In 1999 His Holiness The Dalai Lama published the best-selling Ancient Wisdom: Modern World, which addressed the question of ethics for the new millennium. A decade later, His Holiness enters the contemporary debate about religion vs atheism and returns to the theme of ethics with a major new work: Beyond Religion: ethics for a whole world.

In this thought-provoking new book, he argues that religion is not a necessity for pursuing a spiritual life. Rather, focusing on tolerance and understanding between religions, as well as tolerance and understanding between believers (of any faith) and non-believers is the way forward. The way to achieve such an approach, he proposes, is through a system of secular ethics grounded in a deep appreciation of our common humanity.

Aimed particularly at the general listener, Beyond Religion is a modern-day polemic which outlines those ethics he believes should be central to our lives.

Thandie Newton has starred in Hollywood blockbusters such as Mission: Impossible II opposite Tom Cruise, The Pursuit of Happiness opposite Will Smith, and in Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla. She won critical acclaim for her role in Crash, for which she won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and she has also had a regular role in the television series ER.