The Joy of Sects

Rating:
Summary: Broad yet humorous
Review: For year I had wanted to study comparative theology, but had been daunted by the breadth of the task. When I found Joy of Sects, I was hoping for a broad review of the major world religions. I got this and much more. Not only are the six major eastern and western religions covered, but so too are many of their sects and sub-sects.

In what could otherwise be dry reading, the author has managed to find an appropriate balance between reporting the facts behind each faith, and finding the humor in each and religion in general. Playful, and non-offensive. Yet the work goes deeply enough into each topic as to give the read the history and spiritual nature of each belief system

I would recommend this work to anyone even remotely interested in comparative theology or even those mildly interested in what their friends and neighbors believe.

Rating:
Summary: Good Text for a often stale subject
Review: I like this book. First off, a disclaimer: This book is not meant to be an exhaustive review of the world's religions. They are plenty of texts for that. The author sets out to create a work of making organized religions and spirtual practices lighthearted and fun to read! Believe me this is no easy task! I found a good balance of interesting facts and pertinent information. So many books on religion are so scholarly that they are often more useful as sleep aids as opposed to inducing lively discussion of the world's wonderful and diverse religious traditions. I found him objective and open minded when discussing the "new age" and some of the more alternative viewpoints so prevelant today. Most authors treat these areas as fluff or as bastardizations of religious traditions that are already in existence and therefore not really worthy of serious study. It is true that there seems to be some bias against the Catholic religion. But I found it subtle and actually fairly objective considering the authors upbringing. Some of the side notes can be a little distracting, but for the most part I found this book an easy, enjoyable read. I read most of it before bedtime, but not as a sleep aid! I would suggest this be a companion text to a traditional exhaustive text, not as a primary text to understanding the plethora of the worlds traditions. Recommended

Rating:
Summary: Catchy title, great book!
Review: I'm a librarian in a grades 7-12 prep school and we have a high demand for books covering the major religions of the world. This has been, by far, the best single resource we have found! Its format and coverage are just right for the reader who needs an excellent overview, but not the minutia. The layout is attractive and functional; the index is thorough. It's easy to find exactly what you're looking for and the humorous presentation makes it readable cover to cover! Of course the provocative title doesn't hurt either...This is a great addition to a home reference library!