Escape to Paradise and Beyond tells the life story of Maitreya Dasa. It describes his journey through life, struggles, and the discovery of a “Supreme” being. It’s not every day we get to see a book with correct details of a person’s life with no exaggerations added. Escape to Paradise and Beyond is one such book.
Not being sufficiently loved by his mother, Maitreya Dasa started his life journey being shuttled from one guardian to another. From the hands of an indifferent stepmother and a strict school, he learned discipline. Escape to Paradise and Beyond tells his story, from growing up to finding himself. Follow him to Africa, as far east as Thailand and Malaysia, as far west as California and British Vancouver, and to Denmark and South and Central America.
Reading Escape to Paradise and Beyond was a thrilling experience. I was captivated by the author’s story and even followed him on his numerous journeys. You might wonder how? Well, it was possible considering the detailed descriptions he gave. He described each event with such stark and understandable details that it felt like I was part of the journey myself. So if I told you I was on the airplane with him, and on arriving in Africa, I felt that spell of tropical heat, you would believe me, right? I had a mental visualization of what his travel experiences must have felt like from his excellent descriptions.
One thing I greatly admired in the book was the author’s explicit honesty. He didn’t try sugarcoating his experiences to make him look great or anything. He explained his uncertainty and how he came to find his way in life. Although his experiences weren’t tragic, I know a couple of individuals going through similar situations would find his story motivating. Discovering oneself is most times a lifelong journey, and most people fail at this. Discovering the existence of a “Supreme” being is also an additional blessing. It gets depressing when you don’t know your purpose, but I believe his story will influence many people to take the bold step of finding themselves.
I should also add that the maps provided for the reading helped give me an insight into how far the author had traveled. I could see the connections to the places he mentioned in the book. Initially, I wondered why I would need maps for this book. Reading about his journeys and comparing the places on the maps, I could see why he chose the locations to which he went.
I enjoyed reading the book and had almost no issues with it. Therefore, I would rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend it to anyone seeking meaning in life. I believe the author’s journey will inspire so many people.