Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Primer For Hindus and Seekers!
Review: I found this book to be well written. It is enjoyable and easy to understand where a teenager would keep interest. Yet, it is also intriguing and amusing for adults. The authors uses a conversation between a boy and his father as a format for this book. You will learn about history in Hinduism and India. You will also learn interesting subjects such as Hinduism views of other religions, dances, signifigance of symbols, and a whole variety of topics. An excellent introduction for those aspiring understanding Hinduism.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Excellent Book! Hindus must read it!
Review: Dear all,I strongly recommend this book to be read by everybody who is a Hindu and everybody who is interested in Hinduism. The book so beautifully covers Hinduism from theological, philosophical and social aspects. P.s.: If you are a NRI, then get this book for your kids. They must know about their culture, religion and country. Om,
Rageshwari.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, should be read by every hindu
Review: Being a Hindu teenager living in the United States, it has been difficult for me to have a full grasp of the my religion. Where most of my peers are Christian and Jewish, and knowledge of Hinduism is scarce, my only source of information on Hinduism has been my parents. Though my parents have dont a great job teaching me the core principles of Hinduism, Mr. Viswanathan's book has provided a thourough discussion of Hinduism - covering all aspects of the religion. There are SO MANY misconceptions about Hinduism and this book has eqipped me with the knowledge to dispell stereotypes and educate my peers about the religion that means so much to me. The book is easy to understand and the format makes the book clear. I think every Hindu should read this book so that he/she can understand Hinduism further and appreciate our rich tradition and culture.
Rating: 
Summary: Primer Indeed! But a Bit Unorganized
Review: Targeted to Westerners and non-Hindus, this book covers everything from the "juicy stuff" (e.g. "holy cows", red dots, reincarnation, castes, idolatry -- i.e., the Western stereotypes of Hinduism) to the esoteric stuff (Yogas, spiritualism, sacred texts, God). Presented in a Q&A format between a 14 yr. old and his father, there is a bit of a cheese factor to be overcome as the questions are begun "Daddy, what does...?" (what 14 y.o. American boy calls his father "daddy"?), especially since the context of questions eventually makes it obvious that there was no Q&A session in the first place, but you soon learn to ignore it. My only complaints are: 1) The asking of questions are very unorganized, and jump from one subject to a completely different one, then back again halfway through the book! The book could have been divided into sections of related material & questions more efficiently. 2) There's long (and short) Sanskrit words, names & such which get left undefined, so you have no idea what concept is being explained (many times this book has the feeling of having been written for someone who already knows everything printed within). Keep that in mind when you read it: some things get brought up and then left unexplained! (But what there is to learn more than makes up for it.) 3) Am I a Hindu? could have used an index or at least a table-of-contents of the questions themselves (the q. are divided into "sections" regarding a certain specific topic, but even this isn't very good and some q. are still non-sequitur to their sections). As a study guide, this book desperately needs some sort of cross-reference to look things up, otherwise you'll have to read the entire thing over again if you want to re-study one small thing, since you've no idea where to find it. This cuts down on its re-readability factor. Other than those main points, this book is definitely worth your time & money; I could see an abridged, better-organized version being used as a school textbook in some high school world religion class (but just get rid of the "daddy" format or else you'll have to put up with a classroom full of giggling schoolchildren...).
Rating:
Summary: Am I a Hindu?
Review: This book is very good for everybody. The language used by the author is very simple & there is no complex sanskrit word used anywhere in the book. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to learn about Hinduism. I think everybody should read this book atleast once.
Rating:
Summary: great book
Review: the best part of this book is the format. the question and anwser format is exactly the best way to explain such a complex subject as hinduism. its easy to read and flows well. it almost ask the same questions i would ask if i was having that conversation in real life. a definate must read for anybody interested in learning something about hinduism.
Rating: 
Summary: Not that good of a book
Review: I was very surprised by all of the positive comments I've seen on this book. I found many problems with it: for example the homophobic "prophecy" mentioned at one point of the book leads one to believe that Hinduism is as homophobic as Western religions, but that is nonsense. But the major problem is how simplistic the interpretations are. If you want something that has substance and is informative AND accurate read Gavin Flood's Introduction to Hinduism, or better yet, read the sacred texts yourself--the Upanishads, the Vedas, and the Mahabharata. Don't rely upon a watered-down description of this great religion to give you an idea of what it's all about.
Rating:
Summary: Great for those new to Hinduism
Review: I read this book, wanting to learn more about Hinduism, but feeling that other resources were talking way over my head, expecting me to understand details I didn't! This book is so simple, in the form of a child asking questions to his father. It answers many questions one may have and addresses popular misconceptions. Anyone could read this book and have a much better understanding of what Hinduism is about afterwards. I highly recommend it.
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Summary: One of my ALL TIME FAVORITES!!!
Review: I became interested in Hinduism not very long ago and early on became discouraged at the immense amount of scriptural and intellectual literature that surrounds this great religion. Not knowing where to begin, and often dealing with a western language and ideology barrier I found myself confused, rereading passge after passage trying to absorb it all to no avail. AM I A HINDU? changed all of that. Viswanathan's question and answer format helped keep the discussion focused and easy to follow, and I often found that the "son" would counter with questions I myself asked as I read. What is most impressive about the book is that Viswanathan is able to convey such a great amount of information not only concisely, but also in a manner that is a far cry from the typical stale, textbook fashion. Reader's will also note that Viswanathan is not only well educated on the Hindu religion, but is also well versed in the other major world religions and easily make parallels between them. This book is a must have for anyone interested in world religion, becoming Hindu or exploring their Hindu roots, or anyone looking for a glimple into one of the worlds oldest and most beautiful cultures!
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Summary: keeping it real
Review: Many people this days seem to be gettin mixed up, not only that but also similar to discriminating, them just becaus they are fom afghanistan. this book is all about hindism, it' for people who does not have the knowledge about this religion, and the respect of this culture. ther are perspectives, techniques, roles, etc. therefore a person cannot judge a perso's religion just per name. they should research it first.this boo is incredible when it comes to teaching kids and adults about hinduism. it takes you to a part of the religio which a person does not know.
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