“The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” – Spiritual Fiction

Ever since I mentioned Robin Sharma and “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” in my last video, people have asked me about his book. It was one of the first books I read and recognized as spiritual fiction. The subtitle of this book is “a fable about fulfilling your dreams and reaching your destiny”, and it really is a fable and totally fictitious. At first, when I read it, I thought it was a true story until some of the things that happened to the lawyer Julián seemed impossible to believe. I was really in the infancy of my spirituality at the time, however this story hooked me.

This fable is about a very successful lawyer named Julian Mantle who suffers a massive heart attack in the middle of a packed courtroom. One of his protégés, John, is there to witness the great man fall to the ground, and the story progresses from there. The author gives you a detailed background on the circumstances leading up to Julian’s heart attack, and then fast-forwards to Julian’s return after several years away from the rat race.

Julian not only survives the heart attack, but quits the law firm, sells all his possessions (including his red Ferrari), and travels to India on an “expedition” to become a monk. This explains the title of the book. When he returns, he visits John and meets with him several times to explain his “transformation of him” and explain the lessons he has learned.

When Julian returns, he is virtually unrecognizable to John. He is slim, tanned and calm. In fact, the only evidence left of the man he once was is a scar on his chest from the surgery he had as a result of his heart attack. Over the course of several meetings, Julian explains how he was transformed by a meeting with the “Elders of Sivanna”. These “Sages” teach Julián many things and show him that life is much more than riches and material possessions.

This is a book of spiritual fiction and I have found it very easy to read and hold interest (I have read it four times). One of the things I found unique (for its time) was that it also includes an “Action Summary” and “Julian’s Wisdom In A Nutshell” at the end of each chapter given to you by one of the “7 Timeless Virtues of the Enlightened Life”. Many books today include a reader’s study guide or group discussion outlines, however this was one of the first books I came across that did this in a fiction book.

Written in 1997, this book is as relevant today as it was then. With all the fuss about “The Secret” and the fictional book “The Shack,” Mr. Sharma brought all the lessons that they have been teaching in his book at least ten years before they became popular. He would recommend that you read this book, particularly if he has read similar books and will find that learning life lessons can be enjoyable when combined with an interesting story. I also recommend “Life Lessons from the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” and consider it essential to own and KEEP “Who will cry when you die?”, both by Robin Sharma. His latest book, “The Leader Who Had No Title,” has a good message, however, I was discouraged by the poor editing.

Please contact me if you have any questions or comments. I would love to hear from you.

laughter and love,
rick fess

“The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” Robin S. Sharma