The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism [Paperback]

Linda Johnsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2001

You’re no idiot, of course. You know Hinduism is a religion practiced worldwide, with philosophies that can offer enlightenment even to nonbelievers. However, its belief system is neither as simple nor as complex as many people think.The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Hinduism will show you exactly how this religion is practiced and its relationship to Hindu culture. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: * The principles behind basic Hindu beliefs, including karma, reincarnation, nonviolence, vegetarianism, and multiple manifestations of God. * The stories of such Hindu gods and goddesses as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Sarasvati, and Kali. * Paths to enlightenment including karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, raja yoga, and tantra yoga. * The Hindu caste system, and the customary importance of women in its society.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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 Bruya

About the Author

Linda Johnsen holds a Master's degree in Eastern studies. She is author of Daughters of the Goddess: The Women Saints of India (winner of the Midwest Book Association Award for Best New Age Book of the Year), The Living Goddess: Reclaiming the Tradition of the Mother of the Universe, and Meditation Is Boring? Putting Life in Your Spiritual Practice. She has published nearly 100 articles in magazines such as Hinduism Today, Yoga Journal, and Yoga International, and has lectured throughout the United States on Hindu spirituality.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; 1st edition (November 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028642279
• ISBN-13: 978-0028642277
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #665,494 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complex Subject made very easy-to-understand, January 13, 2002

By 

M. W. Babcock (Milpitas, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism (Paperback)

My husband is an American, not committed to Christianity, his religion by birth. I am a Hindu, born and brought up in India. Despite the gulf of difference in our understanding of Hinduism, we both have learned tremendously from this book. The appeal of this book lies in the in-depth knowledge of the authoress, plus the reverent, and yet humorous style, in which it is written.

It's a widely known fact that the oldest religion on this planet is as vast as the sky itself. It cannot be contained in one scripture/book nor mastered in one lifetime. This book is THE CLOSEST to being an "appetizer" for Hinduism: a MUST-READ for anyone who wants to graduate to more advanced levels.

I have been looking for Hinduism-related books for several years, especially one that my children could read and understand without constant goading. I am very happy that I have finally found one.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Basic Primer For A Complex Religion, July 14, 2005

By 

missed "mist." (new york, ny) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism (Paperback)

Laugh at me, the one who minored in religion at university, for getting an Idiot's Guide to Hinduism, but to be quite honest, this is a pretty darn good book for someone who wants a basic overview of this very complex, multifacited, ancient religion. I would have prefered having, say, pictures of the various gods so that I could easily identify them, or a short bibliography after each chapter so I could learn more about a concept or the subject(s) just covered. I would have also prefered more depth for religious practices and the like, however, this is just an IG book, not something you'd base a dissertation on.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Divine Nectar Pours From The Pages of This Book, November 4, 2005

By 

Laura De Giorgio "hypnotherapist" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism (Paperback)

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism is a misnomer because there is so much to Hinduism that it couldn't possibly fit into one book, but Linda Johnsen does a masterful job of offering the most delicious slices of Hinduism that will leave you wanting to know more. This book was written with humor, with great love and with great wisdom. Her writing style is so delightful, you may wish the book never ends and for those who want to learn more, she has offered a resource list at the end of the book.