Tales of a Dalai Lama

by Pierre Delattre

Pierre Delattre's joyful book, Tales of a Dalai Lama, records earthbound flights of the spirit, like a bridge over silence. Here is a work of fiction with language simple and beautiful, detailing the structure of the faith of the Tibetan people as seen through the eyes of the awestruck, funny, and wise Dalai Lama, sometimes old and sometimes young. Here is fiction at its best, sure in its footing, centered in writing as an art, fulfilling its own functions and overcoming its own obstacles, bearing the reader along a path of zen grabbers, belly laughs, and glimpses of enlightenment while experiencing the nobility of faith. ―

Genres: Fiction, Spirituality

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

On one hand:

I call the high and light aspect of my being spirit and the dark and heavy aspect soul.
Soul is at home in the deep, shaded valleys. Heavy, torpid flowers saturated with black grow there. The rivers flow like warm syrup. They empty into huge oceans of soul.
Spirit is a land of high, white peaks and glittering jewellike lakes and flowers. Life is sparse and sounds travel great distances.

On the other hand:

The Regent kept having to remind him, "John Wayne, too, will achieve Buddhahood, O Tender One."

Oh! Also:

Generally people regarded their souls in one of five ways: (1) above the head like a halo; (2) in the breast like a vague yearning; (3) enveloping the body like a shroud; (4) moving up and down the spine like an electrical charge; (5) in the pit of the stomach.
There were exceptions which the Dalai Lama kept under a separate category as Freak Souls: Souls in the palms of the hands; souls between the eyes; souls like wings on the back; souls departed from the body on a journey of their own; etc.
..."My soul is the cottage by a river waiting for me."
..."My soul is like the inside of a flame."
..."I am still pursuing my soul with a spear."

[Jai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pierre has captured my attention with his delightful stories. Today I found my author signed copy hiding in a box. Pierre had a doodle of three birds on the inner page. "Ten Conversation At Once" is one of my favorite stories. "Alice in Wonderland" was one of my first and favorite books in this lifetime. Pierre's magical sense of play is equal to that of "Alice Through the Looking Glass"

[MariMel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the first story and decided not to continue. If I'm going to read stories with a spiritual bent, I'd rather read real stories about the Dalai Lama, rather than fiction inspired by the Dalai Lama.