I don’t know if it is because of my middle class European background but this book is all full of mainstream ideas. I don’t want to make this review very long but for me the summary would be that:
“It will only grow on you if you are a high class north American unhappy with his/her work that wants to find an excuse to go to the Himalayas to pollute a bit more the Everest”
Also, the author writes horribly. Poor descriptions like “the best flowers that Julian ever saw”. My three year old kid could write that. In addition, everything is said plainly, no metaphors and no room for your own imagination. It is like a recipe to be (apparently) “happier”. You only need to read three or four well-written books by proper novelists to know that this book should not be categorized as literature.
I would not recommend. If you want to read about monks and real spiritualism you’d better read books written by them.
Hope that helps.