Geography of Religion: Where God Lives, Where Pilgrims Walk by John Esposito, Dalai Lama (Epilogue by), Desmond Tutu (Foreword by)

From the Publisher

The Geography of Religion is an invitation to understand the great religions of the world. This gorgeously illustrated book is an authoritative text that portrays the great religions of humankind with vivid photographs, tracing each from its ancient roots to its role in modern life. Eminent scholars share the faiths they have lived and studied. For each of 5 major religions, explore the landscapes, areas, and cultures where these faiths took hold and flourished. See them spread around the world, survive conflict, and translate into other enduring faiths based on their geographic location and cultures. Learn what it means to be a Hindu and bathe in the sacred Ganges; for a Buddhist to revere a statue of the Enlightened One; for a Muslim to trek to Mecca; for Christian martyrs to welcome death. Beautiful maps, photographs, and art illuminate the history of each religion.

Publishers Weekly

Though replete with the gorgeous photographs for which National Geographic is known, this book boasts no more than a literal handful of maps-five, to be exact-which seems odd for a book on geography. The authors of the foreword (Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter, Reverend Mpho Tutu) and of the epilogue (His Holiness the Dalai Lama) admirably echo each other in their beliefs that understanding begets tolerance, which in turn begets harmony. Disappointingly, the editors seem too unsure of their audience to foster a sustained understanding of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Too text-heavy for the coffee table and too academic for the general reader, the dense narrative smothers the rich histories of these religions. Sidebars illustrating the particular practice of each faith provide some interesting insights, though at times these reveal more about their authors than the faith itself. A Hindu professor shares his memory of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and a Muslim-American professor laments her failure to impress upon her students the nuances of life as a woman in a Muslim country. Other sidebars-highlighting selected sacred scriptures and describing daily practice-easily compare faiths. The 200 photographs demonstrating the diversity of architecture, people and terrain, are stunning in their beauty and simplicity. (Dec.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

This work offers explorations of each major world religion-Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-by a practitioner of the faith. Editors Hitchcock (Mad Mary Lamb) and Esposito (The Oxford History of Islam) bring together academics (e.g., Robert Wilken, history of Christianity, Univ. of Virginia) and religious leaders (e.g., Lobsang Dechen, codirector, Tibetan Nuns Project) in a rich mix. After examining the origins of a faith with reference to its homeland, each essay traces doctrinal development across time and place, with coverage of the conflicts and schisms that have rent each faith into sects. The essays run an average of 65 pages, many of which are taken up by magnificent color photographs. The opening and closing essays (by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter the Rev. Mpho Tutu and by the Dalai Lama, respectively) indicate that the work is intended for a more mainstream audience. Recommended for all public libraries.-Christopher Brennan, State Univ. Coll. at Brockport Lib. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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