Rating: 
Summary: A tremendous resource
Review: This is one of the most meaningful and insightful books I have ever read. Mr. Smith gives the reader a reasonable explanation of each of the world's major religions. One of the most interesting parts of the book is the discussion of the historical period that gave birth to each religion. While I have never met Mr. Smith or heard him speak, I suspect he has studied linguistics along with religion. I say this because he often takes time to explain meanings of concepts in the context of their native language and culture. I found this fascinating. As someone who has tried to write, I found Mr. Smith's talent in this area to be awe-inspiring. I can't count the number of times I would read a paragraph, then look back in amazement at the depth of information that had been conveyed in such a small space. For those who seek to understand other cultures and religions, or even to better understand their own, this book is a gift.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant synopsis of the best of the world's religions
Review: Mr. Smith extracts from the world's great religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity - that which is ideal. He intentionally does not delve into the minutiae of religious history or the many ways in which religion has been used as a vehicle for evil. As he explains, "The empowering theological and metaphysical truths of the world's religions are . . . inspired. Institutions - religious institutions emphatically included - are another story. . . ." The book thus sets forth in careful, clear prose and clever detail the very best of seven influential world religions - their core beliefs, their inherent beauty. Mr. Smith is a genius with an analogy, and unfamiliar, or arguably bizarre, religious abstractions are summed up and made concrete in the stroke of a pen. Take, for example, the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. "It holds that while God is fully one, God is also three. The latter half of this claim leads Jews and Muslims to wonder if Christians are truly monotheists, but Christians are confident that they are. As water, ice, and steam, H2O ssumes states that are liquid, solid, and gaseous while retaining its chemical identity." This brilliant book is a "must read" for everyone, of every religious persuasion. The respect it instills for diverse religious beliefs, and the manner in which the reader slowly comes to realize how much seemingly incompatable religious systems have in common, is nothing less than profound. -- Christine Klein
Rating: 
Summary: This book should never be forced on college students.
Review: I bought this book for a class at school. I want to know why Huston can't just get to the point? You know we only have so much time on this earth and he has wasted so much of my time rambling for paragraph after paragraph in the end making absolutely no point. Look get this, I don't want to hear your ramblings! Tell me what I need to hear (the good & the bad) he seems to skip areas of religion that may be deemed somewhat controversial. If you really have to ramble and show off your wonderful vocabulary, start a web blog so that I am not forced to purchase it. To the lady who stated this book is intended for the average reader, it is obvious you have never had a date and need to get out more. I have no respect for this author, I do not believe he has a clue about people nor what they believe despite other reviews I have read. If anyone wants to start an 'anti-Huston Smith club'. I'll be your first member. This is a horrible read. Just telling it like it is....
Rating: 
Summary: Good to know about the good side and wisdom of religions.
Review: Being at a stage of agnosticism, I found myself curious and needing to know more about all the religions, and decided to try Houston Smith's "The World's Religions". Smith includes the world's predominant faiths: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity and the native traditions several continents. If this is your first contact with many of these religions, you will for sure feel lost. Even in the engaging way Smith writes, there is just too much information that is left out, and I often found myself wondering about certain subjects that were mentioned but not explained. My main problem with this book was perhaps the lack of more historical facts, a clear exposure of the main differences between religions, and a better index, which is essential not only for reference but also for people who are having their first contact with religion (For instance, Torah, now what's that anyway? Hmm, no, it's not in the index...hmm). Not even Smith's summaries at the end of each chapter will leave you with the feeling you finally understand it all, and I wouldn't mind having some graphics clarifying things out a bit better instead of having to take notes all the time - A broader view on the subject. I am perhaps spoiled with my engineering degree in college where complex matters are usually explained with the help of some diagrams, so some people might not miss this aspect. But don't get me wrong. This book does deliver most of what it promises, and attempts to cover extremely complex matters of heart that are simply impossible to fully present in a book, much of it you will have to feel, not read. It is poor on history, but it's not supposed to have much more on that field (I would prefer a bit more), and also, what might annoy some people is that it is not a balanced account of its subject. You will only get to know about values, attention will be given only to the good parts. If you want a balanced account on religions, including fanaticism, persecution, and those sides that are more of a curse than a blessing, but still are part of it, you will have to find another book. If you want to learn about the main values, (many of which they all share) it's here, but keep in mind that you are not seeing the dark side of the moon. My objective was precisely learning about the values of each religion, and how they compare to each other. (This book is better with the first problem than with the second). Smith apparently did not want to go too deep into the comparative religions waters, as comparisons probably always end up comparing their worth and are sometimes odious. The price for not showing one religion as superior to others is that you will not get comparisons, or you will get very little of it. Finally, the differences are sometimes minimal, but sometimes huge. Smith explains most of it clearly, and if you are ready to look at those religions through other's eyes you will understand it better. I found interesting the thoughts on how religions are all basically alike This book was somewhat of a failure to me, but I guess that it is ultimately impossible to find a book on this issue that will please me or give me the fully clear knowledge I would like, as it is very hard to understand religions, and even more when they are not our own (no matter if you are theist, atheist or agnostic). Lacking more history, and a clearer explanation of the institutional dimensions of those religions, along with some other subjects, it is still a great book and most of all a good intro to the wisdom those religions share. You will probably find yourself wanting more information, but Houston Smith's work is a good place to start. Overall, you might end up still a bit confused, but you can still benefit from the wisdom Smith managed to gather in those few pages. I recommend it, it's worth your money.
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Summary: Wonderful read, but hard to understand
Review: This is the text book used at the high school I currently attend for the World Religion class. It is much too complex for the average high school junior so I don't know why the school chose it. I however found the book to be a remarkable literary masterpiece. It uses vivid language and broad ideas to portray many of the worlds great religions. It does not give a full detail of all the religions but only a general description and some highlight of dogma. The author limits the book to the main sect of each religion and does not go into small segregations (i.e. Christianity not Baptist). This 17 y/o high school junior believes that this book is a must read for any person looking for a faith to fit your beliefs or just anyone curious about the beliefs of other people in the world.
Rating:
Summary: An Extraordinary Contribution to Our Understanding
Review: The reviewer from Pendleton, NY, who wrote "What was He Thinking?," on April 2, 2004, simply misread the text. Admittedly, Smith's style is rather archaic at times; but it is always lucid English. Smith says in his examination of Judaism, regarding the biblical teaching on "sin" as missing the mark, "and this [missing the mark] people manage to do. Meant to be noble, they [human beings] are usually something less." Smith is not referring to a religion or ethnic community, but is supporting the biblical claim regarding the human condition. He continues, "Created more than animal, they [human beings] often sink to being nothing else." Both of the plural pronouns refer to human beings. While I appreciate the review, "Slight misquote supports biased review?," of April 15, 2004, it must be said that the problem for the earlier reviewer was not a mere "misquote," but a severe misunderstanding, and a rather silly one at that. Our debt to Huston Smith for the brilliant contribution he has made to our understanding of the world's great religious traditions is large. If you do not yet own this book, you should buy it now and read it again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: One of the best books to start exploring the main religions in our world. Well-balanced description between historic events that fostered the creation of each religion and the wisdom-rational that each one of them heralds. Ignorance is the fuel that propels fundamentalism and narrow-mindeness. This book is a great contribution to a more open and tolerant environment in our already tubulent world.
Rating:
Summary: An Extraordinary Contribution to Our Understanding
Review: The reviewer from Pendleton, NY, who wrote "What was He Thinking?," on April 2, 2004, simply misread the text. Admittedly, Smith's style is rather archaic at times; but it is always lucid English. Smith says in his examination of Judaism, regarding the biblical teaching on "sin" as missing the mark, "and this [missing the mark] people manage to do. Meant to be noble, they [human beings] are usually something less." Smith is not referring to a religion or ethnic community, but is supporting the biblical claim regarding the human condition. He continues, "Created more than animal, they [human beings] often sink to being nothing else." Both of the plural pronouns refer to human beings. While I appreciate the review, "Slight misquote supports biased review?," of April 15, 2004, it must be said that the problem for the earlier reviewer was not a mere "misquote," but a severe misunderstanding, and a rather silly one at that. Our debt to Huston Smith for the brilliant contribution he has made to our understanding of the world's great religious traditions is large. If you do not yet own this book, you should buy it now and read it again and again.
Rating: 
Summary: Reader from Pendleton Took Passage Out of Context
Review: I urge the Reader from Pendleton to re-read page 281. The "they" that Smith refers to is humankind. Here's the paragraph in its entirety: "In speaking of the realism of the Jewish view of human nature we have thus far emphasized its recognition of physical limitations: weakness, susceptibility to pain, life's brevity. We shall not have plumbed the full scope of its realism, however, until we add that they saw the basic human limitation as moral rather than physical. Human beings are not only frail; they are sinners: "I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me" (Psalm 51:5). It is totally false to claim this verse for the defense of either the doctrine of total human depravity or the notion that sex is evil. These are both imported notions that have nothing to do with Judaism. The verse does, however, contribute something of great importance to Jewish anthropology. The word sin comes from a root meaning "to miss the mark," and this people (despite their high origin) manage to continually do. Meant to be noble, they are usually something less; meant to be generous, they withhold from others. Created more than animal, they often sink to being nothing else." Smith's awkwardly-worded "and this people (despite their high origin) manage to continually do" may have caused the confusion. When he says "this" he is talking about "sin" as a verb. It may have been better constructed as "The word sin comes from a root meaning "to miss the mark," and sin is what people manage to continually do (despite their high origin)." He is referring to all people, not just Jews. Smith is no anti-Semite and his respect for Judaism and the Jews should be apparent to anyone who reads Chapter VII.
Rating:
Summary: Slight misquote supports biased review?
Review: In "What was He Thinking?, April 2, 2004, Reviewer: A reader from Pendleton, NY USA" wrote and possibly misquoted the author, leaving a biased view which seems to support his polemic that follows. You be the judge: A reader from Pendleton:
"Unimaginable! On page 281, regarding Judaism, Huston writes: "The word sin comes from a root meaning 'to miss the mark,' and this people (despite their high origin) manage continually to do. Meant to be noble, they are usually something less; meant to be generous, they withhold from others. Created more than animal, they often sink to being nothing less." In my copy (1st Perennial Library ed. , 1965) Huston wrote: "The word sin comes from a root meaning 'to miss the mark,' and this despite his high origin and nature, man continually does. Meant to be noble, he is ordinarily less than such; meant to be generous, he seeks his own. Created more than animal, he often sinks to be nothing else." Just trying to help.
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