Mahabharata
by William Buck
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Book Summary Information
Author: William BuckIllustrator: Shirley Triest
Introduction: B.A. van Nooten
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2000-11-14
ISBN: 0520227042
Number of pages: 440
Publisher: University of California Press
Book Reviews of Mahabharata
Book Review: "Once Hearing This, Who Can Bear Listening to Other Stories?"
Summary: 5 Stars
India has two great Epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, which have influenced popular Hinduism more over the last 2,000 years than the Sacred Scriptures, the Vedas, themselves.
The Ramayana tells of how Sri Rama, helped by the monkey/god Hanuman, rescues his wife Sita, kidnapped by the demon Ravana and held captive in his fortress on Sri Lanka. The Mahabharata is a more complex tale of war, betrayal, thoughtless oaths and the tragedies of loyalty.
The Ramayana is a literary epic, shapely and polished.
The Mahabharata is a titanic, sprawling miscellany, filling half a shelf on a book-case. Complete sets gather dust and nourish weevils in University Libraries.
In what was both a labour of love and a virtuoso feat, William Buck distilled the pure story into one small magical paperback. Sure, it's a beginner's version, but most of us are beginners at Hindu epic. This is a book that makes all fantasy fiction look lame. It is as enchanting as "The Lord of the Rings" and as credible as "All Quiet on the Western Front." The giddying intricacy of the plot is the organic intricacy of a fern unfolding, not the mechanical intricacy of a thriller. It took generations and a whole civilisation to create this book. There are not many like it.
In two words. Read it. If you have children of 9, 10 or older, get them to read it, buy it on CD, download it, or read it to them. Friends, neighbours, people you bump into at the supermarket, get them to read it. Traditionally, reading the Mahabharata was believed to convey a blessing, like performing a religious rite. I can't think of any reason to doubt it.
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