Oliver Broudy had become frustrated with his life as a resident of New York City and his career as a professional writer. One day he met James Otis, an eccentric memorabilia collector. James was under attack by the international community because he was auctioning off five personal items once belonging to Mahatma Gandhi. James was a lifelong disciple of Gandhi and was determined to use the profits from this sale to help the poor in India and promote Gandhian principles abroad.
Oliver Broudy soon found himself admiring James and accepting an invitation to accompany him on a trip to India. This was an opportunity for Mr. Broudy to escape the routines of city life and investigate a vastly different culture. He spent the next several weeks visiting some of the poorest populations in the world. They go to the border between India and Tibet because James wants to cross the border and peacefully protest human rights violations in the area.
The author believes that James Otis is a saint. He has given up his own dreams, ambitions and wealthy lifestyle to serve others. Yet there are times when James' actions seem to be more self-serving than generous. The author is forced to examine his own values and his views of reality. This is a true story that brings out the best and worst aspects of human nature.
I would like to share one of my very favorite quotations from this book;
Principles, in other words, are not simply acquired, like light bulbs. They're not hot-swappable. So even if we endorse (for instance) the principle of hating the sin and not the sinner, finding a way to organize our inner selves around that principle such that our every action reflects it is another challenge entirely.You will find this book thought-provoking and challenging. The poetic writing style is a delight to read. I highly recommend this book!
