{"product_id":"the-dalai-lamas-smile-stories-9781946724854","title":"The Dalai Lama's Smile: Stories","description":"\u003cb\u003eIn eight short stories, travelers and locals become entangled in situations that send their moral compasses spinning.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e A grieving American father visits Dharamsala to investigate the murder of the son he's never understood and finds himself delving into the mystery of the young man's life. A Turkish-Cypriot teacher is tasked with making an inventory of household goods in an occupied tourist resort the inhabitants have fled. A Greek sculptor whose marriage is failing covers for a student from the US who, instead of learning the art, engages in an affair. A Buddhist nun enlists the help of a Peace Corps worker to kill a suffering dog. A wannabe eco-activist in Kentucky writes confessional letters to Boyan Slat, the young CEO of The Ocean Cleanup. A woman in a Rajasthan tourist caravan bears helpless witness to a dire culture clash. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e As Closson Buck's characters encounter circumstances that challenge their understanding of themselves and the world around them, they are forced to negotiate fallout stemming from religious dogma, environmental crisis, and political violence. Ranging from fabulism to realism, the stories in \u003ci\u003eThe Dalai Lama's Smile\u003c\/i\u003e invite us to explore the perils and the possibilities that come from engaging the unknown.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Acre Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/15\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781946724854\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 160","brand":"Paula Closson Buck","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45111908532405,"sku":"9781946724854","price":15.3,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_bf168273-ef38-4695-be3e-cef8af85754d.jpg?v=1739887539","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/the-dalai-lamas-smile-stories-9781946724854","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}