Der Millionär und der Mönch

Andreas is a self-made multimillionaire perpetually under stress, running from deal to deal. Planning three weeks of relaxation at a Buddhist temple in the Thai rainforest, he expects a quiet retreat — instead he meets Nathapong, the temple's head monk, a man whose view of happiness, love, wealth, success, and the meaning of life stands in direct contradiction to everything Andreas has spent his career pursuing.

Based on a true story, the book follows the unlikely friendship between the two men as Nathapong's teachings gradually unravel Andreas's assumptions about success and force him to ask what he actually wants from the rest of his life.

Author Julian Hermsen, a psychologist by training, frames the story as a parable rather than a strict memoir, drawing on real encounters to explore modern burnout culture and Buddhist ideas about contentment. The book became a German-language bestseller and was followed by a sequel, "Der Millionär und der Mönch – Die Reise geht weiter."