false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1200089136m/10285.jpg 10285 15 <I>The World's Religions</I>, by Huston Smith, has been a standard introduction to its eponymous subject since its first publication in 1958. Smith writes humbly, forswearing judgment on the validity of world religions. His introduction asks, "How does it all sound from above? Like bedlam, or do the strains blend in strange, ethereal harmony? ... We cannot know. All we can do is try to listen carefully and with full attention to each voice in turn as it addresses the divine. Such listening defines the purpose of this book." His criteria for inclusion and analysis of religions in this book are "relevance to the modern mind" and "universality," and his interest in each religion is more concerned with its principles than its context. Therefore, he avoids cataloging the horrors and crimes of which religions have been accused, and he attempts to show each "at their best." Yet <I>The World's Religions</I> is no pollyannaish romp: "It is about religion alive," Huston writes. "It calls the soul to the highest adventure it can undertake, a proposed journey across the jungles, peaks, and deserts of the human spirit. The call is to confront reality." And by translating the voices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, and Judaism, among others, Smith has amplified the divine call for generations of readers. <I>--Michael Joseph Gross</I> 26614 1965 The World's Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions total:755|5:289|4:303|3:133|2:25|1:5| 755 3111 1266 115 4 2 false false Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Thu Nov 15 06:43:20 -0800 2007 Thu Nov 29 13:03:06 -0800 2007 more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Feb 11 12:28:28 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 11 12:50:40 -0800 2008 Smith attempts to explain what adherents to each of the world's major religions actually believe. He doesn't delve into the hypocrisy or evil tha...more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Aug 14 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 28 17:04:53 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 15 19:07:59 -0700 2009 The book is thoroughly uneven - strong at some points (Hinduism, Buddhism, articulating the merits of the world's wisdom tradtions) and weak at others (Judaism, Tribal religions, covering the nuts and bolts of the world's religions).

"As it was, the first 'draft' of my book was deliv...more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Wed Jul 01 13:15:41 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 01 13:48:53 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Mar 14 11:26:15 -0700 2009 Sat Mar 14 11:31:32 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Nov 06 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Nov 06 20:04:32 -0800 2009 Fri Nov 06 20:08:20 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Thu May 08 17:56:43 -0700 2008 Thu May 08 20:11:58 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Mon Oct 15 12:16:55 -0700 2007 Tue Jan 08 14:12:25 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Feb 21 09:44:03 -0800 2009 Sat Feb 21 09:45:59 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat Jan 10 13:07:52 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 16 12:31:50 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2002 Tue Dec 16 12:15:21 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 16 12:15:44 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Nov 16 07:51:53 -0800 2007 Fri Nov 16 07:56:30 -0800 2007 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Sep 06 09:17:04 -0700 2009 Wed Sep 09 14:30:54 -0700 2009
Posted an extensive review on Book Lust this week. Here's the link: http://booklust-lisa.blogspot.com/2009/0...more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Jan 09 09:51:09 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 09 09:56:01 -0800 2009
Smith's key to this classic is his sympathetic feel for what's behind each religion and his ability to help the reader see the movem...more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Mar 27 10:52:52 -0700 2009 Fri Mar 27 11:12:35 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Thu Dec 18 20:48:36 -0800 2008 Thu Dec 18 20:52:54 -0800 2008 5 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2001 Tue Oct 30 09:59:01 -0700 2007 Tue Oct 30 10:16:56 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 01 09:11:21 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 01 09:14:04 -0800 2009 4 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1998 Sun Jul 12 02:16:41 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 20 13:22:58 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Thu Sep 17 15:47:40 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 20:17:22 -0700 2009 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=10285