Tantrika : Traveling the Road of Divine Love

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book that satisfies all themes
Review: Asra Nomani is a brilliant writer. She has captured beautifully the essence of her journey not only into the far reaches of India and Pakistan, but also into the depths of herself. The book is funny and poignant. In places, it makes you laugh, while in other places there are chapters that can bring you to tears.

She travels to India three times to find the real meaning of Tantra. Her deep respect for all religions makes her a beautiful person. She has no fear, she has no doubts when it comes to facing the truth.

As a reader, you become a part of her every experience and understand that her search for the truths about Tantra is really the vehicle for understanding her true identity. This is a powerful and important book for everyone to read.

Rating:
Summary: Not as advertised
Review: By the cover and the title, the publisher of this book is using sex to sell it. However it is barely about Tantra at all. It is the author's journey of "who am I". It is all over the place and most of the time I could not tell what the heck she was talking about, or to whom she was referring. She is very coy about anything sexual. She needed a good editor to get her to focus, but focus, she does not. Don't waste your time unless you like reading someones's journal (who knows people are reading it and therefore leaves out anything private).

Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: Honest and touching. Author has shown very well the relationhip between sex and spiritiality.The book is very Enjobale to read. the author has done a great service by writing this book and helpful the reader in understanding the complexities of the world; and finally to attain peace within oneself and outside.

Rating:
Summary: Not as advertised
Review: I very much anticipated reading this book being familiar with Asra Nomani's writing as well as being able to relate to her spiritual quest. While I simply loved the story, the recounting of a long deep spiritual journey, the telling of that story does leave some to be desired. I found the style to be choppy at times and the text was not well edited. These criticisms aside, I highly recommend this book for any one, especially Muslim women, who have ever come to a place in life where you needed to do some searching to find a truly comfortable place in your "religious" beliefs.

Rating:
Summary: Great Story, Average Telling
Review: I very much anticipated reading this book being familiar with Asra Nomani's writing as well as being able to relate to her spiritual quest. While I simply loved the story, the recounting of a long deep spiritual journey, the telling of that story does leave some to be desired. I found the style to be choppy at times and the text was not well edited. These criticisms aside, I highly recommend this book for any one, especially Muslim women, who have ever come to a place in life where you needed to do some searching to find a truly comfortable place in your "religious" beliefs.

Rating:
Summary: Great & Timely Book for Women or Men from the East or West
Review: If one expects "Tantrika" to be a book on sex and sex-techniques, they definitely will not find this. It is not a "Kamasutra" book. It is a highly philosophical and serious book written in a simple and enjoyable way. One never gets bored. Actually one will get so much involved in reading they will hesitate to stop or take a break. One becomes one of the characters. One will feel that the author is describing the reader's own emotions and experiences.

It deals with the struggle of a young immigrant women. To read this book, one need not be young or an immigrant. Women and men of all ages, ethnic groups, faiths and race will enjoy the book and get emotionally affected. It will help in attaining peace within oneself and the environment - especially among people. It will help in better understanding one's religion and other faiths. The book helps us respect ourselves and other people. It will help in bringing harmony and peace in the world.

Modern day tensions and problems often lead to stressful married life and broken marriages. The book clearly demonstrates the strong relationship between sexuality and spirituality. Positive female and male energy will contribute to happy married life and the working environment.

This book is not a novel or fiction. It is a true story about the experiences of the author. The author is describing the real world and the shock of the hypocrisy and duality of people. The reader will discover how deeply people have forgotten the real message of their religion today.

Another dimension of this book is that it can serve as excellent reading material for college students in disciplines such as diversity programs, international studies, counseling and rehabilitation, sociology, social work, philosophy, psychology, religion and culture, English creative writing.

In summary, "Tantrika" is a deeply philosophical and very enjoyable book. It opens the mind of the reader. Everybody gets benefited in both their spiritual and real worlds.

Rating:
Summary: Good story but sloppy writing
Review: Tantrika is one woman's journey to India and Pakistan is search of spirituality and discovery of her roots. Along the way she meets many characters, some warm and wonderful some a bit shady. The journey ends suddenly and you are left wondering what it all meant. The story is interesting never the less, even though the writing is sloppy and the story goes all over the place. The book feel more like a random brain dump that a coherent story. The personal and political are interwoven aimlessly.

Rating:
Summary: Bridget Jones's Diary Meets The Accidental Tourist
Review: There's no use in pretending here. I have known dear Asra for over 15 years and while her writing is strong, her character and heart are even stronger. If you want to visit the far corners of the earth without leaving the comforts of home, hitch a ride with this global nomad. Asra is a fearless writer, who bares her most personal experiences of marriage and romance with her readers as she searches for Tantra narratives and The One. You'll root for her the whole way and bask in the glory that is her son, Shibli, a hopeful light of life that shows us all where all divine love lies--close to the heart and hearth. A message of triumph and union for a troubled world that could use more such narratives.