It is no doubt a human tale, but there is some sentiment it evokes that I cannot put into words. Some tug just behind the tear-producing glands ...

I found that this telling captured how I'd felt about the Ramayana, having grown up listening to all the stories as part of nightcaps or preludes to evening prayers, living both unashamedly indian and unconfusedly western lives. It was honest and plain, glorious and abundant, rich and telling, and yet so bizarrely mysterious.

I remember the first time More...

Some translations value accuracy and fidelity to the original text above all else. They work hard to preserve the meter and rhyme scheme (if any) and stay as close as possible to a word-for-word imitation, even if the result sounds a bit clumsy. I suspect that this book is not one of those translations. Buck is clearly a master storyteller in his own right, and his prose flows so well in English that it's hard to imagine he isn't taking some liberties. I would recommend this book to anyone who w More...

This is considered as one of the TRIO-Epics of Indian culture

The greatest book ever!! This indian historical epic is considered as a LEGEND in the punya bhoomi!! The book depits the life story of a greatest Prince Rama who is an embodiment of all good qualities a human can ever possess!! Sita, wife of Rama, is a perfect example of how a woman should be!

Each and every character in this book will teach us something and helps to live an untainted life!!

Personally, I feel i have no words to describ More...

The Ramayana is a confusing book for those unfamiliar with the religious mythology involved (like the greek pantheon, it is extensive and convoluted), but William Buck, in choosing to drastically alter the form of the text and turn it into a novel makes it accessible to the casual reader. This is most certainly not anywhere near to a literal translation, but it is certainly the most accessible and readable. It is, essentially, the movie of the book.

This is the only adaptation of the Ramayana I have read, and so I can't be sure how much of my poor rating is attributable to Buck's adaptation and how much is dissatisfaction with the epic itself. So, I will list the aspects I find lacking, and those better versed than I in the mythology can interpret accordingly.

Although there are a few memorable lines ("Raavana lay like a collection of wrongs") for the most part I find the language cloying, dumbed-down amateur poetry using hackneyed, not terr More...

Anyone who wants to know how the gods and goddesses really live should read this. It's a rollicking tale of romance and intrigue that even after 2000 years of telling seems fresh and current. It's sheer humanity defrocks religious dogma that often seems oppressive, overbearing, and out of touch with the real world of human desires and emotions.

A good time is had by all including the bad guys and girls who, having been resoundingly defeated, just seem happy to have resolved some of their karma as More...

I read the shortened version in Lit class (really only 23 pages from the Mythology textbook), but I immediately took an interest to this story. I find it very interesting and, believe it or not, I think I would have really liked the full version. Some parts did feel too random, but that was simply because I did not read the full version. I thought this was an interesting and thoughtful read. (As always, strange gods and attacking monkeys interest me.) The only thing that ruined this story that I More...

One of my most prized possessions is a hardcopy of the Ramayana retold by William Buck and forward done by Ram Dass. This is an incredible story that is often read and reread throughout one's life in the Far East. It has much to offer to those of all ages. It relates, among other things, the background and place in Hindu culture of some of its most important religious figures. But this is mostly the story of Prince Rama, his beautiful consort Sita, the monkey king Hanuman and their satanic arche More...

Beautiful writing and sentiments ~

I saw two birds on the same branch;
One eats the sweet fruit,
One looks on sadly

The first bird wonders --
In what prison does he live?

The second marvels --
How can he rejoice?

and

Sita is of great beauty,
You are a woman.
To a woman everything is becoming,
Every one is her own,
May I be yours.

William Buck has distilled the beautiful essence of the Ramayana, one of India's greatest epics, into a single, compelling volume. This is the story of Prince Rama's dedication to dharma —the responsibilities that fall to him as a result of his status as human and prince— in the face of incredible misfortune. It is also the story of what people are willing to do for those they love (witness Rama's war against the demons of Lanka to recuperate his wife Sita) and the tragic twists that can undermi More...

This book is also one of the best book i had ever read. Even though the vocabularies are very advanced, i still can understand this book without a problem. The author wrote it so beautifully that I could not put down this book just for one second. This is a very touching story, the love between Sita and Rama is so strong that almost nothing can stop them from loving each other, this made me cry. Just imagine how painful it is to lose your love one. Despite all the difficuties, Rama was determine More...

Its not just a book for us Indian but rather a religious epic!
I read it because I always wanted to analyze the text from my own perspective rather Ramanand sagar's.
And boy, it was worth it. This is a morality reference dictionary for me, if ever in doubt about relationships, i refer this text and my dilemma is resolved.

If you really are curious and want to know about Indian culture and traditions and have always wondered where does an average Indian gets his/her patience and morality to take con More...

This is the second Epic story from Ancient India -- The Mahabharata being the first. William Buck's condensed versions are delightful. The Ramayana is about Rama (an incarnation of Vishnu). The story is famous not only in India but also SE Asia -- even to China. Reading this book would be part of classic education in India but of course not part of Western. Western education gives books that just keep reinforcing each other. That is why everything seems like "common sense" to those who have not More...

RAMAYANA-THE MOST FAVOURITES

This isn't a straight translation--Buck did a direct translation and then went back through and cleaned it up so that it both made sense and wasn't bogged down by the oral storytelling devices that permeated the original (great, if the tale is being told out-loud, not so great if you're reading).

The result is some of the loveliest poetic language I've ever read.

Also, the monkeys. Gotta love the monkeys. I kept texting my brother bits about Nayla and Hanuman's antics.

This version is technically a retelling of the Ramayana and not a translation, and so I almost didn't read it, but I'm glad I did. Though I admit the language was, for lack of a better term, "dumbed down" a bit, I still think it had the flavor of original. Definitely on par with Herman Hesse's Siddhartha, which is a retelling of the Buddhacarita. And language aside, its gotta be one of the best examples of storytelling you'll ever read. I love this epic shit!

Maybe this book would've been more enjoyable if Buck translated in verse. It is pretty much a dumbed-down version of the real thing. The professor showed us a sample of a different translation she could've used and it was far superior. So much for the cannon. Anyways, apparently Buck even changed the ending some...which a whole other type of colonization that might not have a name.

Maybe it does: bastardization.

This is the second time I have read the Ramayana, Buck is hands down the translation to get. You almost can't call it a translation he weaves such a beautiful story himself in such a readable and engaging manner that you can picture Valmiki reading it to you himself. Lovely version, lovely story, always a favorite.

So far, it's lots of fun. It feels sort of like a combination of the ancient Greek mythology we all read back in high school and Aesop's fables, but in India. Also, the mythological stories for which some yoga poses are named are in here, which gives added context to those asanas for yogis.

A great prose adventure version of one of the oldest epic poems in history. Williams Buck translated and wrote this version over seventeen years, the dedication and love he put into this work comes off of every page. Great to read while in the jungle. Plus it has illustrations!

This is a beautifully written and unprecedentedly accessible version of the great epic of Rama. Buck boils it down to just the epic story, and creates a valuable resource for any Westerner interested in this mythic cycle. Rama, Sita, Ravana—who knew?

You've got to respect someone who takes abridgement and adaptation seriously. You've also got to respect a monkey who can jump over the ocean, light his tail on fire and take out half the army of the ten-headed demon who stole your girlfriend.

I found this book fascinating, as it went into more detail than Narayan's version of the epic. However, it was lengthy and some of the descriptive passages grew tiresome. An enjoyable read, especially for a "have to" book.

This is now one of my all time favoriyes, there are some lines that pop out at you and wxplain something so simply you just read it over 2 or 3 times to grasp it at all. The metaphores are great too...

It has been a long long time since I read this. It came to mind when I was reading Dawkins's The God Delusion. Like most myths that have endured for a very long time, much of it seemed strange.

This is a fantastic translation of the classic Indian epic. Great for anyone looking for an insight into Hindu ideology, or for those just looking for a good story. For readers 9 to 99.

This is great. The classic Indian epic is not only gripping as a story, but Buck's English prose rendition is easy to grasp and quick to read. His illustrations are warm and fuzzy too.

I really enjoyed the Ramayana, but I can't decide whether I liked it more than the Mahabharata. I did get my extra credit from it, though, so that's something.

Okay...I only read the second book for my class on epic, but I am counting it! However, our lecture gave the overview, and I can't wait to read the entire thing!

Only makes you wish you were born in the era of Lord Rama's rule and that you could be half as happy and simple as the people were back then.