Product Description
This highly accessible resource distills Mircea Eliade’s lifework of detailing and comparing humanity’s entire religious heritage, providing fascinating insights into the character and worldview of the 33 principal religions. Including Buddhism, Christianity, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, Shinto, Shamanism, Taoism, South American religions, Baltic and Slavic religions, Confucianism, and the religions of Africa and Oceania, The HarperCollins Concise Guide to World Religions covers all kinds of relgious figures, histories, sacred texts, mythologies, and mystical techniques. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Historical Guide, Not A Religious One
This book is very detailed and 'concise'. The two readers who have reviewed it looked at it as a religious book, when really it is a brilliant historical account of the basic religions of the world. And looked at from that perspective, it deserves 5 stars, because you can never detect any biasedness while reading it. You can't tell what religion the writers belong to, which gives this book a distance which is necessary when studying one of the greatest emotional tools of the world: religion.

But how do these religions effect people's lives?
The title of this book, "The Harpercollins Concise Guide to World Religions," seems to be a bit of a misnomer.While it isgreat as a concise historical reference, it says almost nothing about the teachings of each religion.For example, the section on Christianity gives a splended account of the historical devopement of various denominations and factions, but it doesn't tell us what the Ten Commandments are, or what a Christian beileves he or she must do to get to heaven.In other words, religious values and morals are not discussed in this book to any meaningful extent, which dissapointed me quite a bit.Various conceptions of a particular divine being might be described, but we are left to wonder how a believer might apply a particular conception to their daily life.To me, this book seems to "miss the point."The fact that one of the authors lauds the book's successes in its introduction really makes one wonder.Having said that, however, I would like to repeat that this book is valuable as a quick historical reference.

Far too clinical in approach....
Rather than a well written and enlightened book about the world's religions, this book is excrutiatingly difficult read.It is more like a graduate student's thesis with references interrupting the flow of every other sentence.I found this book very disappointing in style, organization, and with too much information about religions that don't exist anymore.The content is there, but it is too difficult to dissect.....Find another guide that will help you understand the similarities/diffences in the world's religions.This one doesn't cut it. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Watch the movie
This is one of those rare moments when the movie is better than the book

Amazing story!
Eliade's story is breathtaking, with a deep hidden message, a story that works on so many levels. Read it and you shall not regret it. The movie, while good is confusing and misses the main point of the story.

There is something here, I'm sure of it; I just have no idea what it is...
There are lots of novels out there that attempt to be something profound, that try and create something meaningful and complete.Some of these novels succeed and yet many fail miserably.I don't really know where `Youth Without Youth' falls for I'm still trying to figure out just what exactly it was trying to be `profound' about.

The problem I have with `Youth Without Youth' is that upon closing the book I felt very unfulfilled, as if I had no real idea of what I was supposed to have been enlightened on.In the forward, written by Academy Award winning director Francis Ford Coppola (who just so happens to direct the movie adaptation of this novella), we are told that when making a movie sometimes it is best to make a movie about a subject you don't understand or base it on a question you don't know the answer to.Coppola says that in the process of making the movie you come to find the answer.

I guess maybe I need to see the movie.

Mircea Eliade's novella `Youth Without Youth' takes place in pre-World War II times and follows the strange journey of Dominic Matei, an aging man who is given a chance to relive his life so-to-speak when a lightening bolt strikes him, rejuvenating his body and giving him `power beyond what is normal'.Dominic is an interesting man, steeped heavily in philosophy and religion and language, and when he is made young again his memory and ability to grasp and ascertain is strengthened.This makes him the prime candidate for study and experimentation by the Nazi's.

I won't really get too far into the bulk of the story; it's kind of all over the place anyway.It leaves a lot of questions left unanswered in the end, questions that leave me furious since I was expecting something grand in closing to tie everything together.Eliade make's mention within this novella of time being an ambiguous thing, and so maybe the point of this novella was to elicit conversation and further research into the wonderment that is `time', but I don't feel compelled to do that.I feel like I wasted my `time' in attempting to enjoy something that is rather confusing and bland.

There was so much that could have been done here.Maybe the whole `novella' thing was a bad idea; maybe if only the story had been longer then it could have truly been fleshed out.The story wants to be all things and encompass so much that it never gives enough attention to anything long enough to make it remotely understandable and or interesting.

I still long to see the film, if only to see Coppola's return to the directors seat after being absent for too long (ten years is a long time to be out of pocket).I hope that Coppola was able to bring some sense to this story; for I'm certain that underneath it all there is a great story, a great prose and I'm almost positive there is a great `theory', I just couldn't find it.

Exquisite Philosophy of the "Butterfly Dream"
Youth Without Youth is a powerful and insightful novella written by Mircea Eliade, the Romanian philosopher and historian (1907-1986).The book which sets in the pre World War II era , tells a story of an ageing professor, Dominic Matei, coming to the end of the line, whose mysterious regeneration and rejuvenation make him a target for hunting down by the Nazis and others as well as having to confront a whole range of issues and dilemmas now that he is made young again with superhuman powers and given a second chance in life.The story moves through different countries and cultures from Romania, Switzerland, Malta to India spanning the richness of Eastern and Western cultures.

This is a thriller, love story and the "Butterfly Dream" philosophy of the Chinese philosopher, Zhuangzi(Chuang-tzu) - the dream-like nature of reality - all wrapped into one.

This thoughtful and insightful work has now been adapted for the screen in 2007 by the award-winning Francis Ford Coppola of the "Godfather" fame, his latest and most defining film in almost ten years.I have great hopes that Coppola, the dependable and talented producer/director and Tim Roth, an excellent and highly intelligent actor/director who takes his art/craft with utmost gravity (playing the leading role Dominic Matei) will do justice to this exquisite book.Whatever you do, don't miss the book and the film! ... Read more

Product Description
An informative guide to the modern mythologies! This classic study, translated from the original French, deals primarily with societies around the world in which myth is--or was until very recently-- "living," in the sense that it supplies models for human behavior and, by that very fact, gives meaning and value to life. The author believes that understanding the structure and function of myths in these traditional societies serves to clarify a stage in the history of human thought: "myths reveal that the World, man, and life have a supernatural origin and history, and that this history is significant, precious, and exemplary." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Important book for today
This book by Eliade looks at the function of myth as expressed through ritual, ceremony, and social rules.He argues that the myths provide templates for religious rituals, initiation ceremonies, magical charms, and social rules.In this way, all myths are myths of origin.Eliade also explores the survivals of mythic thinking in today's world.

Eliade explores a number of topics in the book including cosmogony, eschatology, mythic ideas relating to memory and forgetfulness, and more.In general he puts together a compelling view of universal trends in the function of myth.

My only real complaint with the topic is that the book seems slightly dated to me-- there have been great developments in our understanding of the mindset of oral cultures since the book was originally written in French.These developments clarify a lot of the points that Eliade seems to grasp at.Hence while I think this book is well worth reading, I would highly recommend reading "Orality and Literacy" by Walter Ong first.

All in all, this book will give you a different perspective on mythology and religion than you are likely to get elsewhere.I would recommend it for anyone seeking to understand these subjects and make sense out of life.

Grab Your Pillow
This book was poorly translated from French and it showed in the text. There are many grammatical errors and the information lacks any logical path, there is no main point in the book. I was greatly disappointed with this text. I do not recommend this book.

Myth and Reality
Myth and Realty is interesting to read in companion with Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces.The role of "myth" in our contemporary societies is not understood, let alone appreciated. Mircea develops ideas that anyone intrigued by the place of myth in modern culture should be looking to find.

Compelling book!
Eliade was the most complete and pyramidal mythologist of the last century . This book contains wonderful thoughts and considerations about the myth its undeniable influence in the ancient behavior patterns through the yearsand still its radiant charm and powerful mistery .

A great book about myth.
This was one of the books used in an Introduction to Mythology class I took. It's very scholarly, so have a good dictionary handy. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Magisterial
This three volume series is an excellent overview of human thinking and aspiration.The accomplishment is magnificent, a life work.

Editing:Four Stars.Translations are always difficult.

Copy Editing:Five Stars.Very clean.

The Triumph of the Idea of Ideas
The final volume of the trilogy is the smallest, the most succinct and the most approachable of the three.After a brief review of the religions of Eurasia (from Turkey to Finland) we plunge in to the formative years of Christianity when the first step is taken toward ensuring an orthodoxy that would later be enforced with torture.Origen and Augusting, the two greatest writers of the church, are discussed in this context.

Next is the story of Islam - or rather Muhammed - and how he became a warrior-ruler, leading his tribe to ever larger victories over Christendom.The lonely years of Judaism (from the fall of the Roman Empire to late in the Middle Ages) is given a empathetic hearing before moving onto the church in the Middle Ages, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation.Finally, a last look at Buddhism, the Tibetan way.ALways informative and entertaining, provocative with his conclusions.

Very good, just like the other parts of the series
Mircea Eliade could be reasonably considered as one of the Re-foundingFathers of modern study of religion. His History of Religious Ideas is thusone of the corner stones of modern research in this field. This particularpart of his history is as well written as the others. It deals very wellwith most of the improtant currents in mediaeval Christianity, includingthe spread of Christianity to Slav tribes, the Cluny rerform, the religiouslife associated with the rise of mendicant orders, Meister Eckhart, devotiomoderna but he does not forget about the rise of neopaganism in RenaissanceItaly, about the role of alchemy in religious feeling of the sixteenthcentury, he even ventures to say that modern physics was created almostunintentionally. This book is truly amazing.

There are also some downsides to the book. One, it cannot be taken as the"state-of-the-art" of religous study. Eliade has been surpassedby new research in the field. It is therefore better to use the book as ageneral background. Second, it has been shown that Eliade unfortunatelydeveloped the habit of sometimes stretching the truth to fit his analysis.He did not use this questionable method to such an extent as to render hiswhole analysis worthless but it does cast a shadow on his academichonesty.

BTW, I do not feel qualified to comment on his treatment ofreligious phenomena outside the Judeo-Christian cultural sphere. ... Read more

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SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING FOR ANY PSYCH/MYTHOLOGY STUDENTS
AN EXCELLENT BEGINNING AN END TO STUDIES INTO PSYCHOLOGY, RELIGION, AND MYTHOLOGY.THIS BOOK DEFINES THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT STUDENTS OF RELIGION AND MYTHOLOGY ARE LOOKING FOR. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

The ideal introduction to alchemy for the novice
This was my third book by Eliade, but certainly not the last. Eliade was a professor of the history of religions at the University of Chicago, among other things, but he was also very well travelled, having studied under the guidance of an Indian yogi back in Mother India. He was born in Rumania, a contemporary of the European idealist freedom fighter Corneliu Codreanu in the 30's, and in fact a member of the Legion of the Archangel Michael, a radical "Right-wing" religious organization opposed to the project of creating a new Israel on European soil. Although Eliade throughout his life claimed to be very "apolitical", his views on religion have a natural conservative and reactionary consequence, so hence this is for sure one of "our own boys".

This particular book deals with alchemy, not from a technical or chemical point of view, but from a historical, religious, cultural and to a certain degree psychological and traditionalist. Most primitive peoples had no access to metals (iron in particular) beside that which fell from the sky, so; "When Cortez enquired of the Aztec chiefs whence they obtained their knives they simply pointed to the sky" (p.21). Meteoric iron was among many peoples held in higher regard than gold, and looked upon as gifts directly from higher powers. From this first chapter "Meteorites and Metallurgy", we onwards learn much about how the first smiths, potters, carpenters and so on ritualized and sanctified their work and viewed it as a mirror-image of the original celestial creation. Later, Eliade teaches us on how many alchemists thoughts of the world as divided into sexes, and hence how various items, parts of nature, chemical solutions, metallic alloys and so on also were divided into various sexes.

We later touch on such issues as "Divine Smiths & Civilizing Heroes", "Smiths, Warriors, Masters of Initiation", "Chinese & Indian Alchemy", "Arcana Artis" and of course, one of Eliade's favourite subjects; "Alchemy and Temporality". All this, and more, in less than 200 pages of large-font text, who would want to miss out on that? Included is also a very useful and comprehensive bibliography. Eliade draws on both Evola and Jung, among many others, in this rather detailed research into the origins of alchemy. As always Eliade renders what is often annoyingly obscure into clear as day facts that anyone can understand. Ideal as the first book you read on this fascinating subject! 5 stars, without a doubt.

strong on ideas, research inconsistent
As usual Eliade spins wonderful philosophical and spiritual ideas laid over history. And they make engrossing reading. I don't know how much one can trust the historical facts cited throughout this work. For example Eliade says the earliest known metallurgy was in the mountains of Armenia in 1200-1200 BC. In fact it is now widely accepted that the Ban Chiang (present-day NE Thailand) was forging bronze tools and ornaments at least by 2200 BC, possibly earlier.

Still, well worth reading for the ideas.

Great Introductions to a fascinating subject
If I had my time over again I would read these three books on alchemy in the following order:All of them are excellent in their own sphere to introduce a complex process.

(1) The Forge and the Crucible - Eliade
This is an excellent prehistory of alchemy showing the patterns of thought out of which Alchemy most probably arose.An easy read.

(2) Anatomy of the Soul - Edinger
Set out according to seven processes involved in alchemy Calcinatio, Solutio, Coagulatio, Sublimatio, Mortificatio, Separatio, Coniunctio, this is an accessible book that puts each process in reasonably neat boxes, (though the considerable overlap and intermingling is acknowledged).The approach is somewhat mechanical.

(3) Alchemy, an Introduction... - Von Franz.
More 'organic' than Edinger, Von Franz has a very warm and human touch.She deals with the origins of alchemy in Egypt and Greece and delves into the 'Aurora Consurgens', attributed to Aquinas.She includes relevent and interesting case material.Being a transcription of lectures, it is a little haphazard, though none the less informative for that.

TAKING A GLANCE TO THE MYSTERIES OF ALCHEMY
Lucidly and masterly written, this study on the origins and meaning of ancient Alchemy is a highly useful and recommendable one. As always, M. Eliade has collected a vast amount of data concerning this issue and has reached far-reaching conclusions as for the value, the role and the meaning of the otherwise rather vague world of Alchemy. Very important for anyone interested in knowing about the theme. ... Read more

Product Description
Toute femme nue incarne la Nature, la prakrti. On devra donc la regarder avec la même admiration et le même détachement que l’on apporte à considérer l’insondable secret de la Nature, sa capacité illimitée de création. La nudité rituelle de la yoginî a une valeur mystique intrinsèque : si, devant la femme nue, on ne découvre pas dans son être le plus profond la même émotion terrifiante qu’on ressent devant la révélation du Mystère cosmique – il n’y a pas rite, il n’y a qu’un acte profane.
Dans la pûja (le « culte » proprement dit) on adore le lieu où la nâyîkâ est assise, on fait des offrandes et on baigne la femme comme on baigne la statue d’une déesse. Pendant ce temps-là, le pratiquant répète mentalement des formules. La concentration atteint son maximum quand il porte la nâyîkâ dans ses bras et la dépose sur le lit, en répétant la formule : Hlîng klîng kandarpa svâhâ. L’union a lieu entre deux « dieux ». Le jeu érotique se réalise sur le plan transphysiologique, car il ne prend jamais fin. Pendant le maithuna, le yogin et sa nâyîkâ incorporent une « condition divine », en ce sens que, non seulement ils expérimentent la béatitude, mais qu’ils peuvent contempler directement la réalité ultime.
Il s’approche du Bouddha et recueille de sa bouche cette leçon inattendue : « Les femmes sont les dieux, les femmes sont la vie, les femmes sont la parure. Soyez toujours en pensée parmi les femmes ! » ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent, though somewhat academic, intro to Patanjali
I read this book on a beach in southern France in the summer of 1984.It sparked many years of subsequent reading ... Read more

Product Description
This multidisciplinary study is the first book devoted entirely to the critical interpretation of the writings of Mircea Eliade on myth. One of the most popular and influential historians and theorists of myth, Eliade argued that all myth is religious. Douglas Allen critically interprets Eliade's theories of religion, myth, and symbolism and analyzes many of the controversial issues in Eliade's treatment of myth, including whether Eliade's approach deals adequately with the relationship between myth and history and how Eliade's anti-modern perspective makes sense of myth in modern culture. A valuable resource for scholars in religious studies, philosophy, anthropology, and history, this book enables readers not only to understand "archaic" and "traditional" religious phenomena, but also to make sense of repressed and sublimated myth dimensions in modern secular life. ... Read more

Product Description
This multidisciplinary study is the first book devoted entirely to the critical interpretation of the writings of Mircea Eliade on myth. One of the most popular and influential historians and theorists of myth, Eliade argued that all myth is religious. Douglas Allen critically interprets Eliade's theories of religion, myth, and symbolism and analyzes many of the controversial issues in Eliade's treatment of myth, including whether Eliade's approach deals adequately with the relationship between myth and history and how Eliade's anti-modern perspective makes sense of myth in modern culture. A valuable resource for scholars in religious studies, philosophy, anthropology, and history, this book enables readers not only to understand "archaic" and "traditional" religious phenomena, but also to make sense of repressed and sublimated myth dimensions in modern secular life. ... Read more

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The diary of Mircea Eliade, the seminal thinker on religion, during the period he served as a diplomat in Portugal. ... Read more

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In this landmark book the renowned scholar of religion Mircea Eliade lays the groundwork for a Western understanding of Yoga, exploring how its guiding principle, that of freedom, involves remaining in the world without letting oneself be exhausted by such "conditionings" as time and history. Drawing on years of study and experience in India, Eliade provides a comprehensive survey of Yoga in theory and practice from its earliest foreshadowings in the Vedas through the twentieth century. The subjects discussed include Patañjali, author of the Yoga-sutras; yogic techniques, such as concentration "on a Single Point," postures, and respiratory discipline; and Yoga in relation to Brahmanism, Buddhism, Tantrism, Oriental alchemy, mystical erotism, and shamanism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

It's Not About the Exercises
This is a uniquely valuable and fascinating book, but first let's say what it's not. It isn't going to help you with your practice of yoga-postures and breathing. It isn't going to help you (much) with your spiritual practice of yoga.

Over the last 60 years a lot of effort has been made to adapt Asian spiritualities to the West. With an intimidating depth of scholarship, Eliade does the opposite. He discusses Patanjali's Dualistic Yoga, Shankara's Nondualism, Tantra, the "heretical" systems of Jainism and Buddhism in their original context, showing that all are variants of a single sublime and terrifying Idea given to us by India: that the whole universe of time, space and matter must be rejected because it is subject to change, decay and death; that it is possible to transcend the human condition entirely and to attain a diamond-like state of eternal purity, peace, changelessness and boundlessness devoid of specific characteristics. He shows too how these ways of liberation are all thoroughly intertwined with archaic cosmologies, physical theories and images of the body.

Instead of asking, What can the Buddha mean to us? he asks, What did the Buddha himself actually mean? The answer is stranger than you might imagine, and a hundred worlds away from contemporary Western-tailored Buddhism. This book is not for the faint-hearted: threaded with long Sanskrit word, capped by 65 pages of Notes. But persistence will be richly rewarded: with your newfound knowledge you will be able to infuriate your spiritually-minded friends and start any number of futile arguments.

A Masterpiece
Eliade is the greatest of the modern interpreters of myth and religious practice, and Shamanism, along with his Yoga: Immorality and Freedom, are his two most brilliant works. If you love the study of comparative religion any myth, you'll love this book. Bear in mind that these books are about what people believe and how they think about those beliefs. Eliade is a scholar, not a pseudo-mystic, so expect brilliant analysis and insights, not a how-to book on New Age levitation, hepatoscopy, and Oomantia (divination using egg whites!).

Recommended by a former student of the author's
This book was my first introduction to yoga in the late 1960's, when the author taught at the University of Chicago and I did graduate work in South Asian Studies. Many decades later, after yoga teacher's training, studies in Carl Jung's archetypal psychology, alchemy and dreamwork I still find it a valuable reference book.It's a good introduction for anyone interested in following the development of yoga theory and practice in India: the major traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and even aboriginal cultures. Eliade's discussion of the art and practice of Tantric ritual is still among the best I've seen; it clarifies an otherwise confusing topic for the Western reader. A classic not only for yoga teachers' libraries and academics, but recommended for anyone with an interest in what yoga's really about, and where it orginated.

All serious yoga scholars have this book or want it
I have the Bollingen paperback third printing of the Second Edition of 1969.I have little doubt that they used the plates from that hardcover edition, so the text is identical.The edition of 1970 currently available is the same as the one I have except for a new cover.The original was in French, published in Paris in 1954.This edition is professionally translated by William R. Trask.

Eliade was a nearly legendary scholar of indefatigable energy, and so it is not surprising that this is the definitive single volume academic work on yoga in English (that I am aware of).George Feuerstein's coffee table sized The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice (1998) is a different sort of book, covering yoga from a more practical point of view, and is accessible to a general public.Eliade's book is aimed directly and just about exclusively at academicians.Furthermore, while Feuerstein is a practitioner as well as a scholar, Eliade makes no pretense of first hand experience.As he relates in the Forward, he is interested in the discovery and interpretation of yoga by the West.He wants to explain that in detail.His is a "comparatively full exposition of the theory and practices of yoga...[a] history of its forms, and...its place in Indian spirituality..." (p. xx)The qualifying "comparatively" is a bit of modesty on the part of Eliade.This book really is a "full exposition" (insofar as that is possible) including the ideas, symbolism and methods of yoga "as they are expressed in tantrism, in alchemy, in folklore, in the aboriginal devotion of India." (p. xxii)

The text, which includes lengthy chapters such as, "Yoga and Brahmanism," "Yoga Techniques in Buddhism," "Yoga and Tantrism," "Yoga and Alchemy," etc. runs for 362 dense pages.Sixty-six pages of notes follow, and then a most extensive and valuable bibliography.The Index itself is 47 pages long and concludes with a by-line(!), "Index by Bart Winer," which is only right considering the text was written and set before the age of computers.

This is not a book for practitioners of yoga but a book for students and scholars of the literature of yoga.It is a challenge to read and appreciate and only really accessible to those with some experience with the literature.There is probably no serious yoga book written in the past quarter century that fails to cite it.

Yoga philosopy, the details
Eliade researched for this book, while staying with Surendranath Dasgupta in India, who was the formost scholar of indian philosophy and thelogy at his time. Eliade meticulously analyzed the indian scriptures andcommentaries on sankhya and yoga and presents yoga as a huge, complex andprecise system of practice and philosphy with the goal of kaivalyam(libration). This book is a lighthouse in the present time of publishing asmuch as the printing press can print. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Useful comparative work
In his typical fashion, Eliade here has created a well organized sourcebook for the study of comparative mythology and religion.The book is organized by section and includes summaries from various scholars or translations of important mythic texts.

Among others, you will find here portions of the Avestas, portions of the Rig Veda and the Uppanishads, various myths of creation from around the world, etc.Additionally Homeric hymns, works by Hesiod, and even parts of the Koran are included.

I would recommend this work to anyone studying comparative religion or mythology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The concluding volume to a magnum opus
I am a bit torn when writing this review.Along with volumes 1 and 2 of this series, in terms of content, volume 3 clearly deserves five stars as well.Beginning comprehensively enough with an interpretation of the religions of Eurasia (Turko-Mongol, Finno-Ugrian, Balto-Slav), the following seven chapters deftly handle the development of early Christian, Islamic, and post-second temple Jewish thought, including an excursus on Hermeticism, up to the Protestant Reformation.But then the final chapter of the book ends with "Tibetan Religions."And then, finis.
Clearly, before Eliade's death a year after its' publication, he had intended to compose a fourth volume.In the preface to this work he spoke of his intention to transfer to the "final volume" the "chapters on the expansion of Hinduism, medieval China, and Japanese religions."In addition, he also planned to include "a presentation of the archaic and traditional religions of America, Africa and Oceania."Finally, in the last chapter of his planned work, he tantalizingly offered "to analyze the religious creativity of modern societies."
Surely, anyone who has taken the time to read this three-volume tour de force from cover to cover can't help but be profoundly disappointed that Msr. Eliade was not granted just a few more years on this globe to complete this extraordinary work.
Would that I could write the final volume myself!Alas, I lack the breadth of learning and scholarly acumen that only the very few possess. Takers anyone?Anyone??'Tis a dream to be wished.

The Apex of the Trilogy
Why this particular volume is out of print when the other two can still be purchased is a mystery.Amazon.com has a mistake in their review - it is not the third or final volume of the series; it is the second volume and is subtitled: "From Gautama Buddha to the Triumph of Christianity." The final volume is subtitled: "From Muhammed to the Age of Reforms".

This volume is the best of the three, dealing with such divergent religious ideas as Buddhism, Hinduism, other Eastern religions, Judaism and Christianity.One should never forget that these three books are about religious ideas - not religion per se, and as such, the discussion is of a more theoretical nature.Philosophical concerns bubble to the surface as we began to ask ourselves why we worshipped as we did.

A very clear explication and history of Eastern thought is thoroughly discussed.New concepts are introduced as religious thought ranges from the morality of Chinese wise men to the pantheon of Hindu gods to the godless (but soon to be god) teachings of Buddha.As he notes, Buddha never attempted to present his teachings with any kind of structure.The various groupings and sayings were assembled after his death by his disciples.The same can be said of Jesus.

In discussing Judaism he stresses its utter uniqueness in the belief in only one god, Yahweh.This could be accomplished once the Israeli's forswore their primitive animism and saw God not as just a protector but as a Creator as well.The beginnings of Christianity are an exciting read with the maelstrom of religious ideas encircling and thriving off one another - Mithraism, Gnosticism, Manichaenism, the Ebionites, Greek gods...and out of this mix, Christianity triumphed having borrowed something from each of these groups. ... Read more

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A Quest for Relevance--Still Relevant Today
The title chapter of the book makes the book as a whole worth a good read through, especially if you are in or are influenced by the field of Religious Studies.Already in the 1960's, Eliade was lamenting the over-specialization running rampant in many humanities fields which tended to make research about little more than an exercise in pointing out random curiosities rather than contributing to the ongoing cultural discourse of our own society.If you've ever felt like academia has grown too detached and irrelevant in recent decades, you'll find a kindred spirit in Eliade. ... Read more

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Assesses Mircea Eliade's contribution to the contemporary understanding of religion and the academic study of religion.

Changing Religious Worlds measures the nature and significance of Mircea Eliade's contribution to the understanding and academic study of religion in North America today. It includes the perspectives of the continent's leading experts on Eliade and his thought, both critical and supportive. It also includes previously unpublished fiction and journal entries from Eliade himself. The book ponders whether it is time to leave Eliade behind or whether we can yet learn from either his insights or his errors, and whether the changing world has left Eliade behind or whether it is finally catching up with him. Particular consideration is given to whether Eliade makes any lasting contribution to our ability to deal with the changing face of religion and the ability to "change over" into the religious world of the other and to see through the eyes of the other. ... Read more

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This is a survey of the common myths that connect all cultures, Eastern and Western, from ancient times to the present day. They cross boundaries of time, geography and culture - laying a foundation for the religious, social and political heritage of nations and peoples. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wrong Table of Contents
I was lucky. I checked this book out of the library.

Although the information in the book is interesting and was, in fact, almost exactly what I was looking for, I too was disappointed that items in the table of contents did not appear in the actual chapters of the book!

I checked here at Amazon and was glad to read a review that confirmed my findings--that the table of contents was misleading. This could be a very big problem for an online buyer.

My advice: Check it out of the library and if you like it, then buy it online!

It's Not All Bad
This book does cover a wide range of cultures and myths, exploring them in a wider, more universal context by placing certain myths next to other myths and drawing a few conclusions that are natural, intelligent, and reminicent of Joseph Campbell.This is a great book for light reading and glancing through, however, this is not a good book to use as a reference tool in understanding myths, because of the way in which it is put together.In a collection of myths that are categorized by universal theme, the table of contents becomes an important guide to the understanding of the stated themes and the author's insights.But in this book the table of contents doesn't match the rest of the book AT ALL.Many of the myths that claim to be listed are not, and several myths appear that were not listed at all.Myths appear under totally different sections then they were listed by the author at the begining, which leads to great confusion as to which section they truly belong to.This is not a problem if you're reading this for sheer entertainment and have no intention of using it as a reference book for research or writing in the fields of mythology and universal themes.My suggestion is to rip out the table of contents and write yourself a new one based on the actual book. Unfortunately it brings the writer's credibility into question since several myths seem to be in sections they don't belong with and the book is completely contradictory from the first page on.
I was deeply disappointed with this book, having relied on the table of contents that Amazon.com allows you to see and the other excerpts included to tell how expansive it was and useful it would be as a resource for understanding universal themes.Saddly there were many myths I was glad to see included that in the end were not included in anything more then the table of contents.
Perhaps it was my own error for relying so much on what Amazon.com allowed me to see of the book (ie the table of contents) and for assuming that the book followed the table of contents and was as well organized and thought provoking as it appeared to be.That was my mistake and I want to make sure other people realize what they are getting when they purchase this book. As I said, it's not a bad book if you rip out the table of contents and don't rely on it too heavily for mythic accurasy and stunnning conclusions about universal themes.It's a nice introduction to the concept of universal themes and a nice selection of myths from around the world. The index was much more helpful then the table of contents and the first chapter on creation myths was really very good. ... Read more