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The Delight of Being Ordinary: A Road Trip with the Pope and the Dalai Lama
Roland Merullo's playful, eloquent, and life-affirming novel finds the Pope and the Dalai Lama teaming up for an unsanctioned road trip through the Italian countryside to rediscover the everyday joys of life that can seem, even for the two holiest men in the world, unattainable.
What happens when the Pope and the Dali Lama decide they need an undercover vacation? During a highly publicized official visit at the Vatican, the Pope suggests an adventure so unexpected and appealing that neither man can resist. Before dawn, two of the most beloved and famous people on the planet don disguises, slip into a waiting car, and experience the countryside as regular people. Along for the ride are the Pope's overwhelmed cousin Paolo and his estranged wife Rosa, an eccentric hairdresser with a lust for life who cannot resist the call to adventure - or the fun.
Against a landscape of good humor, exploration and spiritual delight, not to mention the sublime rolling hills of Italy, The Delight of Being Ordinary showcases the charming sensibilities of Roland Merullo (whose bestselling Breakfast with Buddha has sold over 200,000 copies), in a novel that makes us laugh as well as think about the demands of ordinary life, spiritual life, and the identities by which we all define ourselves.
What happens when the Pope and the Dali Lama decide they need an undercover vacation? During a highly publicized official visit at the Vatican, the Pope suggests an adventure so unexpected and appealing that neither man can resist. Before dawn, two of the most beloved and famous people on the planet don disguises, slip into a waiting car, and experience the countryside as regular people. Along for the ride are the Pope's overwhelmed cousin Paolo and his estranged wife Rosa, an eccentric hairdresser with a lust for life who cannot resist the call to adventure - or the fun.
Against a landscape of good humor, exploration and spiritual delight, not to mention the sublime rolling hills of Italy, The Delight of Being Ordinary showcases the charming sensibilities of Roland Merullo (whose bestselling Breakfast with Buddha has sold over 200,000 copies), in a novel that makes us laugh as well as think about the demands of ordinary life, spiritual life, and the identities by which we all define ourselves.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2017
243 people are currently reading
2130 people want to read
About the author
Roland Merullo
39 books684 followersROLAND MERULLO is an awarding-winning author of 24 books including 17 works of fiction: Breakfast with Buddha, a nominee for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, now in its 20th printing; The Talk-Funny Girl, a 2012 ALEX Award Winner and named a "Must Read" by the Massachusetts Library Association and the Massachusetts Center for the Book; Vatican Waltz named one of the Best Books of 2013 by Publishers Weekly; Lunch with Buddha selected as one of the Best Books of 2013 by Kirkus Reviews; Revere Beach Boulevard named one of the "Top 100 Essential Books of New England" by the Boston Globe; A Little Love Story chosen as one of "Ten Wonderful Romance Novels" by Good Housekeeping, Revere Beach Elegy winner of the Massachusetts Book Award for nonfiction, and Once Night Falls, selected as a "First Read" by Amazon Editors.
A former writer in residence at North Shore Community College and Miami Dade Colleges, and professor of Creative Writing at Bennington, Amherst and Lesley Colleges, Merullo has been a guest speaker at many literary events and venues and a faculty member at MFA programs and several writers’ conferences. His essays have appeared in numerous publications including the New York Times, Outside Magazine, Yankee Magazine, Newsweek, the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Magazine, Reader's Digest, Good Housekeeping, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Merullo's books have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, German, Chinese, Turkish, Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovenian, and Czech.
A former writer in residence at North Shore Community College and Miami Dade Colleges, and professor of Creative Writing at Bennington, Amherst and Lesley Colleges, Merullo has been a guest speaker at many literary events and venues and a faculty member at MFA programs and several writers’ conferences. His essays have appeared in numerous publications including the New York Times, Outside Magazine, Yankee Magazine, Newsweek, the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Magazine, Reader's Digest, Good Housekeeping, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Merullo's books have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, German, Chinese, Turkish, Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovenian, and Czech.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
January 31, 2023
I want to start by saying something that could offend or cause debate but that's OK... I am a spiritual person but not religious. I don't care if you are, we're all on our own journey in this life. I will never judge you based on your beliefs and I can only hope the same in return.
That being said, I had mixed feelings going into this novel. I was worried there would be religious saturation which wouldn't be enjoyable to me and in a way, it did, BUT it was very tactful and thought provoking.
I found myself questioning my beliefs, thought patterns, and ego. And what could be more appropriate considering faith and fact can be two completely different things? In the end we are all human with wants, needs, loves, and fears and one can only grow by questioning the status quo.
Also, the characters were just so loveable, every single one of them. They all go deep and it's refreshing to watch them go through similar mental and emotional journeys that I found myself in.
I feel like I have already said enough but just one more thought, go in to this with an open mind regardless of your religious stance. Questioning, talking, working through ideas... it's what we're meant to do.
That being said, I had mixed feelings going into this novel. I was worried there would be religious saturation which wouldn't be enjoyable to me and in a way, it did, BUT it was very tactful and thought provoking.
I found myself questioning my beliefs, thought patterns, and ego. And what could be more appropriate considering faith and fact can be two completely different things? In the end we are all human with wants, needs, loves, and fears and one can only grow by questioning the status quo.
Also, the characters were just so loveable, every single one of them. They all go deep and it's refreshing to watch them go through similar mental and emotional journeys that I found myself in.
I feel like I have already said enough but just one more thought, go in to this with an open mind regardless of your religious stance. Questioning, talking, working through ideas... it's what we're meant to do.
May 29, 2017
This has the air of a whimsical religious fable. Narrated by the Pope’s cousin and first assistant, Paolo dePadova, it’s about how the Pope and the Dalai Lama manage to sneak away from the Vatican for a five-day Italian vacation. Paolo is a former travel agent and his ex-wife and co-conspirator, Rosa, is a hair and makeup artist, so they’re the perfect pair to arrange a last-minute road trip in disguises. They take a secret tunnel from the Pope’s private chapel into town and meet Rosa there, where she and her colleagues work their magic. The Pope (“Giorgio”) is gotten up as a Scandinavian businessman with a blond hairpiece, while the Dalai Lama (“Tenzin”) is a Yoko Ono-type rock star with a long wig and big glasses. Paolo himself gets a new identity, too: as a darker-skinned Gaddafi lookalike, he gets to experience what it’s like to be a despised minority in rural Italy.
At first it seems the trip is just a chance for these two holy men to enjoy ordinary life, but gradually we realize that they are also on a religious mission: they’ve been having remarkably similar visions of a special child whom the Dalai Lama believes could be his successor on Earth. The book contains a number of low-key religious debates, most of them initiated by Rosa, and there are pearls of spiritual wisdom dotted through. I especially appreciated what the Dalai Lama has to say to Paolo about why things fell apart between him and Rosa: “We make up stories about the other person. In our minds we build these stories—she is this way, he is that way; look, she always do this, he always do that—and then these things keep us from seeing this person full as they are in present moment.” Some of the plot felt predictable to me, but the characters’ actions and speech are believable.
At first it seems the trip is just a chance for these two holy men to enjoy ordinary life, but gradually we realize that they are also on a religious mission: they’ve been having remarkably similar visions of a special child whom the Dalai Lama believes could be his successor on Earth. The book contains a number of low-key religious debates, most of them initiated by Rosa, and there are pearls of spiritual wisdom dotted through. I especially appreciated what the Dalai Lama has to say to Paolo about why things fell apart between him and Rosa: “We make up stories about the other person. In our minds we build these stories—she is this way, he is that way; look, she always do this, he always do that—and then these things keep us from seeing this person full as they are in present moment.” Some of the plot felt predictable to me, but the characters’ actions and speech are believable.
December 3, 2017
What a spot Paolo has been put in. His cousin, none other than the Pope himself, has asked Paolo to smuggle him and his visitor, the Dalai Lama, out of the Vatican so they can spend some time being ordinary men. That means getting past all of their security guards and disguising their much-too-well-known faces. Joining them will be Paolo’s estranged wife, Rosa. Paolo is soon branded a wanted kidnapper and his name and face are all over the news. The hunt and chase is on and this promises to be a road trip to remember.
I found this book to have a very refreshing view of religion. Basically, both the Pope and the Dalai Lama believe that the most important religious “rule” is to show love and compassion to all others. All throughout the engaging plot, there are religious discussions but they aren’t presented in a pretentious or stuffy way at all. Both the Pope and the Dalai Lama are shown as very calm, centered men and while they want to be ordinary for a while, they seem to have no objection to being questioned extensively by Paolo and particularly Rosa about their beliefs. The religious discussions, while an essential part of the book, don’t override the enjoyable plot. There’s the love story between Paolo and Rosa and the difficulties they’ve encountered in their marriage. There’s their daughter Anna Lisa and her unexpected news. And there’s the surprise encounter at the end of the book that may hopefully be leading the author to write a sequel. Comic moments abound and I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this delightful book.
Recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher for discussion in the Goodreads Group "Keep Turning Pages".
I found this book to have a very refreshing view of religion. Basically, both the Pope and the Dalai Lama believe that the most important religious “rule” is to show love and compassion to all others. All throughout the engaging plot, there are religious discussions but they aren’t presented in a pretentious or stuffy way at all. Both the Pope and the Dalai Lama are shown as very calm, centered men and while they want to be ordinary for a while, they seem to have no objection to being questioned extensively by Paolo and particularly Rosa about their beliefs. The religious discussions, while an essential part of the book, don’t override the enjoyable plot. There’s the love story between Paolo and Rosa and the difficulties they’ve encountered in their marriage. There’s their daughter Anna Lisa and her unexpected news. And there’s the surprise encounter at the end of the book that may hopefully be leading the author to write a sequel. Comic moments abound and I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this delightful book.
Recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher for discussion in the Goodreads Group "Keep Turning Pages".
August 5, 2017
Ecumenical Whimsy
I am thinking of starting a new bookshelf, labeled "whimsy." It would contain The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an IKEA Wardrobe, The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden, quite possibly The Elegance of the Hedgehog, and quite a few books by Alexander McCall Smith. Criteria would include a light narrative style, some humor, a huge suspension of disbelief, and the occasional ability to say something thought-provoking or even profound. The Delight of Being Ordinary, which is subtitled "A Road Trip with the Pope and the Dalai Lama" (yes indeed, the present incumbents of these roles), fits the category hand in glove.
Author Roland Merullo imagines that Pope Francis has appointed a secular cousin and childhood friend, Paolo dePadova, as his personal assistant. One morning, over their customary breakfast, he tells Paolo that he feels suffocated, and asks him to arrange a four-day getaway, where he can become like an ordinary person again. Oh, and bring the Dalai Lama, who is visiting that day. Paolo, a former travel-agent, obliges, smuggling the two holy men out of the Vatican by a tunnel, and calling in his estranged wife Rosa, a make-up artist, to provide disguises. Rosa (who is a far better organizer than her husband) borrows a luxury Maserati SUV, and drives the other three eastward into the Apennines, to the earthquake-ravaged town of L'Aquila, thence to the mountain hotel where Mussolini was once imprisoned, from there to Rimini on the Adriatic coast, and on northwest to the shores of Lake Como. All this in the teeth of an international manhunt.
Of course the premise is absurd, but one accepts that. The payoff comes from seeing these two exceptional men outside their ordained roles, sharing a common humanity and a spiritual philosophy that is refreshingly non-doctrinaire. Most of this comes relatively early on their trip, and mostly from Pope Francis, or Giorgio as he prefers to be called. The Dalai Lama (Tenzin) plays second banana rather; perhaps Merullo had exhausted his Buddhist wisdom in his previous novels, Breakfast with Buddha and its two sequels. There is also the problem that, once the Pope's disappearance becomes public, avoiding detection becomes the main driver of the plot, which gets more and more like a thriller. And Merullo cannot resist excesses of his own, like placing the holy fugitives, in yet more disguises, in the middle of a Felliniesque orgy at the house of an aging film star. Fortunately the last fifty pages become a search for simplicity once more, but they miss the effect Merullo obviously intends, perhaps because they involve characters from another previous novel, Vatican Waltz.
A further problem is the use of Paolo dePadova as narrator. There is simply not enough from the mouths of the Pope or Dalai Lama directly, and too much of Paolo's rather conventional religious musings, spiced with the feisty irreverence of the irrepressible Rosa. She is meant to be fiery and lovable, I know, but she never came into focus for me as a character, and her worry-wort of a husband (hardly imaginable as a professional fixer) even less so. There are built-in limits to the characterization of Their Holinesses, of course, because the author has to start with what is known and move to what may plausibly be conjectured, but that only makes the treatment of the fictional characters that much more important.
I started this review intending 3.5 stars, because the novel did keep me reading. I enjoyed the vicarious road trip, and there were some neatly phrased philosophical observations along the way. But all too few of them, and little that was dangerous or truly thought-provoking. The weakness of characterization, the tendency to turn to melodrama rather than trusting the inherent simplicity of the premise, and annoying stylistic tricks like throwing in phrases of Italian only to translate them immediately after—all these are now making me wonder why I even bothered.
So 2.5 stars, rounded reluctantly down.
I am thinking of starting a new bookshelf, labeled "whimsy." It would contain The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an IKEA Wardrobe, The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden, quite possibly The Elegance of the Hedgehog, and quite a few books by Alexander McCall Smith. Criteria would include a light narrative style, some humor, a huge suspension of disbelief, and the occasional ability to say something thought-provoking or even profound. The Delight of Being Ordinary, which is subtitled "A Road Trip with the Pope and the Dalai Lama" (yes indeed, the present incumbents of these roles), fits the category hand in glove.
Author Roland Merullo imagines that Pope Francis has appointed a secular cousin and childhood friend, Paolo dePadova, as his personal assistant. One morning, over their customary breakfast, he tells Paolo that he feels suffocated, and asks him to arrange a four-day getaway, where he can become like an ordinary person again. Oh, and bring the Dalai Lama, who is visiting that day. Paolo, a former travel-agent, obliges, smuggling the two holy men out of the Vatican by a tunnel, and calling in his estranged wife Rosa, a make-up artist, to provide disguises. Rosa (who is a far better organizer than her husband) borrows a luxury Maserati SUV, and drives the other three eastward into the Apennines, to the earthquake-ravaged town of L'Aquila, thence to the mountain hotel where Mussolini was once imprisoned, from there to Rimini on the Adriatic coast, and on northwest to the shores of Lake Como. All this in the teeth of an international manhunt.
Of course the premise is absurd, but one accepts that. The payoff comes from seeing these two exceptional men outside their ordained roles, sharing a common humanity and a spiritual philosophy that is refreshingly non-doctrinaire. Most of this comes relatively early on their trip, and mostly from Pope Francis, or Giorgio as he prefers to be called. The Dalai Lama (Tenzin) plays second banana rather; perhaps Merullo had exhausted his Buddhist wisdom in his previous novels, Breakfast with Buddha and its two sequels. There is also the problem that, once the Pope's disappearance becomes public, avoiding detection becomes the main driver of the plot, which gets more and more like a thriller. And Merullo cannot resist excesses of his own, like placing the holy fugitives, in yet more disguises, in the middle of a Felliniesque orgy at the house of an aging film star. Fortunately the last fifty pages become a search for simplicity once more, but they miss the effect Merullo obviously intends, perhaps because they involve characters from another previous novel, Vatican Waltz.
A further problem is the use of Paolo dePadova as narrator. There is simply not enough from the mouths of the Pope or Dalai Lama directly, and too much of Paolo's rather conventional religious musings, spiced with the feisty irreverence of the irrepressible Rosa. She is meant to be fiery and lovable, I know, but she never came into focus for me as a character, and her worry-wort of a husband (hardly imaginable as a professional fixer) even less so. There are built-in limits to the characterization of Their Holinesses, of course, because the author has to start with what is known and move to what may plausibly be conjectured, but that only makes the treatment of the fictional characters that much more important.
I started this review intending 3.5 stars, because the novel did keep me reading. I enjoyed the vicarious road trip, and there were some neatly phrased philosophical observations along the way. But all too few of them, and little that was dangerous or truly thought-provoking. The weakness of characterization, the tendency to turn to melodrama rather than trusting the inherent simplicity of the premise, and annoying stylistic tricks like throwing in phrases of Italian only to translate them immediately after—all these are now making me wonder why I even bothered.
So 2.5 stars, rounded reluctantly down.
November 28, 2016
Blew My Mind! Imagine if the Pope and the Dalai Lama, together, escaped their entourages and embarked on a tour of the Italian countryside. No minders, no press, completely incognito. That is the very interesting premise of this book. Their experiences range from the ordinary to the extraordinary. The ending, without giving anything away, will blow your mind! Guaranteed to make you feel all warm inside, yet possibly shake you to your core. The author does an amazing job, making the entire caper feel real, and like you're alongside. This is a book that I'm really glad to have had the opportunity to read, and will be highly recommending to my friends and family.
December 14, 2017
During an historic meeting between the Pope and the Dalai Lama in Rome, the two holy men decide to break away and travel incognito around the Italian countryside. The Pope enlists the help of his cousin, Paolo, with his estranged wife, Rosa, a hairstylist who provides the make-up and disguises to make their getaway.
Along the way, there is a delightful discussion of religious views as they see firsthand the problems of the modern world. And perhaps this trip isn't a random journey after all, as both holy men admit to having strange dreams that seem to be expressing themselves in the real world. What do their discoveries mean for all humanity? (Do I sense a new series for Merullo beginning here?)
Many thanks to Doubleday and the Keep Turning Pages group for awarding me with a complimentary copy of this book in their monthly giveaway contest. Note: my original review was accidentally deleted so this is a much simpler reprise, I'm sorry to say.
Along the way, there is a delightful discussion of religious views as they see firsthand the problems of the modern world. And perhaps this trip isn't a random journey after all, as both holy men admit to having strange dreams that seem to be expressing themselves in the real world. What do their discoveries mean for all humanity? (Do I sense a new series for Merullo beginning here?)
Many thanks to Doubleday and the Keep Turning Pages group for awarding me with a complimentary copy of this book in their monthly giveaway contest. Note: my original review was accidentally deleted so this is a much simpler reprise, I'm sorry to say.
June 26, 2018
So, Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama sneak out of the Vatican and take a drive, incognito, across contemporary Italy. It sounds like the setup to a silly joke, but is the premise of a road-trip novel that is by turns comic, introspective, philosophical, and profound. It's fiction, but follows a believable theme, that these two famous men would like to have at least a few days alone and in ordinary settings. The Dalai Lama happens to be visiting the Vatican, the Pope is aware of a tunnel to the Castel Sant'Angelo, and, abetted by the Pope's (fictional) secretary Paolo, an Italian-American cousin, they slip away from the two dignitaries' security details and escape. Joined by Paolo's estranged wife Rosa, they begin a madcap journey.
The characters are vivid: the two holy men seem true to their real-life personae, modest, thoughtful, down-to-earth. Paolo, writing in a nervous first-person, is through the story a jittery Sancho Panza, and Rosa, whose cosmetic skills help disguise them, a brassy, frank Napoletana. Their trip is at times somber; the first stop is L'Aquila, a mountain town wrecked by the 2009 quake and slowly recovering. The four, in cars and lodgings, talk more and more candidly about religion, human nature and the state of the world, stopping here and there to take in the scenery and the local cuisine as a national manhunt begins. As a travelogue of Italy, it rings true; as a look at how these four people evolve as they careen through this adventure, it never fails to fascinate or amuse. It's respectful to its characters but can be profound, especially as they encounter surprises among the people they meet and among themselves.
Great literature? It's difficult to say, but this book is an intriguing, amusing, and often thought-provoking read, highly worthwhile for just about any reader. Highest recommendation.
The characters are vivid: the two holy men seem true to their real-life personae, modest, thoughtful, down-to-earth. Paolo, writing in a nervous first-person, is through the story a jittery Sancho Panza, and Rosa, whose cosmetic skills help disguise them, a brassy, frank Napoletana. Their trip is at times somber; the first stop is L'Aquila, a mountain town wrecked by the 2009 quake and slowly recovering. The four, in cars and lodgings, talk more and more candidly about religion, human nature and the state of the world, stopping here and there to take in the scenery and the local cuisine as a national manhunt begins. As a travelogue of Italy, it rings true; as a look at how these four people evolve as they careen through this adventure, it never fails to fascinate or amuse. It's respectful to its characters but can be profound, especially as they encounter surprises among the people they meet and among themselves.
Great literature? It's difficult to say, but this book is an intriguing, amusing, and often thought-provoking read, highly worthwhile for just about any reader. Highest recommendation.
August 18, 2019
This is a book I would not have ever read on my own, as I am not a fan of parable of pop philosophy veiled as fiction. But it was an okay story about two religious leaders who just wanted to have an adventure. I read it for the first book club meeting of the new season. Hopefully we'll have Italian food because this book makes you hungry for it.
May 1, 2018
This book is a follow-up to Breakfast with Buddha, also by Roland Merullo. The two books have much in common. Both have road trips. Both are spiritual with concepts for the reader to learn. In the Delight of Being Ordinary, the road trip is taken by Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama. The purpose of the trip is to escape the trappings of their celebrity/office and enjoy anonymity for a few days. The author provides insights and life lessons to the reader through interactions with the various people the two spiritual leaders encounter. These encounters provide a mirror for the reader to see themselves: their own shortcomings, fears and desires. We learn that fear drives the ego to react inappropriately. The need to be right causes us to react inappropriately. These traits drive a wedge between people. This book helps us to see that love and acceptance are the ultimate answers.
Other points to ponder:
Dreams can play an important part in decision making. Actions and meetings by the characters are affected by their dreams.
What is important in life is not our job or material wealth
We should move outside our comfort zone and experience life.
The book, in its outset, seemed light and semi-humorous. I think you can see that it ended with a much more serious note.
Not at all an ordinary book!!
Other points to ponder:
Dreams can play an important part in decision making. Actions and meetings by the characters are affected by their dreams.
What is important in life is not our job or material wealth
We should move outside our comfort zone and experience life.
The book, in its outset, seemed light and semi-humorous. I think you can see that it ended with a much more serious note.
Not at all an ordinary book!!
February 16, 2017
A wonderfully fun read. I really enjoyed it. I won this book through Goodreads.
December 28, 2017
I truly enjoyed this book. So...in the end, “religion” is immaterial. What really matters is how you treat people day in and day out: with respect, acceptance, appreciation, kindness and generosity. That is all we really have control over and that is all that really matters. At least in my opinion. Though admittedly, I do believe in reincarnation...but no deities, no “organized religion,” and I felt this was the message in this story. And...material success does not necessarily mean you are happy or feel secure, particularly as you age.
February 8, 2017
The Delight of Being Ordinary is the reason I read books. How else to take yourself out of the darkness of the headlines, the political controversies, the hate filled rhetoric of our elected officials and government than to read a novel with the Pope and the Dalai Lama as two central characters that team up for a road trip that will make you laugh and appreciate the ordinary things in life as well as the extraordinary. I Loved it!
July 15, 2017
I was intrigued by the plot and I thought this novel might be light or even deceptively light but really thought-provoking. But I just couldn't get into it; it was just too silly and contrived. There was also something in the tone of the writing that I didn't care for, although I couldn't put my finger on it.
March 5, 2019
I always enjoy Merullo's novels. Whimsical, but not fluffy. Good change of pace.
June 11, 2017
Beautiful writing, no dramatic tension, positive but sometimes shallow message, and unpleasant ableism about mental health and neurodiversity. Splitting the difference between the good and bad aspects, I would give it 2.5 stars.
As a Christian married to a Buddhist, I could be considered the ideal audience for this book. My Episcopal church group just finished a video series about Pope Francis that left us with great admiration for his humble piety and concern for the poor, though naturally we disagree on gender issues. So I was receptive to the book's message that we need to de-emphasize doctrinal boundaries and religious institutions, and find the common heart of compassion in all faiths. I appreciate that Merullo allowed respectful disagreements between the characters to remain unresolved.
I usually feel that it's cheating to throw in miraculous events at the end of a realist novel to tie up your plot. But this book was not realistic from the beginning, more of a novelized allegory or fable, so the claim of a modern-day virgin birth didn't bother me. It challenged me to consider that the seeds of divinity are in all of us.
As I mentioned, Merullo is a great stylist. The narrator's voice was both poetic and funny. I felt I was getting an inside look at Italian history and culture from someone who loved the place. On the down side, the story really dragged for me because there was no tension. I could already predict from the jacket copy that this would be a feel-good, sentimental story where the husband and wife reconcile, everyone learns a valuable lesson, and there are no negative consequences for creating an international panic about the disappearance of two famous religious leaders.
I do admire Pope Francis, but the fictional version's benign perfection was rather too much. The civilian characters challenge him a bit about birth control and women's roles, but he gets a pass on other life-and-death issues where the Church continues to do great harm. I was angry that Merullo has the Pope muse sadly about depression and suicide among young people, attributing these problems to a generic crisis of modernity and alienation. What about all the LGBTQ kids who take their lives because of conservative religious teachings? Take out the mote in your own eye, Your Holiness.
The mental health ableism was the book's biggest flaw. Compared to his companions, Paolo is an anxious person who likes order and security, which the book treats as a spiritual flaw for him to overcome. This plays into the widespread problem of churches shaming people for their depression and anxiety as a lack of faith. Judgmental moralizing about natural human neurological variations is no better than preaching heterosexual superiority.
The Pope and the Dalai Lama have lifelong phobias of heights and water, respectively, that are cured after (involuntary, in the Pope's case) one instance of forced exposure to the scary situation. I can't emphasize enough what an abusive thing this would be to do to a real person with a phobia. The false notion that people need to be shocked out of their comfort zones undergirds real-life opposition to trigger warnings and other accommodations for a range of disabilities such as PTSD and autism.
For a real-life story of the harms of forced positivity and mental health stigma in modern Christianity, I recommend this essay by Laura Turner (tw: suicide):
https://catapult.co/stories/a-cure-fo...
Turner writes: "I wonder how an entire faith system could exist without making room for anxious minds or depressed spirits. The stigma of mental illness is pervasive in many Christian communities, a rich irony because the stigma, or the marks of Christ, are the injuries we are called to bear, and Jesus was certainly acquainted with anguish. That is the shame of the religion of positivity that has infiltrated some Christian circles. Now the Great Commission is to make your life happy, no matter what you have to ignore to do so. Evangelical leaders write inspirational books; Christian radio plays only “positive, encouraging” music; a certain strain of Christian blogs festooned in flowers promise a full life if we would just pray boldly enough. People sublimate a nagging sense of meaninglessness into pop psychology, and cheerful productivity, and it takes hold because it feels good not to have to acknowledge our suffering, to believe that with enough faith we will be spared the trials of Job. "
I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As a Christian married to a Buddhist, I could be considered the ideal audience for this book. My Episcopal church group just finished a video series about Pope Francis that left us with great admiration for his humble piety and concern for the poor, though naturally we disagree on gender issues. So I was receptive to the book's message that we need to de-emphasize doctrinal boundaries and religious institutions, and find the common heart of compassion in all faiths. I appreciate that Merullo allowed respectful disagreements between the characters to remain unresolved.
I usually feel that it's cheating to throw in miraculous events at the end of a realist novel to tie up your plot. But this book was not realistic from the beginning, more of a novelized allegory or fable, so the claim of a modern-day virgin birth didn't bother me. It challenged me to consider that the seeds of divinity are in all of us.
As I mentioned, Merullo is a great stylist. The narrator's voice was both poetic and funny. I felt I was getting an inside look at Italian history and culture from someone who loved the place. On the down side, the story really dragged for me because there was no tension. I could already predict from the jacket copy that this would be a feel-good, sentimental story where the husband and wife reconcile, everyone learns a valuable lesson, and there are no negative consequences for creating an international panic about the disappearance of two famous religious leaders.
I do admire Pope Francis, but the fictional version's benign perfection was rather too much. The civilian characters challenge him a bit about birth control and women's roles, but he gets a pass on other life-and-death issues where the Church continues to do great harm. I was angry that Merullo has the Pope muse sadly about depression and suicide among young people, attributing these problems to a generic crisis of modernity and alienation. What about all the LGBTQ kids who take their lives because of conservative religious teachings? Take out the mote in your own eye, Your Holiness.
The mental health ableism was the book's biggest flaw. Compared to his companions, Paolo is an anxious person who likes order and security, which the book treats as a spiritual flaw for him to overcome. This plays into the widespread problem of churches shaming people for their depression and anxiety as a lack of faith. Judgmental moralizing about natural human neurological variations is no better than preaching heterosexual superiority.
The Pope and the Dalai Lama have lifelong phobias of heights and water, respectively, that are cured after (involuntary, in the Pope's case) one instance of forced exposure to the scary situation. I can't emphasize enough what an abusive thing this would be to do to a real person with a phobia. The false notion that people need to be shocked out of their comfort zones undergirds real-life opposition to trigger warnings and other accommodations for a range of disabilities such as PTSD and autism.
For a real-life story of the harms of forced positivity and mental health stigma in modern Christianity, I recommend this essay by Laura Turner (tw: suicide):
https://catapult.co/stories/a-cure-fo...
Turner writes: "I wonder how an entire faith system could exist without making room for anxious minds or depressed spirits. The stigma of mental illness is pervasive in many Christian communities, a rich irony because the stigma, or the marks of Christ, are the injuries we are called to bear, and Jesus was certainly acquainted with anguish. That is the shame of the religion of positivity that has infiltrated some Christian circles. Now the Great Commission is to make your life happy, no matter what you have to ignore to do so. Evangelical leaders write inspirational books; Christian radio plays only “positive, encouraging” music; a certain strain of Christian blogs festooned in flowers promise a full life if we would just pray boldly enough. People sublimate a nagging sense of meaninglessness into pop psychology, and cheerful productivity, and it takes hold because it feels good not to have to acknowledge our suffering, to believe that with enough faith we will be spared the trials of Job. "
I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2017
Intriguing, imaginative, and decidedly irreverent.
The book title intrigued me - how did Roland Merullo bring out the essence of simplicity, the joys of shedding pretensions and embracing humility in life - but, in my limited perception, no significant enlightenment in this aspect could be gleaned within. Instead, one finds costumes, a fancy machine, a road trip funded by unlimited Vatican wealth (that, in a handful, could almost pay the bill for said Maserati), Mussolini, and the decadence of Italian movie stars. Sure, 'great men' are taken out along Italian roads for a few days' break from their exhausting royal duties - an adventure playing truants - which, if you'll excuse me, is rather remote from anything 'ordinary.'
Let's move on. Spoilers ahead, but you'll forgive me.
Imaginative? Certo. The author marries Orthodox Christianity to Buddhist reincarnation and rebirth, and manages to also spring an immaculate conception upon unsuspecting readers near the end. Predictable? Arguably, though he invents a new religion-less religion of a great mother and a great father enjoined in creation. Hmm.
Just what was he getting at? Let's leave that aside - it is just a road trip, after all. Only, it isn't! It's also a good lot of musings on religion, on similarities and some differences, on doubt, self-doubt, restraint, and reconciliation...a hodge-podge of self-help reading material on Catholicism, Tibetan Buddhism, and various aspects one comes across in contemporary lives. He uses religion, and religious beliefs, in his attempt to get to non-religion. Seemed rather irreverent to me.
So - having explained the gist in a boring, linear fashion - a few thoughts on the writing. It is engaging and even enjoyable in places. It is a fun story with reasonably rounded characters and inconsequential ones thrown in for good measure. There is an unhealthy obsession with Il Duce within, but given that the adventure is set in Italy, he had to have something to bash - perhaps to make a powerful institution, that in part collaborated with German Nazis, look good in comparison - and a dictator summarily executed by the people he tormented was as good a choice as any. There are descriptions of national tragedies, the Italian countryside, and aspects of the culture that are interesting. There isn't anything exceptional; for want of a better description, let's just say the writing delights in being ordinary.
A Goodreads Giveaway received and reviewed.
The book title intrigued me - how did Roland Merullo bring out the essence of simplicity, the joys of shedding pretensions and embracing humility in life - but, in my limited perception, no significant enlightenment in this aspect could be gleaned within. Instead, one finds costumes, a fancy machine, a road trip funded by unlimited Vatican wealth (that, in a handful, could almost pay the bill for said Maserati), Mussolini, and the decadence of Italian movie stars. Sure, 'great men' are taken out along Italian roads for a few days' break from their exhausting royal duties - an adventure playing truants - which, if you'll excuse me, is rather remote from anything 'ordinary.'
Let's move on. Spoilers ahead, but you'll forgive me.
Imaginative? Certo. The author marries Orthodox Christianity to Buddhist reincarnation and rebirth, and manages to also spring an immaculate conception upon unsuspecting readers near the end. Predictable? Arguably, though he invents a new religion-less religion of a great mother and a great father enjoined in creation. Hmm.
Just what was he getting at? Let's leave that aside - it is just a road trip, after all. Only, it isn't! It's also a good lot of musings on religion, on similarities and some differences, on doubt, self-doubt, restraint, and reconciliation...a hodge-podge of self-help reading material on Catholicism, Tibetan Buddhism, and various aspects one comes across in contemporary lives. He uses religion, and religious beliefs, in his attempt to get to non-religion. Seemed rather irreverent to me.
So - having explained the gist in a boring, linear fashion - a few thoughts on the writing. It is engaging and even enjoyable in places. It is a fun story with reasonably rounded characters and inconsequential ones thrown in for good measure. There is an unhealthy obsession with Il Duce within, but given that the adventure is set in Italy, he had to have something to bash - perhaps to make a powerful institution, that in part collaborated with German Nazis, look good in comparison - and a dictator summarily executed by the people he tormented was as good a choice as any. There are descriptions of national tragedies, the Italian countryside, and aspects of the culture that are interesting. There isn't anything exceptional; for want of a better description, let's just say the writing delights in being ordinary.
A Goodreads Giveaway received and reviewed.
August 31, 2017
The Pope and the Dalai Lama walk into a bar. ..... Sorry, there's no punchline. I thought it would be humorous but other than the premise this book is not funny. It's more of a parable embedded with preachy messages. Religious debate and daily events are both used as a pretext for dispensing pearls of wisdom. Leaning more toward Buddhism than Catholicism. Some people will like this book, and you know who you are. Not me, I got bored and couldn't finish it.
September 29, 2017
The author takes the “spiritual road trip” to a new level with a romp through the Italian countryside, totally delightful! This story is the perfect blend of hilarious and thought-provoking…but better because I could so easily picture two of the main characters (the Pope and the Dalai Lama) in my mind as the adventure unfolded. Both entertaining and “deep”, and put me in a great mood with each read - loved it!!
April 24, 2017
The title is exactly right for men with such high status. I enjoyed this book but felt is was more like a road trip of marriage counseling for the Pope's faithful cousin. Put that aside what adventures they had & conversation were said was enjoyable and fun to imagine. And that is what books are for to let our mind live in another world & enjoy.
August 7, 2021
Hysterical, implausible, wonderfully fast paced with realistic characters and a plot that you don't want to end.
June 20, 2018
Recently, we saw the documentary "Pope Francis A Man of His Word" by Wim Wenders - WOW!
After having seen that, and then reading this, I really could imagine Pope Francis doing a "walkabout" with the Dali Lama!
The Pope enlists his "neurotic" cousin Paolo to arrange all the details for this escape - poor Paolo, he really thinks it is a joke at first, then when reality sets in 'OH NO' he really, really means it. Paolo enlists the help of his estranged wife, Rosa, - they live in Italy and are Catholic so cannot divorce, all kinds of complications. Rosa is a very successful eccentric entrepreneur who has many Celebrity clients who are willing to help her along the way - of course, all unbeknownst to any of them as to what and who they are really helping.
The disguises are highly entertaining to imagine, plus the use of a Maserati - not exactly a low end type of vehicle that would fit in on this adventure.
Then there is their daughter - and the road side "prostitute" - and a film maker.
But the kicker is when they return to Paolo's hometown village..............
After having seen that, and then reading this, I really could imagine Pope Francis doing a "walkabout" with the Dali Lama!
The Pope enlists his "neurotic" cousin Paolo to arrange all the details for this escape - poor Paolo, he really thinks it is a joke at first, then when reality sets in 'OH NO' he really, really means it. Paolo enlists the help of his estranged wife, Rosa, - they live in Italy and are Catholic so cannot divorce, all kinds of complications. Rosa is a very successful eccentric entrepreneur who has many Celebrity clients who are willing to help her along the way - of course, all unbeknownst to any of them as to what and who they are really helping.
The disguises are highly entertaining to imagine, plus the use of a Maserati - not exactly a low end type of vehicle that would fit in on this adventure.
Then there is their daughter - and the road side "prostitute" - and a film maker.
But the kicker is when they return to Paolo's hometown village..............
June 5, 2018
This aptly named book is as delightful as it is insightful. Reminiscent of the Alchemist, Merullo takes the reader through an utterly magical journey with finely drawn sympathetic characters, spiritual wisdom and satisfying plot twists. It was a lovely little novel wrapped up in a parable. I was entertained, enlightened and delighted. Beautifully written, genuine and oh so, entertaining!
December 1, 2016
I had a love hate relationship with this book. I disliked the main character at first. He seemed so self important, smug, at ease with being the Pope's assistant but forgetting that he was also his cousin.
Slowly though, you could start reading the changes in his character. He became more likable.
I thought for sure that I would put this book down unfinished. Sure that Catholicism would be the primary religion in this book. That was not the case however. Written is a nice blend of both Catholicism and Buddhism. All the characters were completely believable and honestly this is just a nice feel good story.
For all the praise though, I found it hard to come back to this book once I put it down. I kept loading books that seemingly had more action. Ultimately though, this book was well worth the read and I'll continue to pester my husband into reading it.
Slowly though, you could start reading the changes in his character. He became more likable.
I thought for sure that I would put this book down unfinished. Sure that Catholicism would be the primary religion in this book. That was not the case however. Written is a nice blend of both Catholicism and Buddhism. All the characters were completely believable and honestly this is just a nice feel good story.
For all the praise though, I found it hard to come back to this book once I put it down. I kept loading books that seemingly had more action. Ultimately though, this book was well worth the read and I'll continue to pester my husband into reading it.
August 29, 2020
The Pope and the Dalai Lama, along with the Pope's cousin and the cousin's estranged wife, head out on the road, in disguise, secretly, for an ordinary getaway.
The idea of it sounds so delightful, an opportunity for two leaders of two huge spiritual groups to talk together and share thoughts, perhaps become friends.
Instead, most of the story was about the cousin and his wife, separated, unable to get along. There were elements of the story that annoyed me, such as having both the Pope and the Dalai Lama having similar dreams, and a search for a saint. The author was critical of the ways of the Catholic Church while the Buddhist beliefs were seen as higher, as more spiritual. In that sense, a lot of the story felt like the author was trying to proselytize, and I never like that in a story.
For me, I'd rate the book somewhere between two and three stars.
The idea of it sounds so delightful, an opportunity for two leaders of two huge spiritual groups to talk together and share thoughts, perhaps become friends.
Instead, most of the story was about the cousin and his wife, separated, unable to get along. There were elements of the story that annoyed me, such as having both the Pope and the Dalai Lama having similar dreams, and a search for a saint. The author was critical of the ways of the Catholic Church while the Buddhist beliefs were seen as higher, as more spiritual. In that sense, a lot of the story felt like the author was trying to proselytize, and I never like that in a story.
For me, I'd rate the book somewhere between two and three stars.
February 25, 2018
An enjoyable, humorous read, especially if you don't mind some religious talk - I don't, as long as it stays on philosophical level and not too zealous. Interesting - if not new - thoughts on current day European immigrates from Middle Eastern countries.
The story is based on a strange plot but the author delivered well - at least the Pope part. My only problem is that the voice of Dalai Lama does not feel authentic enough - his character is much more rich and complicate that what is portrayed in the book. Also he does not make too many grammar mistakes in English.
The story is based on a strange plot but the author delivered well - at least the Pope part. My only problem is that the voice of Dalai Lama does not feel authentic enough - his character is much more rich and complicate that what is portrayed in the book. Also he does not make too many grammar mistakes in English.
June 26, 2017
I pretty much love all things Merullo. Very few of his books have not made my hit parade. And this is no exception. Took a few pages to become fully engaged and then......we were off. Couldn't put it down. Interesting juxtaposition having just finished reading "The Book of Joy" by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I will admit that I was gobsmacked at the end of "The Delight...." and I am sure I will be thinking about this book for a very long time.
March 17, 2017
Well this book is gonna get two reviews from me since this will actually be my daughter's who swiped iit from my room saying omg I gotta read this I loved breakfast with budda! She says it's one of the Brest books she read (this one) so when she gets around to giving it back I will leave my review lol
May 3, 2017
Loved it!!!!!!!!!!! Continuation of Breakfast w/ Buddha, Lunch w/ Buddha & Dinner with Buddha.
September 29, 2017
Italy, Christianity, Buddhism, (spirituality in general) mussolini, costumes, relationships adventures,
Five long days and a journey worth having.
Five long days and a journey worth having.
January 9, 2019
This is a kind of extension of the Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner With Buddha books. The Pope and the Dalai Lama take off together for a little "vacation" in Italy without telling anybody but the Pope's cousin and his wife. Rimpoche and Otto show up from the Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner books but are sort of peripheral characters at the very end. I didn't feel that this book had the insight or wisdom of the first three, but it was interesting. A little too much about the marital problems of the Pope's cousin. I'm glad I read it, but I probably won't read it again as I will the first three.
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