renders unparalleled insights into the Dalai Lama's experiences as the preeminent leader of Tibet, and the wealth of his compassion and gentle humor in the face of the ongoing conflict. This is in no small part due to Tethong and Ngari Rinpoche's unique perspectives on many sensitive issues. Richly compelling, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama: An Illustrated Biography is a stunning visual celebration of the Dalai Lama, sketching a memorable portrait of an icon and a cause that have won the attention and hearts of billions across the world. * As his long-time personal secretary, Tethong was privy to the Dalai Lama's difficult relationship with India during his exile, with many challenges arising from his host country's ambivalence to Tibet. Tethong candidly discusses India's lackluster attempts at uplifting his people--denying them official documentation, restricting employment, and crowding refugees in the remote location of Dharmsala--citing its fear of angering China as the reason behind its ambivalence towards Tibet. * Ngari Rinpoche revisits his own profound memory of their exile: his time in the Special Frontier Force, or the "22" of the Indian Army, a period of his life for which there had previously been little recorded information. Ngari Rinpoche and his wife, Rinchen Khando, were one of the many Tibetans who joined this covert force with the intent of fighting the Chinese, under the guidance of intelligence agencies such as India's RAW and the American CIA. For the very first time, they discuss their American colleagues, the disappointments they faced as part of the "22," and the experiences that led to Ngari Rinpoche's depressive episode. * Tethong also sheds much-needed light on the Dalai Lama's Nobel Prize-winning campaign for the spiritual and political liberation of his people. He adopts a nuanced approach towards the Dalai Lama's non-violent struggle for Tibetan autonomy, writing frankly about their attempts to mediate the political differences between younger Tibetans in Dharmsala and the Tibetan administration. He also explores the numerous political difficulties faced by the Dalai Lama's cause in the years before its worldwide recognition.

In this fascinating memoir the Dalai Lama’s mother tells a compelling woman’s story. With vivid and intimate details, she recounts her life’s humble beginning, the customs and rituals of old Tibet, the births of her sixteen children (only seven of whom survived), learning her son’s remarkable destiny, the family’s arduous move to Lhasa before the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and their escape and eventual exile. Rich in historic and cultural details, this moving memoir personalizes the history of the Tibetan people—the magic of their culture, the role of their women, and their ancient ideals of compassion, faith, and equanimity.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers powerful, profound advice on how to live a peaceful and fulfilling life amidst all the conflicts of the modern world. In this distillation of his life and teachings, the Dalai Lama paints a compelling portrait of his early life, reflecting on the personal and political struggles that have helped to shape his understanding of our world. Offering his wisdom and experience to interpret the timeless teachings of the Buddha, The Dalai Lama's Little Book of Inner Peace is fresh and relevant to our troubled times. He explains in a simple and accessible way how each of us can influence those around us by living with integrity. And he holds out hope that, through personal transformation, we can all contribute to a better world. Replaces ISBN 9781571746092

This dynamic biography of the Dalai Lama includes impressionistic essays by Diki Tsering, his mother; China scholar and journalist Orville Schell; and travel writer Pico lyer; as well as an interview with His Holiness by famed monologist Spalding Gray. 150 color photos.