The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism
by Linda Johnsen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Linda JohnsenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2001-10-11
ISBN: 0028642279
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Alpha
Book Reviews of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism
Book Review: Interresting overview
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is readable and informative. Hinduism is an umbrella covering a huge variety of gods, beliefs and philosophies. In my opinion, the author does a good job of giving the reader an overview over the religion. I know of no better introduction to Hinduism than this book and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this topic.
It is, however, not completely without flaws.
First, due to the fact that it seems to be written by someone who is in love with Hinduism, the book is a bit na?ve and one-sided in its treatment of history and western culture. This is not entirely negative because it does provide an insiders view of Hinduism, but it means that one needs to be critical towards some of its claims. It is also a bit na?ve in its treatment of supernatural claims, and it would be nice to see a few more references, particularly when one encounters claims that ancient religious texts contain scientifically accurate descriptions of the death of a solar system...
Second, it sometimes betrays typical western cultural biases. For instance, its treatment of Judaeo-Christian religions in general and Christianity in particular leaves much to be desired. More often than not, when attempting to contrast Hinduism with Christianity, a caricature of Christian beliefs is presented.
This should not present a problem to anyone who is knowledgeable about Christianity and wants to learn more about Hinduism, and the latter is after all the topic of the book. But it does continue to perpetuate biases that could easily be cleared up with a little ecumenical dialogue. Most non-Christians will likely take what they read for granted and continue in their prejudices. The author has probably gotten her own views of Christianity in much the same way.
For these reason i deduct one star, but overall I still think this is a great resource.
Summary of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism
Hinduism is such a vast, complex, and exotic topic that to boil it down to a few hundred pages--and make it fun--must be the work of a true avatar, in this case Linda Johnsen. In The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism, Johnsen covers the history, philosophy, devotions, gods, and traditions of this timeless religion. She takes pains to not only make the material easy to read and understand but to get inside the minds of Hindus, themselves, to make sense of what they believe and why. This sympathetic view is balanced by objective and concrete reporting. For example, she presents discussions of the Aryan Invasion theory, whether Jesus visited India, and a well-documented case of modern-day reincarnation. In addition to introducing each of the different strains of Hinduism and their beliefs, she also gives an overview of the classic Hindu myths. Exotic, yes, but Johnsen succeeds in bringing Hinduism closer to home. --Brian BruyaGeneral Books
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduismby Linda Johnsen
Alpha; Published: 2001-10-11; Paperback; Book
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