Read this for a graduate class on Religion in Education. I think a lot of professors assign this book because it's a well-known one that covers many religions. The book works great if you want to hear Huston Smith's narrative interpretation of what the world's religions are about, however it's not so great if you actually want a good overview of world religions in order to gain some basic knowledge about them. He makes lots of awkward comparisons with Christianity and Western culture that don't

My rating should really be split into two: 5/5 for the art and 2/5 for the written content. The photographs and artworks in The Illustrated World's Religions are gorgeous, and highly illustrative of the various faiths in question. But the text is riddled with sweeping generalities. Peoples with highly different faiths and worldviews are lumped together: the final chapter, "The Primal Religions", includes Australian Aborigines, Native Americans, and various peoples of Africa and New Guinea as all...

I picked up this book thinking that this would be a good refresher, after all I'm a worldly woman who knows so much about other religions! Right? Yeah, I'm embarrassed about how smug that sounds, too. After perusing (in the truly correct use of that word) its pages, I honestly cannot believe how little I knew. And to be completely honest, I am still struggling to grasp all of the information presented by Smith.This book is amazing. Smith readily admits that his work is not comprehensive (and rea...

The seminal inaccurate "world religions" volume for the ages. While Smith's coverage of the Judeo-Christian tradition is excellent and his treatment of Islam is adequate, he has a hard time getting away from the Middle Eastern/monotheistic perspective and allows it to color his writing. Consequently this book becomes less and less accurate the farther East he gets and the more different from the Judeo-Christian tradition the religions become. His handling of Buddhism and Taoism is particularly s...

A very interesting book, from this book I learnt many things about some religions that I did not know, worth a read if you like religion related theme books. Would be an excellent choice for students at College or University for study reasons.

Brilliant! Huston Smith, a Christian, is a child of missionaries who has lived in many parts of the world. He has taught comparative religion courses for many years. He dedicates a chapter in this book to each of the world's major religions. He deals with each religion sensitively, in depth, with generosity and with impressive insight. He points out, quoting Justice Holmes, that science makes major contributions to minor needs and that religion, however small its successes, is at least at work o...

No doubt a popular book in terms of numbers of copies sold. The author is a highly respected scholar on world religions who has taught at some of the most prestigious universities in America. He also grew up in China and has imbibed the rituals of most of the religions he's studied. So why the two stars:* Smith is a pluralist. I find this position doesn't allow for the most rigorous and critical analysis of the religious positions presented.Indeed, I find this position ironically gives the least...

This book is a very good introduction into the worlds religions. It is informative and gives insight into the religions core beliefs and also their historical mark on the world.

I would have preferred a more factual presentation. As is, the book focuses primarily on philosophical generalizations derivable from events and doctrines whose historical development (and evidence-based justification) Smith leaves by the wayside. It's worth a read if you're already well acquainted with the facts and want an introduction to the spirit of each religion, but it wouldn't make a good textbook. Smith's ideas and evident first-hand knowledge are, however, admirable.

I have found “The World’s Religions” by Huston Smith to be a worthwhile read. The book is highly informative about the greatly diverse religious beliefs, values, and traditions among the world’s great and not-so-great religions. I found it to be a highly engaging experience to read about the diverse ways in which human civilizations have, throughout the centuries and millennia of human history, expressed their desires to commune with the Spiritual Realm – a Realm often referred to as God. I lear...

The World's Religions is one of the most insightful introductory texts to the distinct religions in the world one will discover. It was through this book that allows me to give a one-word definition for each of the definitions; for without them I will perhaps will not remember the words, the brilliance, and social implications Smith brought into an extremely well-written eulogy of the world's religions. Whilst I continue to remain an agnostic atheist, I will have had the opportunity to qualify m...

Reading this book was an education of the most wonderful kind. I have been trying to make sense of religion and overcoming my perception of it as merely an elaborate system of rituals. In this book I have encountered much wisdom, even the ability to see the value in the rituals and the myths. It is easier for me to recognise that my temperament was not suitable to the tradition of devotion which I assumed to be the only form of religion. It is important for me to reflect and to experiment, and i...

I hope to have time to reflect more on this one in writing. For now, a quote:"But we also listen to the faith of others, including the secularists. We listen first because, as this book opened by noting, our times require it. The community today can be no single tradition; it is the planet. Daily the world grows smaller, leaving understanding the only place where peace can find a home. We are not prepared for the annihilation of distance that science has effected. Who today stands ready to accep...

Huston provides a powerful punch of wonderous delight for the world's historical religions. I was left in awestuck wonder at how beautiful, pragmatic, and well thought out information that he articluates in this excellent book. This is an unbias fact base book that adhears to the positive side that religion provides (aside from the negativity that is obviously present within every religion, he bypasses that notion and delves into the heart and soul of each practice.)I sat on my comfy sofa feelin...

I've always found Huston Smith insightful, lucid, and fun to read, and so I chose this as one of my course textbooks (when the previous textbook came out in a new edition—for $110!). In spite of its lack of much primary source material (which Philip Novak's collection of scriptures supplements), this is an excellent introduction to the major religions of the world, "our wisdom traditions." Smith's concise chapters describe the big religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Judaism, Isla...

The book is thoroughly uneven - strong at some points (Hinduism, Buddhism, articulating the merits of the world's wisdom tradtions) and weak at others (Judaism, Tribal religions, covering the nuts and bolts of the world's religions)."As it was, the first 'draft' of my book was delivered to a television audience, and the director of the series never let me forget that audience. This is not a classroom where you have a captive audience, he kept reminding me. If you lose their attention for thirty

James and I read for seminary 9/10 grade years. Very interesting and great to get a good overview of many different religions.

A very nicely-put-together book, this consists of chapters written by various authors on different facets of religion: pilgrimages, prayers, modern directions of the church, etc. My favorite part was the photos, which were of National Geographic-type quality and showed people performing various religious activities, as well as some beautiful shots of temples, churches, and scenery. While not really something I would ordinarily just pick up to read, it was a very easy-reading book--very interesti...

I read this book for a World Religions class which was actually the intro class, but I took it at the end :) I didn't expect much from a 101 class, but this book really grabbed me. As Smith says in the beginning, 'There are plenty of sources dealing with the negative aspects of religions and religious strife over the years. This book focuses on the positive aspects, the ideal each religion is striving for.'It really opened up new worlds to me, and it was a breath of fresh air to have Christianit...