On Thrones of Gold: Three Javanese Shadow Plays [Paperback]

James Brandon (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 438 pages
• Publisher: University of Hawaii Press; New edition edition (July 31, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824814258
• ISBN-13: 978-0824814250
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #602,153 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Work on Wayang Kulit, October 27, 2000

By 

Walter O. Koenig "Amoxtli" (San Diego, California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Thrones of Gold: Three Javanese Shadow Plays (Paperback)

This Book is still one of a kind. Since it was published in 1970, it is still the only reliable Book which gives the complete Text of three Wayang Kulit (Javanese Shadow Puppet) Lakon (Plays). "The Reincanation of Rama" from the Ramayana and "Irawan's Wedding" and "The Death of Karna" from the Mahabharata. The Book begins with a fine introduction to Wayang, the Plays, Performance and Translation. The translation from Javanese was rendered by Pandam Guritno, one of the froemost Javanese Wayang Scholars of all time, whom I knew personally. Next follow the texts of the three Plays, which include 143 illustrations. James Brandon has also included descriptions of the action that takes place and the musical pieces that are played. The reader can thus review three performances through reading. At the end of the Book are useful Appendices, Notes on Sources, a good Glossary and a now outdated Bibliography. This Book is useful for those who are interested in Wayang, Javanese Culture, Theater Arts, Sanskrit Literature and many other subjects. That is what makes Wayang so wonderful. It is many things in one.