«Impressive in its clarity...…this biography [is] the most detailed and accurate to date…the book, written in an engaging prose, ends with an insightful prediction of the legacy of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, and a cleareyed assessment of the challenges that the fifteenth will face»

The New York Times

«The subtitle of Mr. Norman’s book, “An Extraordinary Life,” is an understatement...Mr. Norman knows the Dalai Lama better than most, having helped him to write his autobiography. His new book is rich with detail; his supple prose, often beautiful, is as adept at explaining Tibet’s theology as it is at describing its spiritual world»

The Wall Street Journal

«Alexander Norman is uniquely qualified among western observers to deliver a definitive account of one of the most remarkable lives of the past century. His thoughtful and insightful biography is unlikely to be surpassed any time soon»

Dr. Solomon George FitzHerbert, Departmental Lecturer in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies, University o

«This is the first authoritative biography of the Dalai Lama, and his life story reads like an adventure! An amazing read»

BuzzFeed

«Unlike the plethora of Hollywood meditators who claim friendship with the Dalai Lama, [Norman] has known him well for decades»

Sunday Times