The Strides of Vishnu

Hindu Culture in Historical Perspective

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Eastern Religions, Hinduism
Cover of the book The Strides of Vishnu by Ariel Glucklich, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Ariel Glucklich ISBN: 9780199886142
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: May 9, 2008
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Ariel Glucklich
ISBN: 9780199886142
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: May 9, 2008
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

Books about Hinduism often begin by noting the immense size and complexity of the subject. Hinduism is vast and diverse, they say. Or it doesn't exist at all - Hinduism is merely a convenient (and foreign) term that masks a plurality of traditions. In either case, readers are discouraged by the sense that they are getting only a tiny sample or a shallow overview of something huge and impossible to understand. This book is designed to be accessible and comprehensive in a way that other introductions are not, maintaining an appealing narrative and holding the reader's interest in the unfolding sequence of ideas through time and place. Each of the 13 chapters combines historical material with key religious and philosophical ideas, supported by substantial quotations from scriptures and other texts. The overarching organizational principle is a historical narrative largely grounded in archaeological information. Historic places and persons are fleshed out as actors in a narrative about the relation of the sacred to ordinary existence as it is mediated through arts, sciences, rituals, and philosophical ideas. Although many books purport to introduce the Hindu tradition, this is the only one with a broad historical focus that emphasizes archaeological as well as textual evidence. It will nicely complement Vasuda Narayanan's forthcoming introduction, which takes the opposite approach of focusing on the lived experience of Hindu believers.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Books about Hinduism often begin by noting the immense size and complexity of the subject. Hinduism is vast and diverse, they say. Or it doesn't exist at all - Hinduism is merely a convenient (and foreign) term that masks a plurality of traditions. In either case, readers are discouraged by the sense that they are getting only a tiny sample or a shallow overview of something huge and impossible to understand. This book is designed to be accessible and comprehensive in a way that other introductions are not, maintaining an appealing narrative and holding the reader's interest in the unfolding sequence of ideas through time and place. Each of the 13 chapters combines historical material with key religious and philosophical ideas, supported by substantial quotations from scriptures and other texts. The overarching organizational principle is a historical narrative largely grounded in archaeological information. Historic places and persons are fleshed out as actors in a narrative about the relation of the sacred to ordinary existence as it is mediated through arts, sciences, rituals, and philosophical ideas. Although many books purport to introduce the Hindu tradition, this is the only one with a broad historical focus that emphasizes archaeological as well as textual evidence. It will nicely complement Vasuda Narayanan's forthcoming introduction, which takes the opposite approach of focusing on the lived experience of Hindu believers.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book American Higher Education in Crisis? by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book French Atlantic World: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book African American Religion: A Very Short Introduction by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book Minetown, Milltown, Railtown by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Eschatology by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book Juvenile Justice: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book The Philosophy of Sociality by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book Mourning the Unborn Dead by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book Occupying Schools, Occupying Land by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book Cracking the Emerging Markets Enigma by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book Everything in Its Place by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book What are Campaigns For? The Role of Persuasion in Electoral Law and Politics by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book Religion of a Different Color by Ariel Glucklich
Cover of the book Music Education for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder by Ariel Glucklich
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy