Covering creation, the cosmos, the sun and moon, supreme beings, floods, the natural world, fertility and birth, ancestor worship, forces of evil, divine weapons, war, spirits, love and happiness, tricksters, idols, mythical beasts, death, and the end of the world, this book leaves few stones unturned. Collected from museums worldwide, lavish photos of figurines, paintings, mosaics, masks, textiles, and other treasures display a veritable gallery of culture within these pages. Philip points out similarities of world myths and provides quite a bit of introductory information, though the sound-bite presentation that makes this series so popular cannot go into the detail that the subject deserves. There is no sense that any of the practices, such as shamanism, still exist, and the overall tone of the book is rather patriarchal. Report writers may glean a few facts, but will have to look further for more information or for the actual stories mentioned. The wealth of illustration far outweighs the literary value, but as a browsing tool, this is bound to be used.
Translated by Mahadev Desai and with a New Preface
The only authorized American edition
Mohandas K. Gandhi is one of the most inspiring figures of our time. In
his classic autobiography he recounts the story of his life and how he
developed his concept of active nonviolent resistance, which propelled
the Indian struggle for independence and countless other nonviolent
struggles of the twentieth century. In a new foreword, noted peace
expert and teacher Sissela Bok urges us to adopt Gandhi's "attitude of
experimenting, of tesing what will and will not bear close scrutiny,
what can and cannot be adapted to new circumstances," in order to bring
about change in our own lives and communities. All royalties earned on
this book are paid to the Navajivan Trust, founded by Gandhi, for use
in carrying on his work.
The principle of inclusion in this book is the traditional one which assumes that criticism is only safe when it deals with authors who are dead. In proportion as we approach the living or, worse, speak of those still on earth, the proper perspective is lost and the dangers of contemporary judgment incurred. The light-minded might add, that the dead cannot strike back; to pass judgment upon them is not only more critical but safer.