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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism
Presents the history, customs, and beliefs of Hinduism, describing the mysteries and myths that sustained its growth over the centuries.
432 pages, Paperback
First published July 5, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
September 5, 2017
This book is written with a western (as mentioned in the book) reader in mind and gives comparisons with Christianity and Islam to help understand Hinduism better. So if you are a westerner and curious about what Hinduism is all about, this book is for you.
I was born a Hindu, and maybe that's why I never got the opportunity to look at my own religion in an objective sense. So the reading of this book was merely an experiment on myself on how much I know and don't know about Hinduism. Consequently, most of the contents in the book were already known to me and verifying my own mental models of what Hindus believe in, who they worship and how they live. But otherwise, this book is very, very informative and presented in an enjoyable format. The book is well-researched, and gives a concise and yet internally consistent version of Hinduism -- i.e. if you read the entire book, you may not find two concepts which are conflicting. I liked that aspect of this book. Also, some ideas like looking at life, death and reincarnation as sitting on Ferris wheel and going up and down was very interesting. This is the best Hinduism 101 book I can think of.
I was born a Hindu, and maybe that's why I never got the opportunity to look at my own religion in an objective sense. So the reading of this book was merely an experiment on myself on how much I know and don't know about Hinduism. Consequently, most of the contents in the book were already known to me and verifying my own mental models of what Hindus believe in, who they worship and how they live. But otherwise, this book is very, very informative and presented in an enjoyable format. The book is well-researched, and gives a concise and yet internally consistent version of Hinduism -- i.e. if you read the entire book, you may not find two concepts which are conflicting. I liked that aspect of this book. Also, some ideas like looking at life, death and reincarnation as sitting on Ferris wheel and going up and down was very interesting. This is the best Hinduism 101 book I can think of.
November 1, 2020
When it comes Hinduism, everyone is an idiot, especially us in the west. All I desired was to jump directly into the Vedas, but everyone told me that would be a waste of time. Those scriptures (and indeed this entire belief system) are so monumentally complex that it'd be impossible to comprehend these texts unless someone eases you in. Alright then, Linda Johnson. Ease me in.
As it turns out, Linda was the perfect voice for the job. Her love for this religion is evident through a casual, cheerful style, reflecting the cheerfulness of Hinduism precisely. When considering the rich details covering such a vast amount of ground, it'd be tricky for a guide to balance comprehensiveness with cohesiveness, but the determination of the author is unmistakable. The logical ordering, creative analogies, quotes from sages, advice for tourists, definitions of unfamiliar terms, and silly quizzes all combine to reaffirm how superior Hinduism is as a faith.
And I do mean superior. Every other religion appears stupid in comparison. If you map it back, all divine theologies fundamentally branch off Hinduism because Hinduism came first as the oldest practised religion in the world. But as each timeline went on, they dumb down the ideas and hacked mystical pieces off by dictating strange rules and focusing on specific holy men. These meandering distractions have achieved very little except feeding into an individual's ego and creating barriers between spiritual quests.
Hinduism is different. It is a pursuit of enlightenment which welcomes all religions as genuine paths to God without any interest in converting anyone nor opposing their stance. Instead, it's a dedication of surprisingly scientific hypothesis, primary an exploration of thought and consciousness until we touch the midpoint where the mind connects to the greater cosmos. It's pantheistic because the Universe is the collective God. It's monotheistic in the ultimate reality of Brahman. And it's polytheistic with its imaginative (millions of!) deities, granting us easier influence over the laws of nature. God is inconceivable! There are no rules! Worship however you feel!
The evolution of society's spirituality is more akin to a devolution. Only recently, the cycle of understanding is coming back around to these ancient teachings. New Age movements are latching onto prophet-less perceptions of unified divinity starting from within. The philosophical musings of reality as an illusion of the mind has exploded thanks to studies of quantum physics. The masses of people discovering spiritual liberation through yoga, meditation, or vegetarianism skyrockets annually. Conversations about sexual freedom and gender inclusion in religions still feel like modern notions. But these standards are woven deep into Hinduism's fabric, predating every other practised religion by thousands of years yet remaining further ahead than all of them. It's limitless in its relevancy! We've lost our way! India is and always has been the way!!
Of course, it's not exclusively lotus flowers and Omness, for there are particular issues that don't sit well within our western values. The caste segregation of citizens is a particularly troubling example. Arranged marriages are another. And while the abundance of female deities should ricochet into society, women do have it much harder. Then again, the west fucked India so hard that it isn't our place to say much, is it? And I fill with vomit because of what the British did. Where would India be without us? Somewhere magical and very powerful, that's for sure.
Like any religious writing, I finished this book charged by a curious mix of intimidation and determination. I have such a long way to go with my spirituality, but teachings like Hinduism prove that the answer is not only out there but is so worthy of the pursuit. I have gradually built my own religious philosophy named Janthopoyism (look us up!), and I am embarrassed at how it is basically Hinduism repackaged. If you're open to the accounts offered by books like Linda's work, then Hindu sages have accessed immense spiritual levels far above our material realms, and those methods have shifted Janthopoyism scripture considerably. In my core understandings of the Universe, I am a Hindu, and the only thing I want to do is go back to India and meditate until I explode.
As it turns out, Linda was the perfect voice for the job. Her love for this religion is evident through a casual, cheerful style, reflecting the cheerfulness of Hinduism precisely. When considering the rich details covering such a vast amount of ground, it'd be tricky for a guide to balance comprehensiveness with cohesiveness, but the determination of the author is unmistakable. The logical ordering, creative analogies, quotes from sages, advice for tourists, definitions of unfamiliar terms, and silly quizzes all combine to reaffirm how superior Hinduism is as a faith.
And I do mean superior. Every other religion appears stupid in comparison. If you map it back, all divine theologies fundamentally branch off Hinduism because Hinduism came first as the oldest practised religion in the world. But as each timeline went on, they dumb down the ideas and hacked mystical pieces off by dictating strange rules and focusing on specific holy men. These meandering distractions have achieved very little except feeding into an individual's ego and creating barriers between spiritual quests.
Hinduism is different. It is a pursuit of enlightenment which welcomes all religions as genuine paths to God without any interest in converting anyone nor opposing their stance. Instead, it's a dedication of surprisingly scientific hypothesis, primary an exploration of thought and consciousness until we touch the midpoint where the mind connects to the greater cosmos. It's pantheistic because the Universe is the collective God. It's monotheistic in the ultimate reality of Brahman. And it's polytheistic with its imaginative (millions of!) deities, granting us easier influence over the laws of nature. God is inconceivable! There are no rules! Worship however you feel!
The evolution of society's spirituality is more akin to a devolution. Only recently, the cycle of understanding is coming back around to these ancient teachings. New Age movements are latching onto prophet-less perceptions of unified divinity starting from within. The philosophical musings of reality as an illusion of the mind has exploded thanks to studies of quantum physics. The masses of people discovering spiritual liberation through yoga, meditation, or vegetarianism skyrockets annually. Conversations about sexual freedom and gender inclusion in religions still feel like modern notions. But these standards are woven deep into Hinduism's fabric, predating every other practised religion by thousands of years yet remaining further ahead than all of them. It's limitless in its relevancy! We've lost our way! India is and always has been the way!!
Of course, it's not exclusively lotus flowers and Omness, for there are particular issues that don't sit well within our western values. The caste segregation of citizens is a particularly troubling example. Arranged marriages are another. And while the abundance of female deities should ricochet into society, women do have it much harder. Then again, the west fucked India so hard that it isn't our place to say much, is it? And I fill with vomit because of what the British did. Where would India be without us? Somewhere magical and very powerful, that's for sure.
Like any religious writing, I finished this book charged by a curious mix of intimidation and determination. I have such a long way to go with my spirituality, but teachings like Hinduism prove that the answer is not only out there but is so worthy of the pursuit. I have gradually built my own religious philosophy named Janthopoyism (look us up!), and I am embarrassed at how it is basically Hinduism repackaged. If you're open to the accounts offered by books like Linda's work, then Hindu sages have accessed immense spiritual levels far above our material realms, and those methods have shifted Janthopoyism scripture considerably. In my core understandings of the Universe, I am a Hindu, and the only thing I want to do is go back to India and meditate until I explode.
June 18, 2020
A few years ago I was browsing in a small bookstore in the Fort area of Mumbai, when I overheard a conversation that astonished me.
It was around noon, and a handful of people had come to the shop on their lunchbreak (Fort is home home to India's finance industry, and teems with middle-class office workers). A man and woman, both in business casual, were sitting at the front of the shop and taking turns describing—with total matter-of-factness and a hint of competitive edge—how just the other day their gurus had transported themselves to the astral plane, beyond space and time, where they met and conversed at length with God in various forms before returning to their physical bodies.
At first I thought they had to be joking, or speaking metaphorically, but when I realized they were dead serious, my impulse was to laugh. How could two seemingly normal people believe something so outlandish, let alone discuss it loudly in public? Didn't they know how insane they sounded?
That conversation, like many things I saw, heard, and felt on my several trips to India between 2014 and 2017, planted a seed in my subconscious. And that seed slowly grew into a curiosity, stemming from the realization that despite having a number of Hindu friends, I understood virtually nothing about Hinduism—my dismissal of its more mind-bending facets was rooted in personal ignorance, in contempt for hokey Western new-age mysticism, and in my attitude toward religion generally, stemming from bitter feelings about the Judeo-Christian milieu I live in.
So, naturally I turned to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism.
The insult embedded in the title is appropriate, because it insists that you begin from a place of humility. Among many other complex ideas that Johnsen explains in clear and accessible language is why my friends in the bookstore thought nothing of discussing astral projection on their lunchbreak: In Hinduism "the so-called supernatural is just a higher octave of the scale of consciousness." And: "The process of moving from concentration to meditation to total absorption [is] the portal to higher dimensions."
It turns out that Hinduism has many highly sensible and appealing features. It accords well with science on major subjects like the age of the universe and the time humans have existed on earth. It is relatively undogmatic and not at all demanding of blind faith. Hindus don't proselytize (hence knowing nothing about it despite my Hindu friends—just try to be friends with some serious Christians and not get the occasional guilt-trip invitation to Bible Study). Its concept of an immortal consciousness and bodily reincarnation is considerably more logical, in my opinion, than the idea of one brief lifespan after which we go to live in a sky kingdom for eternity. And I'm very intrigued by the conception of God as "the Supreme Reality," an all-pervading awareness that manifests in every living thing but also transcends everything we know.
Probably the most appealing trait of Hinduism, to the outsider, is its willingness to let you approach it in whatever way you want, and take from it what makes sense to you. As Johnsen writes, "At its core, Hinduism is not about believing what somebody else tells you about the nature of your soul or accepting what other people claim about God. Ultimately, Hinduism is about exploring the very depths of your own soul..."
There is much here to explore, and this book only scratches the surface, but it comes with a warning from the Upanishads: "Into a blind darkness enter those devoted to ignorance, but into an even greater darkness enter those devoted to knowledge."
In other words, the more you learn, the more you realize how little you understand.
It was around noon, and a handful of people had come to the shop on their lunchbreak (Fort is home home to India's finance industry, and teems with middle-class office workers). A man and woman, both in business casual, were sitting at the front of the shop and taking turns describing—with total matter-of-factness and a hint of competitive edge—how just the other day their gurus had transported themselves to the astral plane, beyond space and time, where they met and conversed at length with God in various forms before returning to their physical bodies.
At first I thought they had to be joking, or speaking metaphorically, but when I realized they were dead serious, my impulse was to laugh. How could two seemingly normal people believe something so outlandish, let alone discuss it loudly in public? Didn't they know how insane they sounded?
That conversation, like many things I saw, heard, and felt on my several trips to India between 2014 and 2017, planted a seed in my subconscious. And that seed slowly grew into a curiosity, stemming from the realization that despite having a number of Hindu friends, I understood virtually nothing about Hinduism—my dismissal of its more mind-bending facets was rooted in personal ignorance, in contempt for hokey Western new-age mysticism, and in my attitude toward religion generally, stemming from bitter feelings about the Judeo-Christian milieu I live in.
So, naturally I turned to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism.
The insult embedded in the title is appropriate, because it insists that you begin from a place of humility. Among many other complex ideas that Johnsen explains in clear and accessible language is why my friends in the bookstore thought nothing of discussing astral projection on their lunchbreak: In Hinduism "the so-called supernatural is just a higher octave of the scale of consciousness." And: "The process of moving from concentration to meditation to total absorption [is] the portal to higher dimensions."
It turns out that Hinduism has many highly sensible and appealing features. It accords well with science on major subjects like the age of the universe and the time humans have existed on earth. It is relatively undogmatic and not at all demanding of blind faith. Hindus don't proselytize (hence knowing nothing about it despite my Hindu friends—just try to be friends with some serious Christians and not get the occasional guilt-trip invitation to Bible Study). Its concept of an immortal consciousness and bodily reincarnation is considerably more logical, in my opinion, than the idea of one brief lifespan after which we go to live in a sky kingdom for eternity. And I'm very intrigued by the conception of God as "the Supreme Reality," an all-pervading awareness that manifests in every living thing but also transcends everything we know.
Probably the most appealing trait of Hinduism, to the outsider, is its willingness to let you approach it in whatever way you want, and take from it what makes sense to you. As Johnsen writes, "At its core, Hinduism is not about believing what somebody else tells you about the nature of your soul or accepting what other people claim about God. Ultimately, Hinduism is about exploring the very depths of your own soul..."
There is much here to explore, and this book only scratches the surface, but it comes with a warning from the Upanishads: "Into a blind darkness enter those devoted to ignorance, but into an even greater darkness enter those devoted to knowledge."
In other words, the more you learn, the more you realize how little you understand.
May 22, 2013
Interesting read for getting a basic idea / foundation for Hinduism. However, the author sometimes has a "Isn't that cute?" attitude toward Hindu mythologies, often skipping over the real meaning behind those myths. I also don't feel that the author is an expert on the subject of Hinduism. It would be a more meaningful book if it included interviews with Hindus (who aren't gurus, sages, etc.) to understand how the religion is practiced.
Read
December 16, 2025I did think it was kinda weird when the author (white) was talking about Hindu stories and said they were stories that “were obviously fairy tales” and “were taken completely seriously even by educated Hindus.” Like yeah… what a shocker that Hinduism has stories. So does like every other religion. And they teach lessons. Why is this surprising that they’re taken seriously?
February 7, 2015
Hey guys, did you know how great Hinduism is? Like, so great! Older and better than any other tradition - after all, it's what all other religions were like before Christianity and Islam and the stamping out of pagan traditions.
That was basically the book. It was absolutely awful. The author was so full of how great Hinduism is, and the bias completely showed through in her work. Also, she mentions all of these special things, for which I couldn't find any corroborating evidence for online. And, over half of her etymology facts were completely wrong - all found by a quick Google search! Not to mention her writing style. The author really needs to learn to not use so many exclamation points.
This book does get greater than one star because I guess it did introduce me to the very basics of Hinduism and their beliefs. But the bias of the author and the ridiculousness of the unverified claims completely ruined the book. I had to push myself to finish it, especially since the author lists no sources for these things, apart from "I was told", etc. Also, the inclusion of a Further Resources section warrants it to get above a 1-star review - hopefully they won't be as awful and as biased and as factually incorrect in places as this book.
Conclusion:
Just get the books from the Further Reading section and read those. This book is too full of how great Hinduism is and is a completely biased look into the tradition. It does offer information on the basics, but the author's attitude completely ruins any objectiveness that might have been found in the books. And, did you know, Hinduism is probably what all other traditions looked like? And everyone smart Greek/Muslim/etc who has ever encountered it loved it?
That was basically the book. It was absolutely awful. The author was so full of how great Hinduism is, and the bias completely showed through in her work. Also, she mentions all of these special things, for which I couldn't find any corroborating evidence for online. And, over half of her etymology facts were completely wrong - all found by a quick Google search! Not to mention her writing style. The author really needs to learn to not use so many exclamation points.
This book does get greater than one star because I guess it did introduce me to the very basics of Hinduism and their beliefs. But the bias of the author and the ridiculousness of the unverified claims completely ruined the book. I had to push myself to finish it, especially since the author lists no sources for these things, apart from "I was told", etc. Also, the inclusion of a Further Resources section warrants it to get above a 1-star review - hopefully they won't be as awful and as biased and as factually incorrect in places as this book.
Conclusion:
Just get the books from the Further Reading section and read those. This book is too full of how great Hinduism is and is a completely biased look into the tradition. It does offer information on the basics, but the author's attitude completely ruins any objectiveness that might have been found in the books. And, did you know, Hinduism is probably what all other traditions looked like? And everyone smart Greek/Muslim/etc who has ever encountered it loved it?
October 8, 2018
This was the first of the Complete Idiot's guides that I read, and this book got me hooked. The author, Linda Johnsen, is a Western convert to Hinduism, and she does an excellent job of explaining Hindu thought to a Western audience. Many Westerners find Hinduism confusing and mystifying, and the way it was taught to me it sounded like Hinduism doesn't have any true sense of unity in thought and belief. Johnsen's book taught me that there is a little more consistency than I had thought, and she covers so many topics in a readable, personal, and humorous way. Her own enthusiasm and love for the religion bleeds off the page, giving an intimate view of Hinduism. I did gain more appreciation for the contributions of Indian thought and development to the world.
She covers most topics related to Hinduism in brief in each chapter. This book is breadth over depth, but it brought all the topics together to show how they're all connected. If I have any complaint about the book, she didn't adequately address the problems with the caste system. This is something Westerners will criticize about Indian society, and I was hoping for a frank and honest description of the caste system. But in the part of the book that dealt with this, she was more defensive of it and seemed to say that Westerners aren't in a position to criticize it because they don't grasp the ideals that shape Indian society. I felt this important and sensitive subject could've been handled better.
That said, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Hinduism.
She covers most topics related to Hinduism in brief in each chapter. This book is breadth over depth, but it brought all the topics together to show how they're all connected. If I have any complaint about the book, she didn't adequately address the problems with the caste system. This is something Westerners will criticize about Indian society, and I was hoping for a frank and honest description of the caste system. But in the part of the book that dealt with this, she was more defensive of it and seemed to say that Westerners aren't in a position to criticize it because they don't grasp the ideals that shape Indian society. I felt this important and sensitive subject could've been handled better.
That said, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Hinduism.
September 26, 2019
Smacks of some hippie white woman who converted to some Eastern religion and throws in a sprinkling of hippie/wicca/whatever. Not a comprehensive look at Hinduism, India, or much of anything other than the author.
January 5, 2023
Comprehensive coverage of Sanatana Dharma
Once again, the Idiots Guide format comes to our rescue. There is a good forward by Dr. David Frawley. In the introduction, the way and why of the book layout are explained. To better cover the subject, the book is divided into six parts:
Part 1. "The Eternal Religion" explains how Hindus look at time and space.
Part 2. "What Hindus Believe" introduces you to the Hindus' ideas about god and the value of other faiths.
Part 3. "Who Hindus Worship" is about Westerners' mistaken ideas about Hinduism and polytheism.
Part 4. "How Hindus Live" the cast system and so forth.
Part 5. "God's House has many Doors" examines the paths to God in Hinduism
Part 6. "A timeless Tradition" is a look at Hinduism’s many saints and sages.
There are many helpful hints in the margins.
On a personal note, I get tired of the many stereotypes mentions in the East VS West explanations. I understand it is necessary yet never the less there are many grades in how people view the world. I could have sworn that Sanatana Dharma pilfered my ideas. If it is the other way around, I have no idea where I got them, however, the truths would exist with or without Hinduism.
Any way you look at it this book by Linda Johnsen is a very good starting place.
Once again, the Idiots Guide format comes to our rescue. There is a good forward by Dr. David Frawley. In the introduction, the way and why of the book layout are explained. To better cover the subject, the book is divided into six parts:
Part 1. "The Eternal Religion" explains how Hindus look at time and space.
Part 2. "What Hindus Believe" introduces you to the Hindus' ideas about god and the value of other faiths.
Part 3. "Who Hindus Worship" is about Westerners' mistaken ideas about Hinduism and polytheism.
Part 4. "How Hindus Live" the cast system and so forth.
Part 5. "God's House has many Doors" examines the paths to God in Hinduism
Part 6. "A timeless Tradition" is a look at Hinduism’s many saints and sages.
There are many helpful hints in the margins.
On a personal note, I get tired of the many stereotypes mentions in the East VS West explanations. I understand it is necessary yet never the less there are many grades in how people view the world. I could have sworn that Sanatana Dharma pilfered my ideas. If it is the other way around, I have no idea where I got them, however, the truths would exist with or without Hinduism.
Any way you look at it this book by Linda Johnsen is a very good starting place.
July 7, 2022
Overall I give the book a solid 4/5 stars.
While the author does get slightly preachy in certain parts, overall it is a great introduction for those who have little to no knowledge about Hinduism. She discusses different principles Hindus live by, goes over some popular stories within Hinduism, goes over some big-name deities (gods and goddesses), as well as provides some information about the important guru’s within Hinduism’s history. Keep in mind I came into this book with about ten years of practicing Hinduism.
The tone is casual and feels like she’s explaining it to you in a small cafe. Not at all difficult or dry. There’s a nice appendix at the back and a glossary as well. There are also bullet-point summaries at the end of each chapter.
While the author does get slightly preachy in certain parts, overall it is a great introduction for those who have little to no knowledge about Hinduism. She discusses different principles Hindus live by, goes over some popular stories within Hinduism, goes over some big-name deities (gods and goddesses), as well as provides some information about the important guru’s within Hinduism’s history. Keep in mind I came into this book with about ten years of practicing Hinduism.
The tone is casual and feels like she’s explaining it to you in a small cafe. Not at all difficult or dry. There’s a nice appendix at the back and a glossary as well. There are also bullet-point summaries at the end of each chapter.
August 16, 2017
I was a little worried about this book when I saw that its author was not from India, however, Linda Johnsen did not disappoint. Because she is from the West but has spent a great deal of time in India and studying this religion she does a wonderful job of bridging the gap between the two mind sets. Her writing was clear, engaging, and informative. I have read The Bhagavad Gita, selections from the Yoga Vasistha, and The Upanishads, but after reading this book I understand them so much more. I have a much better understanding of what Hinduism is and what the different philosophies are. I am so pleased with this book and am happy to own it.
June 18, 2022
Good first dive in hinduism. For me it was very interesting and I have learned a lot. It felt a bit chaotic at some points but, considering the vastness of the subject, I think that is inevitable. Definitely awakened my curiosity on the subject and made want to read more. It is a western voice, but done with immense respect and reverence for hinduism. Overall I would recommend this book to someone who touches the subject for the first time.
June 15, 2019
Chapter 7 page 99-100. Start at the bottom of 99 "Many Americans voted for Al Gore during the 2000
U.S. Presidential Election, yet they experienced the social and economic consequences of having George W. Bush in presidency on September 11, 2001, just as much as the Americans who voted for Bush. Adhibhauktika or group karma can override our own Karma."
Piss. Off.
U.S. Presidential Election, yet they experienced the social and economic consequences of having George W. Bush in presidency on September 11, 2001, just as much as the Americans who voted for Bush. Adhibhauktika or group karma can override our own Karma."
Piss. Off.
February 27, 2023
I've been on a big Linda Johnsen kick so ended up getting this one too. Some of these things were as accurate as were my understanding, and I'm not really sure who would read this one (an Idiot's guide to a religion?! At least it was interesting, though it crammed so much info that at times it felt a bit disorganized and all over the place.
July 30, 2024
excellent and accessible!
This book is probably the most easy to understand, entertaining and accessible one on this particular subject. It contains lots of good information and is lots of fun to read!
This book is probably the most easy to understand, entertaining and accessible one on this particular subject. It contains lots of good information and is lots of fun to read!
September 27, 2017
Great book for quick learning/chock full of information in easy to read format
December 1, 2017
A solid introduction to Hinduism.
April 5, 2018
awesome
May 30, 2021
I found this book to be extremely helpful, insightful, and respectful to the Hindu tradtions and culture.
March 29, 2016
Ms. Johnsen has done a good job explaining some details of Hinduism. But there are few places where I could feel the author is infatuated with this old culture. Of course, there are good side and bad side to almost everything. I appreciate Ms. Johnsen for highlighting the characteristic of hinduism. But as before, even though I learned something from the book, I know that I do not know many things.
What made me want to read this book?
I never thought I would meet several people in the western hemisphere who are sincerely religious and could even quote the Holy book, Bible, by heart. And here I was, who knew nothing about the very religion I grew up with. I know that I know something, yet I do not know many things.
One of my coworker asked me a question about Hindu lore that I had never thought of before, “Do you believe in Hindu stories? Do you think it really happened?” Growing up in a Hindu family, I came in contact with several Hindu mythologies, deities, and stories. Yet, I never thought about this question. I took all of the stories as a legend - as in something that may have been based on real person or real event but has been fictionalized over the course of time - or as someone’s imagination trying to explain the unknown universe. Regardless of the authenticity of the story, what mattered to me was the moral of the story, the teaching behind a metaphor. For instance, in a poem the poet could be talking about open window, where he either means freedom or could literally mean open window. The interpretation of words depend on the interpreter. Thus, it never occurred to me to memorize the citations as in “Hansel and Gretel, pg 20, para 2”.
Nevertheless, encountering several passionately religious people made me curious to know more about my own background. I then took the shelter of this book, An Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism, with a hope to read about my own culture through the eye of a western author.
What made me want to read this book?
I never thought I would meet several people in the western hemisphere who are sincerely religious and could even quote the Holy book, Bible, by heart. And here I was, who knew nothing about the very religion I grew up with. I know that I know something, yet I do not know many things.
One of my coworker asked me a question about Hindu lore that I had never thought of before, “Do you believe in Hindu stories? Do you think it really happened?” Growing up in a Hindu family, I came in contact with several Hindu mythologies, deities, and stories. Yet, I never thought about this question. I took all of the stories as a legend - as in something that may have been based on real person or real event but has been fictionalized over the course of time - or as someone’s imagination trying to explain the unknown universe. Regardless of the authenticity of the story, what mattered to me was the moral of the story, the teaching behind a metaphor. For instance, in a poem the poet could be talking about open window, where he either means freedom or could literally mean open window. The interpretation of words depend on the interpreter. Thus, it never occurred to me to memorize the citations as in “Hansel and Gretel, pg 20, para 2”.
Nevertheless, encountering several passionately religious people made me curious to know more about my own background. I then took the shelter of this book, An Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism, with a hope to read about my own culture through the eye of a western author.
December 25, 2024
I bought this book in 2009. I have immensely enjoyed reading this book since then and have gone back to again and again. I am so happy to see acknowledgment of India's ancient history tradition and timeline and speaking out against its tampering and distortion by colonial era Indologists. This book presents a more accurate view of Hinduism and clears many prevailing misconceptions about it.
November 13, 2014
The Complete Idiot Guides on religions have the great virtue of presenting how religions are practiced in a contemporary North American setting. Their goal is always to help a new practitioner understand what his faith involves will entail a practical level. They consistently shy away from theological controversies that have no significance on how one actually practices the faith.
It is no accident that the author of the Complete Idiot's guide is an adult convert. The basic goal of the publisher is to assist the outsider in entering the religion. The person who practices a different religion also benefits from this approach also as it clearly explains the strong points of the religion and what is involved in its practice.
Hinduism is much harder for a Christian to understand than either Judaism. Islam has the same God as Christianity. Judaism has the same God also and its Pentateuch is the old testament of the Christian Bible. Hinduism has a different god and sacred texts that are dramatically different in nature from those of either Christiainity, Islam or Judaism. Given the enormity of the task, Ms. Johnsen does a superb job in explaining the beliefs, sacred texts and practices of Hinduism to a reader who has no background in the area.
Ms.Johnsen's book is of tremendous value to anyone wishing to learn more about the stengths of Hinduism and the appeal that it has for reasonable peoplel
It is no accident that the author of the Complete Idiot's guide is an adult convert. The basic goal of the publisher is to assist the outsider in entering the religion. The person who practices a different religion also benefits from this approach also as it clearly explains the strong points of the religion and what is involved in its practice.
Hinduism is much harder for a Christian to understand than either Judaism. Islam has the same God as Christianity. Judaism has the same God also and its Pentateuch is the old testament of the Christian Bible. Hinduism has a different god and sacred texts that are dramatically different in nature from those of either Christiainity, Islam or Judaism. Given the enormity of the task, Ms. Johnsen does a superb job in explaining the beliefs, sacred texts and practices of Hinduism to a reader who has no background in the area.
Ms.Johnsen's book is of tremendous value to anyone wishing to learn more about the stengths of Hinduism and the appeal that it has for reasonable peoplel
June 15, 2014
This was a really good read. I had originally gone looking for some of the actual Hindu holy books. But, discovering that they were a bit hard to find, I grabbed this one for an introduction to the religion. It was a good decision. I learned a lot, and the author's style was friendly, easy to follow, and enjoyable. She made a few comments about other religions that seemed a bit over-broad, creating a few unfair comparisons. But only a few in a nearly 400 page book. Most of the book is not a "comparative religions" book, anyway. She minimized the "this is how Hinduism compares to..." aspect, and focused on the "this is what Hinduism is" angle, which I really liked.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is wanting to explore this religion, especially if you're coming from a blank slate like I was.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is wanting to explore this religion, especially if you're coming from a blank slate like I was.
October 1, 2011
This is now a 'bathroom book' I feel like I need to put it back on the nightstand and power through it before going to India and practicing Hinduism myself ;)
These books rock - I read the idiots guide to Judaism and learned a ton and now that I am marrying a Hindu and am expected to practice I thought I would start to brush up - Hinduism rocks and is kind of the 'word' or 'definition' I have been looking for to describe my 'spiritual' beliefs but I just didn't know it - it is so spot on. weird how things come into your life and your like -- ahhhhhh?!!?!?! These books make it easy to learn.
These books rock - I read the idiots guide to Judaism and learned a ton and now that I am marrying a Hindu and am expected to practice I thought I would start to brush up - Hinduism rocks and is kind of the 'word' or 'definition' I have been looking for to describe my 'spiritual' beliefs but I just didn't know it - it is so spot on. weird how things come into your life and your like -- ahhhhhh?!!?!?! These books make it easy to learn.
December 12, 2012
This book was definitely informative, and broke down the Hindu religion as simply as possible. The writer was a bit too enthusiastic, though. I wish she had been more objective.
I read the iBook on my iPhone, which was a bit tedious. It would be nice to have a physical copy of this book for reference.
I read the iBook on my iPhone, which was a bit tedious. It would be nice to have a physical copy of this book for reference.
November 17, 2014
A broad coverage of a vast subject. Ranging from historical perspective to current day fads of New Age Religions. While I found this book informative and enlightening, I also found ideas that overly reinforced author’s confirmation bias. Overall it is a useful guide to terms and aspects of this eternal mystical and pluralistic Religion.
April 19, 2011
By reading this book, I've learned how much I truly love the Hindu religion.
This book if filled with so much information I will definitely be re-reading it many times. This first read is just for fun. The next one will be to retain information.
This book if filled with so much information I will definitely be re-reading it many times. This first read is just for fun. The next one will be to retain information.
August 18, 2009
like all idiot's guide books about religion, it is a bit defensive and says little that might seem negative about the religion to the average western reader, but other than that a very informative book! Great read. Great reference.
July 31, 2012
She really knows the subject well and can explain Hinduism to any one who is not a Hindu what the tradition is all about. Her style of very conversational and interesting. I use this book as a reference when I do blogs on the feminine in Hinduism. A very enjoyable read.
June 2, 2018
Solid and approachable introduction to Hinduism. Works well as an easy reference source for personal study, but it definitely shouldn’t be the only book one refers to when trying to get an accurate picture of this Indian spiritual tradition.
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