Zoo Station

Hotel rooms in Japan often have a copy of the book "The Teaching of Buddha" in addition to a copy of the Bible. Now, if you had to put one book, just one book, in a hotel room for a religion of your choice, what would it be? You are welcome, of course, to pick any religion of your choice - Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism or any other religion - although there are clear choices for Islam and Christianity that I am aware of. This could be an introductory book to the religion, its beliefs and practices. Or it could be a way of introducing people to the religion. Or to the traditions. (Check out, for instance, Prashant Kothari's recommended book : Sources of Indian Tradition)

I am interested in people's responses to Hinduism in particular myself. I have sometimes been asked for a recommendation for a good introductory book to Hinduism. There are a couple of approaches to Hinduism, as I have mentioned in my previous post : one devotional, the other scholarly. The introductory books also fall under the two categories.

I read Kim Knott's "A very short introduction to Hinduism" by Oxford University Press to get an idea of what is out there, and to provide my own comments on introductory books. Kim Knott's is a book that definitely falls under the latter category. From "A very short introduction to Hinduism" :

So how might my account differ from those of other authors of introductory books on Hinduism? As this is 'a very short introduction', a great deal has been left out. For example, I have chosen to write more about contemporary forms and expressions of Hinduism than the history of the religion and its early beliefs and practices. As a woman scholar, I have tried to ensure that Hindu women and those from other poorly represented groups are given sufficient attention. As a white British person, I am historically related to the colonizers of India. I can't change my heritage, but I have tried to think critically about the impact of the British on modern Hinduism. Additionally, I am a Quaker by religion, not a Hindu: what I have written is not intentionally influenced by own religious identity, but neither is it motivated by a Hindu viewpoint. As an outsider, I offer a different perspective. I can't draw upon an internal Hindu source of knowledge, so I depend instead upon listening to many Hindu views and opinions for my understanding of the religion in all its complexity. I hope this will come across in the account which follow.

I asked for suggestions for an introduction to Hinduism of a few other friends. Their comments and mine in a follow-up post.

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