Pico Iyer

Pico Iyer. For decades, he's written books and articles about travel, describing cultures and religions around the world. His new memoir is about the many times he's gone on retreats to a Benedictine monastery in Big Sur, California to practice silence and contemplation. It's called "Aflame," and it's also about the wildfire flames that have threatened the monastery many times and burned down the home he grew up in while he was living there.

Journalist Pico Iyer has a long history meeting with the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet who lives in exile in India. Iyer joins Fresh Air to discuss how the Dalai Lama is responding to the current Tibetan uprising and protest against Chinese rule.

Travel writer Pico Iyer (rhymes with 'tire"). Iyer has an article on traveling to Vietnam in the new edition of "Conde Nast Traveler." Iyer's the author of "Video Night In Kathmandu" and the new book, "The Lady and the Monk: Four Seasons in Kyoto".