Brotherhood – Dharma, Destiny, and the American Dream
The inspiring story of two brothers who immigrated to America from India and took very different paths to becoming world-renowned healers and teachers.
At a time when America is fiercely divided on the issue of immigration, Brotherhood tells the story of two brothers who pursued the American dream to its fullest expression. In the early 1970s, Deepak and Sanjiv Chopra joined a flood of immigrants looking to make a new life in America, a land of opportunity. Having grown up in postwar India amidst the sudden freedom of the 1947 liberation, their childhood was a blend of the exotic, the mythical, and the modern. Their father was one of the first Indians to become a Western-trained cardiologist, while their extended family maintained deep roots in ancient spiritual traditions.
Brotherhood follows the Chopra brothers as one becomes a world-renowned spiritual teacher and the other rises to the top of Western medicine to become a professor at Harvard Medical School. Their story will fascinate and inspire anyone who still believes in America’s capacity to foster achievement and reward hard work.
Praise for Brotherhood
“[Brotherhood] depicts some fascinating aspects of Indian assimilation in America, and the often hilarious, touching cultural clash.”
“Deepak and Sanjiv eloquently share their lives—their dreams, fears, obstacles, and achievements—in Brotherhood. An inspiration to keep dreaming and to remove the boundaries that have held us back in life.”
“An inspiring, must-read book that brings back fond memories of my journey in America and, in a larger sense, my life. “
“Brotherhood is an amazing story about two brothers coming over from India—one to pursue Western medicine to its pinnacle, the other to pioneer the merging of modern medicine and ancient wisdom. It’s an inspiring story about the American Dream and about the growing support for the mind-body connection in healing.”
“Brotherhood is the story of five generations of Chopras, from grandparents to grandchildren. Deepak and Sanjiv tell us all about their lives: the pranks, games, and festivities, the joy and sadness, the lessons and values, and fond anecdotes of their youth in India. For those of us who have become followers of the thoughts and ideas of the Chopra brothers, Brotherhood is a must-read that confirms the old saying: ‘Childhood is destiny.'”
“Brotherhood is an uplifting account of sibling affection and success, and of the promise and infinite possibilities of America.”
“Rich in multicultural perspective, deeply engaging, warmly entertaining, Deepak Chopra and his brother Sanjiv have written a superb narrative of India, America, medicine, healing, science, and faith. This is a book for modern America, and for people everywhere who ask the deep questions of life and seek the answers that only experience can provide.”
“Deepak and Sanjiv Chopra have written a tender and graceful memoir, each sharply evoking a personal perspective on a shared family, professional, and community experience. In many ways, Brotherhood is a meditation on nature and nurture, extraordinary parents, and the power of Indian tradition and values”
“Open, honest, and brilliantly written. Brotherhood reaffirms why our arms, hearts, and policies must remain open to welcome those who are eager to live in the land of promise. Every page contains a thoughtful gem that will enlighten the reader about the universal truths that bind us together. Read this book and take comfort in the knowledge that dreams still matter in America.”
“An inspiring and brilliantly written memoir of two brothers taking two drastically different paths to medicine,
each giving us hope that dreams can still be fulfilled in America.”
“In Brotherhood, Deepak and Sanjiv beautifully articulate their birthright and the intoxicating and permeative influence it had on their lives as doctors and spiritual practitioners in the Western world. Through their entertaining storytelling, they thoughtfully and humorously depict how, in India, chaos and order, the ancient and modern, faith and disbelief collide to create enduring influence. I, too, discovered that you can leave India but that she never leaves you.”
“Deepak Chopra and his younger brother, Sanjiv, have written an extraordinary and compelling account of their life’s journey from a privileged upbringing in India to careers in medicine and spirituality in America. It is a story of tradition, of sibling rivalry, of the responsibility to ‘give back at every conceivable opportunity,’ and of immigration to another world to fulfill their respective dharmas. But most of all, it is a story of family, which was their lodestar and remains the touchstone of their lives.”
“The story of Deepak and Sanjiv’s lives easily unfolds, bringing us full circle to the knowledge that brotherhood is universal. Brotherhood takes us on an epic journey discovering the heart of life.”