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Nine Lives

In Search of the Sacred in Modern India

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Nine Lives

By: William Dalrymple
Narrated by: Mikhail Sen
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About this listen

 Bloomsbury presents Nine Lives by William Dalrymple, read by Mikhail Sen.

LONGLISTED FOR THE SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE

‘Beautifully written, ridiculously erudite, warm and open-hearted’ The Times
‘Compelling and poignant’ Guardian
‘This is travel writing at its best’ Observer
Internationally bestselling William Dalrymple takes us to the heart of an undiscovered India.

A Buddhist monk takes up arms to resist the Chinese invasion of Tibet – then spends the rest of his life trying to atone for the violence by hand printing the best prayer flags in India. A Jain nun tests her powers of detachment as she watches her best friend ritually starve herself to death.

Nine people, nine lives; each one taking a different religious path, each one an unforgettable story. William Dalrymple delves deep into the heart of a nation torn between the relentless onslaught of modernity and the ancient traditions that endure to this day.©2024 William Dalrymple (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Hinduism Spirituality China

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All stars
Most relevant
The initial story of the Jain female monk was very moving, but I liked the stories of the Sind Sufis and later the Baul sadhus best.

The variety of stories about the widely disparate lives and experiences of the people William spoke to.

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I liked the book on the whole. Some strange beliefs made me feel uncomfortable. Well read and performed

Extraordinary lifes

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This book has ignited in me a genuine interest in some of the more obscure spiritual practices. I love that we are taken on an exploration that is not tainted by prejudice and affords the readers a number of starting points for further delving to learn more about unusual rituals and lifestyles. It's an eye opener for sure.

Diversity

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