Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, His Holiness Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu survived more than fifty years of exile and experienced violent, crushing oppression throughout their lives. However, despite their unimaginable hardships, or, as they would say, because of them, these esteemed worldwide spiritual leaders are two of the most joyful people on the planet.

The Book of Joy is a poignant and heartwarming account reflecting week-long conversations between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. Their in-depth insights serve as a guide to those who are looking to live a life free of stress and sadness. These infamous spiritual gurus acknowledge the reality of suffering and truly believe that joy can be nurtured as much as any emotion. 

The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu have been friends for many years and share intimate stories and spiritual practices that help them live their lives brimming with joy. They define and help us understand the nature of joy: what it is, why it matters, and how you can find it. The authors focus on bringing to life three core principles about the nature of the individual:

Their perspectives take us on a reflective journey to explore the Nature of True Joy and help us to confront each of the Obstacles of Joy – from fear and stress to anger to grief, illness and death. What I enjoyed most about reading The Book of Joy was the daily “Joy Practices” – practical exercises to help us truly embrace happiness, joy and peace in our lives.

The Book of Joy is filled with humor, insights and guidance intended to help ordinary people lay out a path to build a lasting sense of happiness and contentment in life. I can think of no better time than in this New Year, 2024, to welcome the extraordinary gifts of wisdom revealed in this inspiring book.