Veteran journalist Thomas Laird discusses his new book *The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama*. In telling the story of Tibet, the Dalai Lama is quoted describing his early life and recalling his first meeting with Mao Zedong. He also reflects on his years in exile and his hopes for Tibet to be freed from occupation. In a tenderly crafted study that is equal parts love letter, traditional history, and oral history, Laird chronicles the development of Tibet from its mythic origins to its takeover by Communist China in 1950. Weaving historical research with interviews with the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled leader, Laird offers insight into the triumphs and failures of the country.