Synopses & Reviews
The extraordinary story of the exiled Tibetan teenager who has been hailed as one of the greatest spiritual leaders of the coming age.
In January 2000, an Ambassador taxi twisted its way up the narrow road leading toward Dharamsala in the Himalayan foothills of northern India-the home in exile of the Dalai Lama. In this aging car was a fourteen-year-old boy: the 17th Karmapa, one of the most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism. The boy's arrival in Dharamsala was the culmination of an escape. He had journeyed nine hundred miles across the Himalayas, in conditions of high danger, far from the monastery in Tibet where he had lived since he was eight. His arrival took everyone by surprise: far-flung devotees, the world's press, the Chinese government, even the Dalai Lama himself, who was reminded of his own escape into exile more than forty years earlier.
Fascinated by this charismatic young figure, British writer Mick Brown traveled to Dharamsala to meet him and found himself drawn into a web of intrigue. Amid a feud of Byzantine complexity concerning the boy's succession, Mick Brown gained unique access to both sides. In The Dance of 17 Lives, the author reveals what he uncovered: tales of miracles and murder, the settling of two-hundred-year-old scores, and the enduring spirit of Tibetan Buddhism in the face of all adversity.
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"[A] lively and judicious account of the Karmapas." New Statesman
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"An extraordinary story ... his narrative is crisp, dramatic and scrupulously even-handed." Sunday Telegraph
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"A colourful, dramatic thriller...[Brown] is an excellent interviewer, and some of the settings for these conversations...are vividly rendered." Literary Review
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"A wickedly engaging yarn."
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"Absorbing ...[Brown] provides a fine introduction to this 'magical' world of lamas, umzes (chant-masters) and geyoks (discriplinarians), wisely concealing his own faith under the veil of compelling reportage." Time Out
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"An enthralling insight into the inner workings of Buddhist politics...a superb read...A well-written book, it's a must-read for those with an interest in Buddhist politics." Sunday Business Post
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"The Dance of 17 Lives is investigative journalism of the highest order- observant, inconclusive and compelling." Daily Telegraph
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"Brown manages to make his book both informative and fast paced ... A fascinating read." Observer
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"Brown unravels the bizarre, labyrinthine tale that follows, involving lawsuits, death and some of the strangest characters you will find outside fiction." Sunday Times
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"A wickedly engaging yarn." Independent
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"An escape that for drama and daring makes most Hollywood fare pale by comparison...[Brown's] neutral journalistic tone is useful for reporting so much that seems incredible." Washington Post
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"Intelligent and well-written...superbly accessible...Far from being a mere report on the 17th Karmapa and his exodus, this is an excellent history of modern Tibetan Buddhism on a broad scale." Publishers Weekly
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"Tangled rumors, rivalries among lamas, a secret letter, gnarled court cases, and violence all feature in this complex and startling tale...Brown's informative and frank portrait of the courageous young lama conveys the power of Tibetan Buddhism and the blight of 'theological politics.'" Booklist
Synopsis
The 17th Karmapa, one of the holiest figures in Tibetan Buddhism, arrived in Dharmsala as a fourteen-year-old boy in 2000, after an extraordinary escape across the Himalayas. Fascinated by this charismatic young figure, Mick Brown traveled to meet him, and found himself drawn into the labyrinthine web of intrigue surrounding the 17th Karmapa's recognition and early life.
About the Author
Mick Brown is the author of four previous books:
Richard Branson: The Inside Story, American Heartbeat: Travels from Woodstock to San Jose by Song Title, The Spiritual Tourist, and
Performance. Born in London, he is a freelance journalist and broadcaster.