Sulak Sivaraksa, upon reaching the age of 65, decided to look backward and ponder decades of constant activity in Thai society. The book opens with a foreword by the Dalai Lama, who states that he shares with Sulak the opinion that "economic and technological development must be accompanied by an inner spiritual growth."
Sulak, as all those exposed to Thailand are well aware, is "a controversial figure," as editor Alan Senauke mentions in his own introduction. The author elegantly confirms this by acknowledging that he is grateful "to my friends and foes."
When reading this interesting and inspiring book, we should not be distracted by the controversies surrounding the life of "an engaged Buddhist," but concentrate on its style, its rich informative elements and its sincerity, regardless of whether one agrees with the positions and arguments of the author.