Becoming Gandhi

My Experiment Living the Mahatma's 6 Moral Truths in Immoral Times

By: Perry Garfinkel

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

The fascinating quest of a New York Times contributor to follow Mahatma Gandhi’s code of ethics in modern times—and to discover what it actually takes to “Be the change you want to see in the world”

Mahatma Gandhi championed truth and nonviolence, led the struggle for India’s independence, and staunchly stood up for the marginalized. “When I despair,” he said, “I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won.”

In Becoming Gandhi, veteran journalist and author Perry Garfinkel sets out on a three-year quest to examine how Gandhi’s ideals have held up in a world beset by troubling trends. “As I saw myself and society moving further away from a moral point of view,” Garfinkel states, “I wanted to see if an ordinary person living in the 21st century could, like Gandhi, follow a morally driven game plan.”

While tracing Gandhi’s legacy through India, England, South Africa, and even American communities where his spirit endures, Garfinkel attempts to follow six of the key principles that guided the Mahatma’s life:

• Truth—Practicing honesty in thoughts, words, and actions in an increasingly artificial world
• Nonviolence—Choosing peace in our words, behavior, and even choice of entertainment
• Vegetarianism—The complex ethics of deciding what we put in our mouths
• Simplicity—How to find practical antidotes to conspicuous consumer culture
• Faith—Exploring the meaning of our lives and our relationship with what we cannot know
• Celibacy (wait, really?)—The search for a moral path between permissiveness and abstinence

To many, Gandhi was a beacon of hope; to others, a lightning rod for controversy. As Perry Garfinkel found, walking (and even stumbling) in Gandhi’s footsteps can reveal how we each have a role to play in creating a more compassionate, peaceful world. “Being Gandhi is unattainable,” Garfinkel observes. “But becoming more Gandhi-like will continue to engage me as long as I live. How about you?”

©2024 Perry Garfinkel (P)2024 Sounds True

Critic reviews

“I have always believed that the best way to preserve the legacy of the great statesmen of the past is to try to abide by the values they upheld and to apply them in our contemporary situation. I am glad to see that writer Perry Garfinkel has done precisely that with Mahatma Gandhi and shares his experiences in this book. The author provides readers with an opportunity to discover the many ways in which Gandhi-ji contributed to making the world a better place and what each of us may learn from his example.” —His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from his foreword to Becoming Gandhi

“Perry Garfinkel’s engaging and delightfully funny Becoming Gandhi shows us how the Mahatma’s message can matter in our lives. Brilliant. Highly recommended.” —Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence and most recently Why We Meditate, with Tsoknyi Rinpoche

“It is beautiful to be inspired by Gandhi. It is even more amazing to learn to embody his love and freedom, honesty and blessings in our own lives. Perry shows us how this is possible.” —Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart and cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society

Great journey

It is a wonderful journey through Perry's eyes. His points of view and stories does a parallel with Gandhi's and makes us think about our own life. Very interesting way to rethink our attitudes and habits. i highly recommend this book.

How to Ghandi

This book put in perspective what I've been searching for my entire life. Well written and well researched. The message I got is that Ghandi though he was very disciplined in his beliefs and lived such a minimal life, he was still HUMAN!!!. I learned that one doesn't have to be extremely wealthy or popular in order to make an impact on this earth.
In my personal life I've been debating certain decisions and listening to "Becoming Ghandi" open my eyes to the road I must walk on. I definitely recommend this book for those looking within themselves. I will be purchasing a hard copy for myself as well!